Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa made the announcement Thursday during the Los Angeles Unified School District-run Special Olympics basketball finals at the Roybal Education Complex Gymnasium.
"The world games are attended by hundreds of thousands of visitors and participants and it is watched around the world," Villaraigosa said. "And we're particularly excited to have them here in L.A. because L.A. is a city of dreamers."
According to a study commissioned by the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, an estimated 7,000 athletes from 170 countries will compete. The event is expected to draw 500,000 spectators and members of the news media.
The 2015 games will be the largest single event staged in the city since the 1984 Olympic Games.
CNS contributed to this report.
