Antonio Villaraigosa says Los Angeles wants to host 2024 Olympics

In February, the U.S. Olympic Committee sent a letter to the mayors of 35 cities, asking their interest in being the official U.S. candidate to host the 2024 Summer Games. Los Angeles was included in that list, and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa sent the official reply Monday.

Yes, L.A. would love to host the Games.

“On behalf of the City of Los Angeles, I am pleased to confirm out enthusiastic interest in bidding to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Villaraigosa said in the letter sent to Scott Blackmun, the chief executive of the USOC.

“Our City Council passed a resolution of support for a 2024 bid..... We are proud of our city’s sports heritage and tradition, and we stand ready to work with you to bring the Olympic Games back to the United States.”

Attached to the letter was the City Council resolution, and a letter from the Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games, featuring the signatures of some very big names: Barry Sanders, Janet Evans, Willie Banks, Robert Iger, Magic Johnson, Tom Hanks and Tim Leiweke, among others.

Of course, this is just the first step of a lengthy process involving several countries. The host for the 2024 Olympics will not be chosen until 2017.

Do you want Los Angeles to host the Games in 2024? Vote in our poll and let us know.

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