Long Beach has been announced as the site of Greece’s Team House for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games by the Hellenic Olympic Committee.
The Hellenic Olympic House will be located at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Long Beach. This has been established as part of a public-private partnership between the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the church. The Hellenic Olympic Committee will also work alongside City of Long Beach representatives, the Embassy of Greece in Washington D.C. and the Consulate General of Greece in Los Angeles to cultivate a unique hospitality experience.
“It is an honor to be selected by the Hellenic Olympic Committee as the location for their Team House for the 2028 Games,” said Mayor Rex Richardson in a public statement. “Greece is the historic heart of the Olympic Games, and their team presence in Long Beach will bring a whole new level of excitement and historical and cultural value to our community. We look forward to welcoming them to our incredible city and to hopefully welcoming more Team Houses as we move closer to 2028.”
As its athletes compete, the Hellenic Olympic House will host a range of activities and exhibitions with ties to Greek history, culture and arts, as well as opportunities for visitors to meet and mingle with Olympic athletes. Additional information about the House’s cultural and community programming will be shared closer to the LA28 Games.
The history of the Olympic Games can be traced back 776 BC in Ancient Greece, and the first modern iteration of the Olympics was held in Athens, Greece in 1896. Hellenic Olympic House hopes to honor and share Greece’s Olympic pride as well as the spirit, creativity and hospitality of Hellenism.
“The establishment of the Hellenic Olympic House in Long Beach is a dynamic symbol of Greece’s timeless connection to the Olympic Games and a living bridge between the birthplace of Olympism and the global Olympic community,” said Isidoros Kouvelos, President of the Hellenic Olympic Committee, in a public statement. “In Los Angeles, through this House, we will share our culture, history, traditions and the Values of Olympism-excellence, friendship, and respect, which remain our most powerful contribution to humanity.”
Team Houses are set up by a country’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) as temporary hospitality venues that also host special events and gatherings during Olympic and Paralympic Games. They can be located in either public or private space as determined by the intended use of a country’s NOC. Team Houses regularly host public events such as receptions, media engagements, sponsor activations and networking opportunities as well as meetings for athletes, coaches, families and dignitaries.
Long Beach is looking to expand its presence for the LA28 Games through Team Houses and NOC events, thus creating more opportunities for local businesses involvement and growth in tourism and local economic activity.
“We are thrilled to welcome the Hellenic Olympic House to our District 3 community during the 2028 Games,” said Third District Councilmember Kristina Duggan in a public statement. “The Team House will be a space that celebrates culture, unity and the true Olympic spirit. We are honored Greece has selected our city for this activation, and we look forward to working with them.”
When approached, the City — in collaboration with VisitLB — serves as liaisons in connecting interested NOCs with local public and private property owners looking to rent out their space. City staff support these potential partnerships via coordinating permits and zoning for temporary use of spaces, facilitating public safety plans and supporting tourism and cultural engagement citywide.
The City is developing an interest form to connect business and property owners with NOCs, and the form is expected to be available in the coming weeks. According to the City, Long Beach does not fund or operate Team Houses, though it may incur associated costs that would be reimbursed through supplemental agreements with each NOC.
The 2028 Olympic Games will take place July 14 through July 30, 2028, and the 2028 Paralympic Games will take place Aug. 15 through Aug. 27, 2028. As a 2028 Venue City, Long Beach will host the largest number of sporting events outside of the host city of Los Angeles, with 11 sporting events during the Olympic Games and seven for the Paralympic Games.
To learn more about Long Beach’s plans for the LA28 Games, visit longbeach.gov/2028Games.
