Take a look back at LA when the 1984 Olympics came to town

A lot has changed since then

By Elijah Chiland Updated Feb 9, 2018, 8:02am PST

Opening Ceremony of the 1984 Summer Olympics — Performers release hundreds of white balloons in the sky during the opening ceremony.

The Olympic Games are getting underway in Pyeongchang, and Los Angeles leaders are already looking ahead to 2028, when the city will host its third Summer Games.

But while local officials dream about the new transit lines and smooth sidewalks that they’ll be able to boast about 10 years from now, let’s take a look back to the last time Los Angeles hosted the games.

Only 34 years have passed since 1984, but the city has changed a lot during that time.

With a population of around 3.02 million, Los Angeles had just overtaken Chicago as the second-largest city in the nation. It had no rail system then (the Blue Line opened six years later), and its tallest building was the First Interstate Tower (aka Aon Center). The 710 freeway was known as State Route 7, and residents of unincorporated West Hollywood were campaigning to turn the neighborhood into its own city.

We’ve rounded up some photos that show what the city looked like when athletes from around the world (minus the USSR) descended upon Los Angeles in July of 1984.

OLY LEGACY 7/28/1984 Scene at the Coliseum in Los Angeles during opening ceremonies of the Olymp — Opening ceremonies.

Pershing Square, 1984 — Pershing Square, seen here before its 1992 redesign, got a $1 million makeover to prepare it for the 1984 games.

Downtown LA skyline, 1984 — The Downtown LA skyline was much less crowded in 1984, though a construction boom had already begun to transform the area.

Coliseum sculptures — Bronze sculptures by artist Robert Graham are unveiled at the Coliseum.

Olympic torch, 1984 — O.J. Simpson carries the Olympic torch up the California Incline in Santa Monica.

Olympics parade, 1984 — Mayor Tom Bradley rides a float during an Olympics parade through Downtown LA.

jetpack 1984 olympics — The wild opening ceremony featured, among other spectacles, a man named Bill Suitor flying around with a jetpack (yes, it was a real jetpack).

Olympic bus, 1984 — Officials periodically closed off traffic on freeways to allow athletes to pass through—though it may not have been necessary. Congestion was surprisingly light during the games.

Coliseum, 1984 Olympics — Flags of the participating countries flying at the Coliseum.

Velodrome, 1984 — A cycling velodrome was constructed at California State University Dominguez Hills. Today, the StubHub Center—where Los Angeles officials announced plans to host the 2028 games—stands on the site.

pin vendor, 1984 — A vendor sells collectible pins during the games.

Olympic Budweiser cans, 1984 — People trade pins in front of giant inflatable beer cans on Figueroa Street.

Man wearing Olympic pins, 1984 — If it’s not clear yet, people really got excited about pins in 1984.

Trash, 1984 Olympics — Trash piled up on Figueroa Street after the end of the games.

mural, 1984 games — Murals were installed around the city in advance of the games, including this one at Tujunga Wash in North Hollywood.

Take a look back at LA when the 1984 Olympics came to town

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