Report: Deal to award Olympics to Paris in 2024, Los Angeles in 2028 makes progress – CBSSports.com

An agreement is “progressing” with the International Olympic Committee that would give Paris the summer games in 2024 with Los Angeles to follow in 2028, sources told The Wall Street Journal.

There has been an ongoing saga in the bid for the 2024 Olympics between Los Angeles and Paris. There have been political climates and various bids to account for for the IOC. The victory by Emmanuel Macron in the French presedential election earlier this month is what galvanized Paris to submit its bid when it did. Macron has been an ardent supporter of the 2024 games, and his support was a key component in Paris’s bid.

The bidding to this point has been fiercely competitive, and Los Angeles was praised in early May for its bid. Just a few days later, officials offered up similar kind words for Paris. While Los Angeles’s bid has centered around the romantic nature of Hollywood and its implementation of previously existing venues, Paris has proposed using iconic locations such as the Eiffel Tower, Grand Palais and the Palace of Versailles as a backdrop. This has proven to be enticing, despite Paris’s need to build expensive athlete villages and arenas.

Details of the agreement being put forth are unknown, but officials have reportedly been at a stalemate since visiting both locations. The historical bedrock of Paris may be giving it the edge for 2024 at the moment. Combining this historical perspective with the political situations in both countries could be a difficult hurdle for Los Angeles to overcome. Furthermore, both Paris and Los Angeles have passionately defended their desire for the 2024 games, but Los Angeles has expressed a bit more flexibility between 2024 and 2028.

Olympic officials will convene June 9 to debate both locations. The IOC’s decision will be announced in September.