Phoenix authorizes plan for 2028 Olympic torch relay events

Phoenix City Council adopted an ordinance Oct. 7 authorizing the city manager or a designee to enter an agreement with LA28 for part of the 2028 Olympic Torch Relay and a related cauldron-lighting community event. The action allows the city to proceed toward an agreement; it does not establish that the contract has been signed.

The plan calls for the relay to travel on Phoenix streets and culminate in a cauldron-lighting event at a suitable Phoenix venue. The events are planned for summer 2028, before the Olympic Opening Ceremony. The council record leaves the exact date, route and venue undecided; the date is to be agreed by Phoenix and LA28.

City departments would coordinate event services

The city’s listed responsibilities include permitting and plan review, coordinating branding and promotion, and assigning a citywide liaison and community task force. Phoenix would also coordinate convoy parking, traffic, public safety and emergency medical support. Other listed services include vending enforcement, street cleaning, sanitation and solid-waste services, as well as use of certain city-controlled venues.

Those commitments involve city departments and personnel, and the planned street and venue events may affect residents and attendees through event operations. The council report says general-government services would be provided at no cost to LA28. It does not assign a monetary value to staff time or municipal services, so that term does not establish that hosting will have no cost to Phoenix.

Spending and contract terms

The city currently expects no direct expenditure of city funds under the agreement. If the city manager expects city spending on the contract to exceed $31,999.99, the manager will request additional funding authorization. The threshold is a trigger for that request, not a stated final cost for the event.

The ordinance also authorizes the agreement to include mutual indemnification and assumption-of-liability provisions that would otherwise be prohibited under Phoenix City Code Section 42-18. The contract term would begin when the final party signs and expire on or about Dec. 31, 2028, with no option to extend it.

With the ordinance adopted, the next steps are for the city manager or designee and LA28 to complete the agreement and for the parties to settle on an event date. Phoenix also must identify a suitable venue. The council action does not set a signing date or establish the eventual direct city spending.