World Cup and Olympics Preparations

Los Angeles is phasing in a mandate that will raise the minimum wage for hotel and airport workers to $30 an hour by 2028, a change city leaders say will directly affect roughly 23,000 workers and raise average pay by about $6.24 per hour for hotel staff and $3.87 per hour for airport employees. The ordinance, pushed by hospitality unions and supported by some city council members, is being implemented in the run-up to major events — the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics — prompting hotel industry leaders to warn it will squeeze operators already preparing for surges in demand.