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| Wasserman CEO and LA 2024 co-chair Casey Wasserman talks with the media in Rio. |
Wasserman CEO Casey Wasserman has been to three Olympics, but never quite like this. As co-chair of the Los Angeles ’24 bid committee, he was invited by the International Olympic Committee as an official observer for a behind-the-scenes look. I caught up with him outside Barra Olympic Park on Tuesday.
■ What’s distinctive about this Games compared to others you’ve attended?
WASSERMAN: My role here is rather different; those were purely fan-driven experiences, and this is work, with fan experience mixed in. It’s actually fascinating to be here a week early and see the IOC do its business and be an observer for that. And to be thinking about what this means for L.A. in the context of what we’re doing, and what this could look like in L.A., and where we would be doing those things in L.A. You have a lens that you’d never otherwise have. It’s been a fascinating experience.
■ Anything surprise you?
WASSERMAN: The one thing is, the unique scale of the operations of the (International Broadcast Center). I don’t think there’s any event in the world that has anything close to the scale of the operation that’s in the IBC. (Los Angeles ’24 currently proposes to build the IBC on vacant land owned by NBCUniversal in the San Fernando Valley.)
■ I’ve heard criticisms that Rio, the city, has insufficiently branded the city. Have you had any comparative experience in trying to brand or market an entire major city?
WASSERMAN: No, I don’t think anybody has, and that’s why the process is so intense. They want to make sure that whatever city they select understands the scale and has the ability to execute it, and we’re really confident in our ability to execute it if given a chance.
■ A few minutes earlier, a different reporter asked Wasserman about his take on the traffic jams and logistical problems that have marred Rio 2016 so far. He said he personally was having a good time, but did offer this:
WASSERMAN: There are a lot of lessons to learn from putting on an Olympic Games. This is an operation and a scale that you almost can’t actually simulate. As somebody described to me, the Saturday morning after opening ceremony, 10,000 athletes, 5,000 officials, 30,000 volunteers and 100,000 fans all depart where they are and go to venues. That’s not a scenario you can replicate easily. So it’s a stress on a city, and on an organization. And in Los Angeles with the investments we’ve made, and the infrastructure we have, we feel very confident in our ability to do that.
