The Culver City Council meeting of Sept 29, 2025, brought back the agreement with New Zealand for a “Hospitality House/Fun Zone” during the upcoming Los Angels Olympics in 2028, to fine tune the details and allocate funding.
With 26 people signed on to comment from the podium, it was a tremendous amount of public input over a plan for a party more than three years away. The previous council meeting had approved of the agreement, but details about funding specific to the city still needed to be clarified.
The Culver Arts Foundation has stepped forward to support fundraising efforts, although the city is still responsible. “[the City of Culver City] will be spending money on the Olympics,” Vice Mayor Freddy Puza noted in his remarks, “…we do understand there are concerns about the budget, and we need to be mindful of that. We can adjust as necessary.”
Mayor Dan O’Brien thanked the new Zealand delegates, and Nicki Nicol, the Chair of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, spoke to the meeting remotely after the vote. “We look forward to building a really deep relationship with the Culver City community over the next three years…we’ve been just overwhelmed with all the excitement and support.”
Exclusive use of Town Plaza for the New Zealand Hospitality House during the 2028 Olympic Games was approved with fives ‘ayes.’
Judith Martin-Straw
