LA28 Olympic diving moves to the Rose Bowl in a bid to save millions

Olympic diving will now be held at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center in Pasadena in 2028.

Organizers had originally planned to host diving at Exposition Park, but moved away from that plan because the pool there wasn't Olympic-sized. The L.A. City Council approved the venue change Wednesday.

The aquatic center in Pasadena already has two Olympic-sized pools. Organizers estimate moving diving to the venue will save around $12 million in infrastructure costs and allow for increased revenue due to Rose Bowl capacity for more ticket sales.

"This move will result in a significant step forward in ensuring both the financial success and sustainability of the Games, while enhancing operational efficiency,” L.A. Mayor Karen Bass said in a statement.

LA28, the private nonprofit organizing the Games, had originally announced that diving would take place in John C. Argue swim stadium, a facility next to the Coliseum. That pool was originally built for the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

But organizers said they decided to change course after the international governing body for aquatics raised "grave concerns" about that pool's safety features and ability to host the competition.

In a request last month, LA28 told the city of Los Angeles that World Aquatics — the international federation for diving — advised organizers that the pool is not wide or deep enough for Olympic competition. Organizers determined that the pool would need complete reconstruction to meet Olympic standards.

“World Aquatics fully supports the decision to stage Olympic Diving at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center for the LA28 Games,” World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam said in a statement.

LA28 says it will still pay to widen the pool in Exposition Park to be fit for national and international competition standards.