LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stepped off the plane, proudly waving the official Olympic flag, greeted by cheers from dozens of LA 28 organizers who recognized that the next phase of their preparations had begun.

The countdown to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles has officially started.

The scene at Los Angeles International Airport on Monday was celebratory, as Bass and several Olympians returned home from the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Olympic flag’s arrival in the City of Angels was a symbolic moment, following a star-studded closing ceremony featuring performances by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billie Eilish, and Snoop Dogg in Long Beach.

But this was the real deal. The actual Olympic flag arrived on a special Delta aircraft adorned with LA 2028 emblems. Accompanying Mayor Bass were LA 28 Chair Casey Wasserman, Olympic diver Delaney Schnell, and skateboarder Tate Carew. The flag will now be housed at Los Angeles City Hall until the Games begin in four years, serving as a constant reminder of the pressure to deliver a successful and thrilling XXXIV Olympiad.

“It is on,” Bass declared.

Bass and several LA 28 organizers spent the past few weeks in Paris, closely observing and learning from the 2024 Summer Games to prepare for the upcoming Olympics in Southern California. The early consensus is that the Paris Games were a resounding success, showcasing the best of what Paris and France have to offer, setting a high bar for Los Angeles to meet in 2028.

Casey Wasserman, President of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, emphasized that their goal isn’t to outdo Paris but to authentically highlight Los Angeles in its unique way. However, there are certain elements from this year’s Games that the LA 28 organizers are keen to incorporate. One of the next steps in the preparation process is gathering feedback from athletes and participants to identify what worked and what could be improved.

“We’ll keep the good and peel back the bad,” said Janet Evans, four-time Olympic gold medalist and a member of the organizing committee. “Paris delivered an incredible Games, but there are always lessons to be learned, and we have the opportunity to create something uniquely Los Angeles.”

A significant talking point for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is the ambitious plan for a “no-car” Games. The idea, highlighted by Mayor Bass, is to heavily promote public transportation as the primary mode of travel to Olympic events. For many Angelenos, this might sound as unlikely as making the Seine completely safe for competition, yet it’s a concept rooted in history. During the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles, traffic concerns kept the roads surprisingly clear, something Inglewood Mayor James Butts, a police officer at the time, vividly recalls.

“We couldn’t hope to be that fortunate again, but if it happens, everyone will be thrilled,” he said.

The objective for the 2028 Games is to rely solely on public transportation, with venues spread from Inglewood to Los Angeles to Long Beach. While this may seem like a daunting task given the current state of LA’s public transport system, which many consider inadequate, Hoover remains optimistic. Public transportation was a key area studied during the Paris Games, and Hoover believes it’s a goal that can be achieved.

“I think it’s attainable,” Hoover said. “By 2028, we’ll have a better transportation system. The metro is improving, and I’m confident we can make this work.”

Transportation is just one of the many challenges Los Angeles faces in its effort to keep pace with Paris. Hoover acknowledged that Paris set a new standard for future Olympics, reigniting global enthusiasm for the Games. Los Angeles not only aims to match Paris in delivering a successful event but also hopes to sustain and elevate the Olympic spirit.

“We all feel the pressure,” Bass said. “The pressure is on to ensure our city and region are prepared, ready, and fully capable of taking advantage of the opportunities the Games will bring.”

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