Infrastructure Experts Discuss LA's Preparations for Olympics, World Cup
Construction experts and politicians gathered on May 17 at historic Union Station in Los Angeles to discuss the challenges of delivering major infrastructure projects in Southern California and the Western U.S. Led by United for Infrastructure (UFI), the event coincided with the end of Infrastructure Week 2024 and featured panels covering topics such as transportation and water projects, future energy needs and climate issues.
A highlight of the event was a panel discussion entitled The World is Coming to Town… Are We Ready? which focused on getting new infrastructure ready for the millions of visitors to Los Angeles for the upcoming 2026 World Cup and 2028 Olympic Games. Speakers included Ernesto Chaves, senior executive officer in the Office of Strategic Innovation with LA Metro; and Mike Christensen, interim chief development officer with Los Angeles World Airports.
Christensen said Los Angeles International Airport’s (LAX) $30-billion capital program is nearing the halfway point. He said projects such as the $2.9-billion Automated People Mover (APM) and the $1-billion LAX Consolidated Rent-A-Car Facility (ConRAC), along with a series of terminal projects will be operational in time for the World Cup and the Olympics.