Naples prepares for possible 2028 Olympic torch relay stop

Naples could be among the Cauldron Cities nationwide participating in the 2028 Olympic Torch Relay’s 50-state tour, spreading Olympic spirit from state to state with downtown celebrations. 

The daily journey for the Olympic Torch Relay in spring 2028 is expected to conclude each evening in a designated “Cauldron City,” a stopover where the final torchbearer of the day lights a celebration cauldron, according to the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. 

Naples City Council on Oct. 7 agreed to direct City Manager Gary Young and staff to obtain a one-day special-event insurance policy not to exceed $5,000 for the LA28 Olympic Torch Relay. The policy would name the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028 as an additional insured, fulfilling a requirement for Naples to potentially host the relay and serve as a Cauldron City. 

“As a participating community, Naples would host a three-to-four-mile segment of the relay and support a ceremonial Cauldron lighting event,” City Communications and Outreach Manager Monique Barnhart wrote to Naples City Council in a memo. “LA28 will oversee the overall planning and execution of the relay in coordination with participating communities nationwide.” 

Young, who said the city was approached and asked to become a Cauldron City, told council members he doesn’t know when the torch will arrive or what the route will be. The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee will announce the full route for the Olympic Torch Relay in 2027. The city would purchase the policy after the route announcement. For now, details of the route and timing remain undisclosed. 

“As we continue this process over the next year, we’ll keep Council and emails up to date,” Young said. 

The Olympic flame will be lit in Olympia, Greece, the birthplace of the ancient Olympic Games, before making its journey through all 50 states in spring 2028. It will be the first time the torch has passed through every state. 

Atlanta, which hosted the last Summer Olympics held in the U.S. in 1996, will be the starting point for the LA28 Olympic Torch Relay’s historic 50-state tour before the flame reaches Los Angeles for the opening ceremony July 14, 2028. The Olympic Games continue through July 30, followed by the Paralympic Games from Aug. 15-27. 

Cauldron City preparations fall under Young’s office, but once dates have been confirmed, City Council will vote on a special-event permit at a future meeting. If Naples participates, the city would provide planning, advisory, operational and logistical support services. Responsibilities would include: 

• Coordinating public safety, emergency medical and security services. 

• Managing traffic, road closures and transportation. 

• Providing sanitation and waste management services. 

• Coordinating community outreach and promotional activities that adhere to LA28 branding requirements. 

Naples also would establish a local community task force to coordinate relay planning, identify facilities and staging areas for relay operations, and provide support for a public cauldron lighting event downtown. 

LA28 organizers say the torch relay will be among the most expansive in Olympic history, passing through iconic landmarks and coinciding with festival celebrations in cities nationwide. Los Angeles will host the Olympic Games for the third time, following 1932 and 1984, and the Paralympic Games for the first time. 

Naples has ties to two Olympians. Brian Shimer, a five-time Winter Olympian in bobsled, 2002 bronze medalist and flag bearer who has served as a Team USA bobsled head coach, has lived in Naples for more than 20 years. Naples High School graduate Malacchi Esdale, who played for the Naples Bears rugby team, represented Team USA at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.