In the summer of 2028, Los Angeles will host the Olympics for the third time.

After 1932 and 1984, this will be the third time, and they say they have a lot of experience, so it should go well...

Honestly, I wonder how much significance the Olympics will have in today's world. Prices are skyrocketing, homelessness is rampant in the city, and people are watching YouTube or TikTok more than TV. In this atmosphere, calling it a 'festival of the world' makes me worry.

Of course, on the surface, the preparations look impressive. They say they will make the most of existing facilities. Especially, the LA Memorial Coliseum is a legendary stadium that has hosted the Olympics three times. I acknowledge its history and tradition. But honestly, is using a 100-year-old stadium a 'wise choice' or just because 'there's no money'? Given LA's current financial situation, I can't help but be suspicious.

They say the venues are scattered here and there, but it's packaged as a 'distributed hosting' concept. In reality, it means traffic hell. Anyone from LA knows the infamous traffic jams during rush hour. Just imagine the tens of thousands of tourists flocking in. They might be exhausted before the events even start.

New sports are also being added, like flag football, cricket, and squash. Some sports are returning after 100 years. But who in today's world would sit in front of the TV to watch cricket? People are used to 30-second short forms now. In an era where the younger generation is more excited about e-sports than the Olympics, how well this will resonate is honestly uncertain.

The city of LA is packaging this Olympics as an 'opportunity for urban transformation.' They plan to expand the subway, introduce new trams, and make it easier to get to the venues via public transport. But anyone from LA knows this story. The 'under construction' signs are always up, and completion is always pushed back by years. I've already heard the promise of "we will finish before the Olympics" several times.

And we can't ignore the rising costs. Accommodation prices are already soaring. Places near downtown are two to three times more expensive per night than usual, and transportation, food, and even a cup of coffee will go up. What will be left after the Olympics? A clean subway? Or another tax burden? We'll have to wait and see.

These days, people are not as excited about the Olympics as they used to be. Just watching a few highlights online is enough. Meanwhile, they are holding an event that shakes the entire city; whether this is a 'shared festival' or a 'tax waste show' will differ from person to person.

Of course, there are positive perspectives as well. "The world is looking at LA again, the city's image will improve." But honestly, isn't LA's image closer to 'the city of tents' than 'the city of angels' right now? The homelessness issue persists, public order is shaky, and crime is increasing. I wonder if it's realistically possible to welcome guests from around the world in this state.

In the end, the 2028 LA Olympics will be remembered as either a success or a failure. It might be praised as "the greatest Olympics ever" with spectacular fireworks, but conversely, people might ask, "Why did we spend that money there?"

What might remain after the 2028 Olympics could be the sighs of LA citizens rather than the lights of the Memorial Coliseum.