ABSTRACT
By 1978 the IOC had serious concerns over the rocketing costs of staging the Summer Games, a key factor in the reluctance of almost all potential host cities to bid for the 1984 Games. Only Los Angeles was willing to take on the project, and as sole bidder was able to extract significant concessions from the IOC. There was to be maximum use of existing venues; corporate sponsorship and much enhanced income from the television rights were to provide much of the funding.
Since the 1932 Summer Games the Memorial Coliseum had been gradually upgraded, yet it still fell short of the latest IOC standards. The first row of seats on the north side of the stadium had to be demolished so that a new synthetic surfaced running track with larger radius curves could be squeezed in, and a new lighting system had to be installed.
More upgrades and remodelling took place in the years after the Games. The 1994 Northridge Earthquake caused damage that cost $100M to repair. When the Summer Games return to the city in 2028 the Coliseum will host the athletics competitions, which will require the installation of a new running track.
