Denmark will establish a national hospitality house at The Westin hotel in Long Beach for the 2028 Olympics, making it the city’s second entry for a social headquarters ahead of the Games.
Liaisons for the nation’s Olympic committee said they finalized the decision in 2023, following several tours that year of Long Beach, and based their choice on the hotel’s waterfront access, the city’s expected competitions and its proximity to the city of Carson.
The country expects to enter more than 100 athletes across 20 disciplines, including those in Long Beach like handball, sailing, rowing, canoeing and target shooting. It previously sent 108 athletes to Tokyo in 2020 and 135 to Paris in 2024.
Olympic houses like Denmark’s are a Games tradition and have become increasingly elaborate over the years. There were more than 30 hospitality houses during the Paris 2024 Olympics, varying in atmosphere and architectural styles.
Houses serve as a hub of national fervor, promotional vehicles for sponsors and countries’ tourism agencies, and, most importantly, a social hub: places for officials to meet and greet outside the stadiums and arenas, and a refuge for athletes to spend downtime with friends and family members.
Details are scant on the Danish house. Danish officials said Tuesday the hotel will be used by dignitaries, athletes and coaches.
It will likely have memorabilia and flags evoking its Olympic success and culture, and feature some form of educational material but also offer entertainment during the Games.
Some houses are free while others charge a small fee for admission to watch disciplines and linger at their sponsor pavilions.
Plans are also pending to moor the Danes’ 92-year-old tall ship, the Danmark, in Rainbow Harbor, with their tourism agency set up in the area to offer activities.
The ship, they said, will sail twice to Los Angeles and back, charting across the Atlantic and entering through the Panama Canal. The double round trip will take more than a year to complete.
“We are proud to share our maritime heritage and to use these spaces to foster dialogue on greener solutions that can benefit communities in both our countries,” said Klaus Clemmens with the Danish Olympic Committee.
It’s the second announced hub in Long Beach, coming three months after Greece’s Hellenic Olympic Committee said it would set up at the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church.
Mayor Rex Richardson said the city is aggressively lobbying countries’ Olympic committees to establish social houses ahead of the Games, saying the Long Beach Museum of Art, MOLAA and other spots could serve as great sites for teams, brands and associations.
Earlier in the year, the city met with more than 100 national liaisons to pitch them on placing their houses in Long Beach. Tours have been provided to a dozen or so Olympic delegates.
“We’ve garnered a lot of interest so far,” Richardson said. “We have a number of very promising conversations taking place, and we look forward to sharing more updates in the weeks to come.”
Business and property owners interested in renting their space for a hospitality house can apply here.
Long Beach will host 11 disciplines for the Olympic Games and seven for the Paralympic Games. The Games will run July 14 to 30, while the Paralympic Games will take place Aug. 15 to 27.
More information about the 2028 Games is available here.
Editor’s note: This story was updated with more information from the Danish Olympic Committee.