Temecula city leaders continue plea for answers after LA2028 committee opts for different equestrian venue
"The use of words were, 'We're taking it away from you,'" said Ken Smith. He's owned Galway Downs for the last 15 years, and he's one of the many that were beyond excited when the Los Angeles City Council announced that their premier equestrian venue host some events when the Summer Games came to Southern California.
He'd been handing out tumblers saying "Proud Host of the 2028 Olympics" in the days since. That was until the olympics planning committee made a sudden change.
"We were approved, when through a three and a half year process, spent a lot of money to prepare for this," Smith said. "Disappointing that they say, 'We're pulling the Olympics from you for a host of reasons.' Well, what's one?"
He has his own beliefs as to what really happened.
"I think this was a unique situation where someone came to the table late in the game and made a deal," Smith said. "There's no question, I'm disappointed and I'm frustrated."
Galways Downs is far from the only local institution feeling slighted after the decision was made official, when the list of venues was released on Monday.
"Our hotels in Temecula, they completely blocked off the entirety of the equestrian Olympics," said Temecula Mayor Brenden Kalfus. "So we had to essentially unblock those rooms, a lot of the local businesses were expecting and planning for the Olympics to come here. ... For us, we were really excited to show the world what Temecula Valley has to offer."
On top of the sudden let down for the prospective influx of money that would inevitably come with the games, Riverside County officials had already pledged $20 million to help provide the best possible experience to the 30,000 people expected to attend the games daily.
"What sold LA28 on this location was that it was ready to go. It can host all three events and doesn't require a lot of money to be put into," said Supervisor Chuck Washington.
Galway Downs is equipped for all three of the equestrian events slated to take place in the Olympics, a glaring difference from the Santa Anita Racetrack, which was selected as the final venue.
They hosted the Olympics when they were in Los Angeles back in 1984 and LA28 says they'll be ready to do the same in three years.
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