Drive Planned to Return Games to L.A. in 2004

The Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games today is expected to disclose plans to bring the Games back to Los Angeles in the year 2004.

A press conference is scheduled for this morning, at which committee President John Argue will announce the group’s intention to approach the U.S. Olympic Committee with such a bid.

Sources close to the committee said such distant advance planning is neither unusual nor unnecessary.

The committee was originally formed in 1939 to bring the Games back to Los Angeles after the 1932 success, and it required nearly half a century of effort to return the Games to the city. The Southern California Committee for the Olympic Games is separate from the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee, which was formed to run the 1984 Games after they were awarded to Los Angeles.

Presentation of the proposal, it was explained, is only the first step in a long process.

The International Olympic Committee will consider a bid from just one city in each nation, and each national committee has autonomy in making its own selections.

The committee was able to bring the 1984 Games to Los Angeles only after it agreed to Mayor Tom Bradley’s terms guaranteeing that the event would be presented at no cost to taxpayers.

That promise was fulfilled, and a similar proposal is expected for the 2004 Games. Sources close to the committee said the organization will also announce plans for an innovative money-raising campaign so that, once again, the private sector would cover the cost of hosting the international competition.