Mellody Hobson, wife of George Lucas and co-founder of the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, stepped down from the Los Angeles Olympics board Thursday. The news came just days before the museum’s Sept. 22 public opening.
Her exit marked the latest struggle faced by the 35-person LA28 Olympics board, led by Casey Wasserman. Hobson privately cited the demands and responsibilities to the Lucas Museum as the reason for her departure, according to an internal email reviewed by LAist. Hobson and the Lucas Museum had come under fire from the Fair Games Coalition, which has sought to meet with her to address concerns with the 2028 world sporting event.
These concerns are related to both housing stability and union jobs, with the Fair Games Coalition seeking to ensure that the massive global event helps serve working-class Angelenos. This includes providing union jobs and affordable housing, placing a moratorium on short-term rentals like AirBNB and protecting immigrants during the event.
“Such mega events and the massive investments required to make them happen should have a positive impact for the city’s residents, including the workers that make the games possible. But in recent decades, in country after country, global sporting events have failed to produce lasting benefits for host communities,” the coalition said in a statement to media on Thursday. “While corporate sponsors have enriched themselves, the games have left local communities indebted for years, with five of the past six Olympics posting cost overruns of more than 100%, and have permanently displaced millions of poor residents.”
The Fair Games Coalition did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request for additional comment. Representatives from LA28 also did not immediately respond.
The advocacy group recently protested outside a Sept. 13 event at the Lucas Museum, calling on Hobson to assist in their goals. Another protest event, known as “The Rebel Gala” (a nod to Lucas’ “Star Wars” iconography) is set to take place during Saturday’s opening night gala at the museum.
This news was first covered by The Hollywood Reporter.
