General - June 15, 2024

This transcript captures a **ceremonial event, not a formal Seattle City Council meeting** - it's the official kickoff of the one-year countdown to FIFA World Cup 2026 at Seattle Center. Key participants included **Mayor Bruce Harrell**, **Seattle Center Director Marshall Foster**, **Seattle FWC 26 CEO Peter Tomozawa**, and **Sounders ambassador Steve Zakuani**. **Major announcements and commitments:** - Seattle Center will host the **official FIFA Fan Festival** with 24 activation days - Expected **750,000 visitors** to Seattle Center during the tournament (30,000 daily) - **360,000 fans** projected to fill stadiums across six matches - **June 15th Guinness World Record attempt** for largest soccer clinic at Waterfront Park - **RAVE Foundation commitment** to build 14 additional soccer fields in underserved communities by 2025 **Strategic positioning:** Mayor Harrell explicitly framed this as a **counter-narrative to federal immigration policies**, emphasizing Seattle's welcoming stance toward international visitors.

### Seattle Center's Expanded Role **Background context:** Seattle Center is positioning itself as the primary hub for World Cup fan activities, leveraging its 1962 World's Fair legacy and central location. **Current status:** - Seattle Center has secured the **official FIFA Fan Festival designation** - Infrastructure planning is underway for accommodating 30,000 daily visitors - **Rapid timeline execution** - Foster emphasized the project "came together very quickly" **Technical details:** - **24 activation days** during the tournament period - Integration with existing Seattle Center facilities and MoPOP - Coordination with **Office of Economic Development funding** and local organizing committee ### Economic Development Strategy **Partnership structure:** - **City Office of Economic Development** providing funding support - **Seattle FWC 26** (local organizing committee) handling operational coordination - **FIFA partnership** for international standards compliance **Projected impact:** - **750,000 visitors** represents significant economic stimulus - **Statewide significance** emphasized by Tomozawa - Connection to **post-COVID economic recovery** strategy

### Strategic Messaging on Immigration **Key positioning:** Mayor Harrell made **explicit political statements** contrasting Seattle's approach with federal immigration policies. **Strategic motivations:** - **Differentiate Seattle** from federal administration policies - **Signal to international community** that Seattle remains welcoming - **Build coalition** with state and regional leaders (Governor, Attorney General, Port Commissioner mentioned) **Power dynamics:** - **Bipartisan appeal** through sports diplomacy - **Regional leadership positioning** among host cities - **Values-based branding** for Seattle's international reputation ### Institutional Relationships **Key alliances:** - **Strong mayor-department coordination** between Harrell and Foster - **Public-private partnership** model with FIFA and local organizing committee - **Regional cooperation** spanning city, county, and state levels **Coalition patterns:** - **Sports community engagement** through Sounders partnership - **Community development focus** via RAVE Foundation field construction - **Tourism and economic development** alignment across agencies

### Immediate Opportunities **June 15th Waterfront Park Event:** - **Guinness World Record soccer clinic** attempt - **1,500 registered participants** with 400 on waitlist - **Grand opening celebration** of Waterfront Park - Hosted by former Sounders and Seattle Reign players **Ongoing engagement:** - **Seattle Center planning process** for Fan Festival logistics - **Community field construction** through RAVE Foundation initiative - **Volunteer opportunities** likely to emerge as event approaches ### Key Decision Points **Budget and resource allocation:** - Monitor **City Council budget discussions** for World Cup-related expenditures - **Office of Economic Development funding** decisions for infrastructure - **Seattle Center operational budget** adjustments for increased capacity **Community benefit negotiations:** - **RAVE Foundation field locations** in underserved communities - **Local business participation** in Fan Festival activities - **Transportation and public safety planning** coordination ### Contact Strategies **For community input:** - **Seattle Center Director Marshall Foster** for Fan Festival planning - **Office of Economic Development** for economic impact initiatives - **Mayor's Office** for policy coordination and community benefits **For maximum impact:** - **Emphasize community benefit** aspects in communications - **Connect to existing neighborhood priorities** (youth sports, economic development) - **Coordinate with established community organizations** already engaged in soccer/sports programming

### Related Policies and Initiatives **Tourism and Economic Development:** - **Visit Seattle strategic planning** for international visitor accommodation - **Transportation infrastructure** planning for increased capacity - **Public safety coordination** for large-scale international events **Community Development:** - **RAVE Foundation field construction** (26 completed, 14 planned, 52 total goal) - **Youth sports programming** expansion in underserved communities - **Waterfront Park activation** and programming integration ### Upcoming Milestones **Immediate (2025):** - **June 15th Guinness World Record attempt** and Waterfront Park opening - **Club World Cup matches** (starting Sunday after this event) - **14 additional soccer fields** construction completion **Medium-term (2026):** - **Fan Festival operational launch** (24 activation days) - **Six World Cup matches** in Seattle - **750,000 visitor accommodation** and management ### Cross-cutting Themes **Immigration and inclusion policy** integration with major events **Economic development** through international sports tourism **Community benefit** requirements for large-scale public investments **Regional cooperation** models for major event hosting

### Budget Implications **Funding sources identified:** - **Office of Economic Development** direct funding for countdown clock and initial activities - **Seattle Center operational budget** adjustments for increased capacity - **FIFA partnership** covering international coordination costs **Projected revenue streams:** - **750,000 visitors** × estimated per-person spending = significant economic impact - **Tourism tax revenue** from hotel, restaurant, retail spending - **Long-term tourism marketing value** from international exposure ### Procedural Insights **Rapid implementation timeline:** - **"Came together very quickly"** suggests streamlined approval processes - **Direct mayor-department coordination** bypassing typical lengthy planning cycles - **FIFA partnership** providing external pressure for deadline compliance **Next steps:** - **Detailed Fan Festival planning** and permitting processes - **Transportation and public safety coordination** with regional partners - **Community benefit program implementation** through RAVE Foundation ### Implementation Challenges **Capacity management:** - **30,000 daily visitors** represents significant increase over typical Seattle Center traffic - **Infrastructure adequacy** for international-scale event hosting - **Coordination complexity** across multiple agencies and partners **Community integration:** - **Gentrification concerns** from major international event hosting - **Equitable benefit distribution** across Seattle communities - **Long-term legacy planning** beyond the tournament period **Political sustainability:** - **Federal policy tensions** around immigration and international events - **Public investment justification** during ongoing budget constraints - **Regional coordination** maintenance across political boundaries