Organisers of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games (commonly styled “LA28”) joined Oklahoma City officials on 20 October 2025 to mark 1,000 days until the opening ceremony and to announce the specific venues for two sports: softball and canoe slalom.
At the announcement, LA28 Chair and President Casey Wasserman, CEO Reynold Hoover, Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and President of Team OKC Michael Byrnes participated in a ceremony which followed a weekend of youth-sports clinics and venue inspections in Oklahoma City.
Venue confirmations and logistics
The two confirmed venues in Oklahoma City are:
- The OKC Softball Park (also described as the OKC Softball Park) which will host the Olympic softball tournament.
- The OKC Whitewater Center (also known as the Whitewater Center) which will host the canoe slalom competitions.
The announcement emphasised that Oklahoma City will host “two sports across seven events” as part of the broader LA28 plan.
Strategy and rationale
In making the announcement, organisers highlighted several strategic reasons:
- The move underscores the intention of LA28 to utilise existing venues rather than build large new permanent infrastructure for every sport, particularly in Southern California.
- Oklahoma City’s involvement expands the geographical footprint of the Games beyond the host city of Los Angeles, thereby “bridging regions and communities from the Pacific coast in Los Angeles to the central plains of Oklahoma City.” Wasserman is quoted on this point.
- Mayor Holt described the opportunity as “once-in-a-lifetime” for Oklahoma City, which he said would “dramatically expand the reach of the Olympic experience.”
Timing and broader context
The Games are scheduled to take place in Los Angeles for the third time, with the Olympic Games from 14–30 July 2028, followed by the Paralympic Games from 15–27 August 2028.
The 1,000 day mark serves as a milestone in the countdown to the Games and a public show of momentum behind the preparations. The youth clinics and “Day of Sport” on 18 October were part of the build-up to the announcement.
Implications and take-aways
- For fans and athletes: The confirmation of venues allows teams and national bodies to plan with greater certainty—for travel, logistics, training, and qualification events.
- For Los Angeles and Oklahoma City: It signals a partnership model wherein host city organisers deliberately distribute events geographically, likely in search of cost-efficiency and broader national engagement.
- For legacy and cost management: By choosing existing facilities in Oklahoma City for these two sports, LA28 seeks to avoid the additional expense and environmental impact of new build venues in Los Angeles. As prior announcements indicated, both softball and canoe slalom lacked suitable venues in Southern California, prompting the shift.
Looking ahead
With 1,000 days to go, the next phases will involve detailed planning around infrastructure upgrades, transportation, ticketing, accommodation and community engagement—both in Los Angeles and in Oklahoma City. Organisers will also need to ensure seamless coordination between the two cities and integrate the athlete and fan experience across the wider Games footprint.
For Oklahoma City, the announcement presents both opportunity (global exposure, economic benefits) and responsibility (ensuring venue readiness, local logistics, community support).
Meanwhile, LA28 continues to roll out the schedule, venue confirmations for other sports, sustainability and legacy plans, and global marketing ahead of 2028.
In summary: the milestone of 1,000 days out from the 2028 Games was used to formally announce that Oklahoma City will host the softball and canoe slalom events for LA28, using its existing top-level facilities. The move reflects a broader strategy to leverage established venues, spread the impact of the Games beyond the main host city, and maintain momentum as the clock ticks toward summer 2028.
