The World Cup sparked “massive local booms in host cities” during the tournament, and the kick “is visible in the geography of the receipts,” according to James Franey of the N.Y. POST. Brick-and-mortar restaurant spending in host cities “jumped two percentage points” during the opening weeks, while hotels also “cashed in through price, not just volume.” K.C. saw a “roughly 90% jump in revenue per room,” while S.F. saw that figure “surge by 55%.” College of the Holy Cross sports economics professor Victor Matheson said that the financial boon for each city was “also highly dependent on the luck of the tournament draw.” While Boston was “overrun with Scots drinking us out of our beer,” he pointed out that a group stage matchup like Austria versus Algeria in K.C. “likely relied much more heavily on local attendance.” Officials are now “scrambling to make the soccer party permanent.” Boston, after absorbing its influx of international visitors “without major hiccups, is already eyeing a bid” for the 2031 Women’s World Cup (N.Y. POST, 7/20).
PASSING GRADE: In Houston, Peter Warren wrote the Houston World Cup experience over the past six weeks had been “not only quite memorable but also consistent and organized.” But the seven matches in the city were “only part of the equation in Houston.” Restaurants, parks and organizations “held watch parties across the region.” METRO, the city’s public transportation services, also “ran increased service.” The EaDo neighborhood, thanks to the FIFA Fan Festival, Shell Energy Stadium and its collection of sports bars, “became a hub for fans.” The city’s FIFA Fan Fest was “one of only a few around the country that had been scheduled to be open every matchday of the tournament,” although Houston’s World Cup host committee “canceled or partially canceled a few days due to weather.” But even with those critiques, fans like Qais Shaban still gave Houston’s World Cup experience “an eight out of 10″ (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 7/20).
BIG GAINS: MASSLIVE’s Tréa Lavery wrote the seven FIFA World Cup matches staged in Foxborough this year drew 447,283 fans from around the globe -- and “delivered a significant jolt to the Massachusetts economy.” Restaurants and bars, hotels and other businesses “reaped the benefits of the influx of tourism to the state.” Between June 11 and 27, transactions at restaurants and bars “increased by 28%, more than any other World Cup host city.” Lavery noted Boston and other communities in Massachusetts introduced new policies this summer that allowed bars to stay open until 3am ET and designated “social districts” where patrons “could purchase alcohol to go for public consumption.” Hotel occupancy in Greater Boston “exceeded 90% on several days” throughout the tournament, with occupancy averaging “about 87%” (MASSLIVE, 7/20).
MAKE THE GOOD TIMES LAST: In Seattle, Katie Wilson noted the six World Cup matches in Seattle were “unequivocally” worth it. Wilson: “I’ve never seen so much collective joy filling our streets, our buses and trains, our public spaces. National and international press sang Seattle’s praises.” She added there is “much we can learn from this success.” From transportation to event logistics to public safety, city departments “created a seamless experience for visitors, residents and workers alike.” And it “wasn’t just the city.” It “took collaboration” among the SeattleFWC26 local organizing committee, multiple jurisdictions, tribal governments, transit agencies, and countless community and private partners. Wilson wrote Seattle’s World Cup also “revealed something else, something many of us knew, despite the persistent voices pushing narratives of decline.” Seattle is “a great city. A world-class city.” Wilson: “How can we carry this joyful energy forward?” (SEATTLE TIMES, 7/19).
LOCAL IMPACT: In Toronto, Gordon Anderson noted as the World Cup came to an end on Sunday, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow “discussed the local portion of the tournament.” She said, “The most important thing now is to make sure we build on that momentum, from the investments in soccer facilities and youth programming to the lasting benefits of our communities and local businesses.” The mayor emphasized the new soccer facilities at Centennial Park and the four mini-pitches being built across the city “as proof of the game’s endearing legacy.” Toronto City Manager Paul Johnson “pointed to permanent upgrades at BMO Field, investments in sports technology and youth programming and environmental improvements completed as part of the tournament.” On Monday, the city said that “more than 350,000 people attended” the Toronto FIFA Fan Festival over 23 event days. Some of the complaints about the festival, though, included “overcapacity constraints that left thousands waiting in long lines, grievances over abrupt weather evacuations with no refund, poor air quality cancellations and missing or late staff pay” (TORONTO SUN, 7/20).
TAKE THE GOOD WITH BAD: NEWSDAY’s Ben Dickson wrote the lead-up to the World Cup and its eight games at N.Y. N.J. Stadium “came with headaches.” But after the World Cup concluded Sunday, the local host committee “viewed it as a success.” N.Y. N.J. Stadium had “eight consecutive sellouts” with over 645,000 total fans. Dickson wrote “how successful” the World Cup in N.Y. and N.J. actually was “remains to be seen.” Seton Hall Law School sports law professor Robert Boland said that the jury “will remain out ... because there are three parts to assess any mega event such as the World Cup.” Dickson: “The first part: did the event happen safely? It did.” He noted, however, the next two questions of if it delivered on its potential, economically and practically and what’s its legacy are “not 100% answered” (NEWSDAY, 7/21).
