There’s new Olympic-related legislation from Sen. Mitt Romney — for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
Romney, R-Utah, along with Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Sen. Alex Padilla, both D-Calif., reintroduced the “LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Commemorative Coin Act” on Friday, which marks five years until the start of the next Olympics in the United States.
The bipartisan legislation directs the U.S. Treasury Department to mint and issue four types of coins commemorating the 2028 Olympics that will be used to raise money for the organization of the Games as well as legacy programs.
“The Olympics showcase the greatness of the human spirit, and it was one of the greatest honors of my life to organize the 2002 Salt Lake Games,” said Romney, who served as CEO of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee for the 2002 Winter Games.
“I’m pleased to join Sen. Padilla in reintroducing this legislation, which will direct the Treasury to mint coins in commemoration of the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games — without costing the federal government a dollar,” he said.
Organizers of the Los Angeles Games expressed their appreciation for the legislation.
“We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate the Olympic and Paralympic Games coming to the United States in the summer of 2028,” Michelle Schwartz, LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games chief external affairs officer, said.
Schwartz said “15,000 of the world’s best athletes will come to America to compete on the biggest stage in sports and we look forward to celebrating this once in a generation moment across the country.”
Commemorative $5 gold and $1 silver coins that showcased the Salt Lake City skyline were minted for the 2002 Winter Games and more could be coming if Salt Lake City’s bid to host another Olympics, in 2030 or 2034, is successful.
“We plan on a coin program as another way to celebrate and remember the Games,” Fraser Bullock, president and CEO of the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games that’s behind the bid, said.
Bullock, who was the chief operating officer of the 2002 Winter Games, said “a specific revenue number” for commemorative coin sales has not yet been developed in the proposed budget to stage another Winter Games, expected to exceed $2.2 billion.
U.S. Olympics rely on private funding rather than government support, mainly from the sale of sponsorships, broadcast rights and tickets. Utah bidders have stated a preference to wait until 2034 to host again to avoid competing with Los Angeles for domestic sponsorships.