ONE OF THE MOST WATCHED SPORTING EVENTS ON THE PLANET BEGINS THIS WEEKEND IT'S THE WORLD CUP AND A BIG DELEGATION FROM KANSAS CITY IS HEADING OUT TO QATAR THEY'RE ON A FACT-FINDING MISSION LOOKING FOR TIPS ON HOW THEY CAN BEST HOST THE EVENT WHEN IT HEADS HERE IN 2026 BEFORE THEY HEAD OUT OF TOWN THREE OF THOSE TOP LEADERS SWING BY WEEK IN REVIEW TO LIFT UP THE HOOD ON THE STRUGGLES THE CHALLENGES THE OPPORTUNITIES OF HOSTING THE LARGEST MULTI-DAY EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF KANSAS CITY JOIN US ON THIS NEWSMAKER EDITION OF THE PROGRAM WEEK IN REVIEW IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF AARP KANSAS CITY RSM DAVE AND JAMIE CUMMINGS BOB AND MARLISE GOURLEY THE COURTNEY S TURNER CHARITABLE TRUST JOHN H MIZE AND BANK OF AMERICA N A CO-TRUSTEES AND BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU THANK YOU HELLO AND WELCOME IN THE WORDS OF MONTY PYTHON AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT AFTER SPENDING PRETTY MUCH THE LAST SIX MONTHS ON THIS PROGRAM DISSECTING THE TWISTS AND TURNS OF OUR LOCAL ELECTION CAMPAIGNS WE FINALLY TURN THE PAGE WITH ELECTION DAY IN OUR REAR VIEW MIRROR WE HAVE SOME NEW DATES TO PUT ON YOUR RADAR SCREEN IN LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS FROM NOW THE NEW SINGLE TERMINAL AT KCI OPENS TO PASSENGERS AND JUST A FEW WEEKS LATER THE NFL DRAFT COMES TO TOWN IN 2024 THE KC CURRENTS NEW RIVERFRONT STADIUM WILL OPEN A YEAR LATER YOU'LL FINALLY BE ABLE TO RIDE THE STREETCAR ON THAT EXTENSION LINE DOWN TO THE PLAZA AND YES IN 2026 THE WORLD CUP WILL BE HERE BUT IF THAT WAS NOT ENOUGH ON THE CITY'S PLATE THE NEW OWNER OF THE ROYALS MAKES IT OFFICIAL THIS WEEK THE TEAM IS MOVING OUT OF KAUFFMAN STADIUM AND HE WANTS TO HELP THE CITY BUILD A TWO BILLION DOLLAR STADIUM AND BASEBALL VILLAGE DOWNTOWN INVOLVED IN THE NITTY-GRITTY OF MOST OF THESE DEALS IS KATHY NELSON THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE AT KANSAS CITY SPORTS COMMISSION WHO ALSO LEADS OUR TOP TOURISM AGENCY VISIT KC AND JUST BEFORE SHE BOARDS A PLANE FOR QATAR KATHERINE HOLLAND JOINS US SHE'S THE DIRECTOR OF KANSAS CITY'S WORLD CUP HOSTING COMMITTEE BRIAN PLATT WAS ALSO GOING TO BE WITH US BUT HE'S HAD AN EMERGENCY AND WILL NO LONGER BE JOINING US BUT WE'RE IN VERY CAPABLE HANDS UM WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF YOU GOING TO QATAR IN THE FIRST PLACE KATHY NELSON WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO FIND THERE FIFA ACTUALLY HAS ASKED OR REQUIRES EACH HOST CITY TO BRING PEOPLE OVER UP TO THREE PEOPLE TO CHECK IT OUT YOU KNOW TO LEARN A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS SO THERE'S A PROGRAM SET UP THAT WE WILL BE GOING OVER FOR WHAT DO YOU PARTICULARLY LOOKING TO SEE HOW THEY DO THERE THAT YOU COULD BRING BACK TO KANSAS CITY FOR 2026 KATHERINE I THINK WE'RE LOOKING FOR IDEAS AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THEY ACTIVATE RIGHT AROUND THE STADIUM WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO EXPERIENCING THE TRANSPORTATION TRANSPORTATION WILL BE A BIG PIECE OF WHAT WE NEED TO DELIVER FIFA FAN FEST WILL BE YOU KNOW SOMETHING THAT WILL BE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR US TO EXPERIENCE AND WATCH A GAME FROM THERE AND I THINK JUST THE GENERAL VIBE OF A MARKET THAT'S HOSTING A WORLD CUP AND HOW DREADFUL YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP THE WINTER WEATHER HERE FOR 85 DEGREE WEATHER THERE IN QATAR TWIST MY ARMS TWIST OUR ARMS YES NOW I DON'T KNOW IF YOU SAW THIS BUT QATAR HAS ITS OWN WORRIES OVER HOTELS AND HOW CAN THEY ACCOMMODATE THAT MANY PEOPLE DID YOU SEE THAT THEY'RE NOW RENTING OUT MEGA CRUISE SHIPS TO HOUSE THOUSANDS OF FANS DURING THE MONTH-LONG TOURNAMENT I'M ASSUMING THAT'S NOT AN OPTION IN KANSAS CITY UNLESS YOU CAN CONVINCE ROYAL CARIBBEAN TO TRY AND NAVIGATE ITS WAY TO THE MISSOURI RIVER KATHY YES NO I MEAN THAT IS IS THAT THE BIG PITCH POINT NO NO ACTUALLY NOT AT ALL YOU KNOW WE WOULD NOT BE IN THIS POSITION OF HOSTING THE WORLD CUP HAD WE NOT MET THE BID REQUIREMENTS OF HOTEL ROOMS AND ACCOMMODATIONS AND THE OTHER THING TO REALLY THINK ABOUT I WOULD TELL YOU THAT NEITHER ONE OF US STRESS ABOUT THAT THE ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT THERE ARE MORE ROOMS IN THE KANSAS CITY FOOTPRINT THAN THERE ARE IN DOHA RIGHT SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT DOHA HOSTING WORLD CUP WE ACTUALLY ARE FINE AS A CITY WHEN IT COMES TO HOTEL COMPANIES SO NO CRUISE SHIPS HOW ABOUT A LEGION OF AIRBNBS THAT ARE GOING TO BE BRINGING TOGETHER TO HOUSE THESE FOLKS IT'S NOT A PINCH POINT THE ACCOMMODATION IT'S NOT NO I MEAN THEY DID ASK US TO SOURCE HOTEL ROOMS WITHIN A TWO AND A HALF HOUR RADIUS AROUND THE KANSAS CITY METRO AREA WE WERE ABLE TO DO THAT UM YOU KNOW I THINK YEAH AIRBNB WILL BE WILL BE POPULAR THAT'LL BE SOMETHING THAT WE'LL WE'LL NEED TO SORT OF ADDRESS FROM AN INFORMATION MANAGEMENT STANDPOINT BUT LIKE KATHY SAID IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE HOTEL ROOMS AND THE ASSETS REQUIRED WE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN AWARDED HOST CITY DUTIES IT'S I THINK WE NEED TO TAKE A STEP BACK FOR A MOMENT BECAUSE IT IS KIND OF AMAZING HOW WE EVEN HAVE THIS I MEAN I KNOW THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER IN MY HOME COUNTRY OF THE UNITED KINGDOM SAID YOU KNOW KANSAS CITY IS A REALLY UNLIKELY CITY TO HOST THIS THE SMALLEST OF ANY OF THE MARKETS THAT ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THAT WORLD CUP IN 2026 YOU BEAT OUT PHOENIX DENVER ORLANDO CINCINNATI BALTIMORE WASHINGTON NASHVILLE THIS WAS A REAL UPSET IN A WAY WHAT WAS THAT SINGLE COMPONENT IN YOUR MIND THAT MADE US GET OVER THAT FINISH LINE ABOVE ANY OF THOSE CITIES WELL WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T SEE OURSELVES AS AN UNDERDOG I THINK THAT'S ONE THING TO THINK ABOUT AS A KANSAS CITY YOU KNOW AS AS WE LIVE WORK AND PLAY HERE BUT I THINK OUR LOCATION CENTRAL OF THE ENTIRE BID FOOTPRINT FROM ALL OF CANADA UNITED STATES AND MEXICO AND THEN WHEN WE PRESENT IT I MEAN KATHERINE'S BRAIN BEHIND THIS WHOLE THING FOR THEIR SITE VISIT THE PASSION AND THE POWER OF KANSAS CITY REALLY CAME TO LIGHT FOR THEM YOU KNOW YOU HAVE BEEN HEAVILY MARKETING KANSAS CITY AS THE SOCCER CAPITAL OF AMERICA HERE'S AN EXCERPT FROM ONE OF YOUR LATEST VIDEOS YOU'VE BEEN PROMOTING AROUND THE COUNTRY WELCOME TO KANSAS CITY WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN A SPORTS TOWN CITY OF CHAMP CAPITAL OF AMERICA PLAYED HERE IT'S LIVED ON EVERY TEAM ON EVERY FIELD IN EVERY CROWD IT'S NOT JUST A GAME TO US IT BRINGS US TOGETHER CRANKS UP OUR VOLUME AND GIVES US ANOTHER REASON TO CELEBRATE THAT SHARED ENERGY THAT FIRE THAT PURPOSE ALSO FUELS OUR CITY AND OUR REGION THE CENTER OF THE COUNTRY IS NOW THE CENTER OF ATTENTION LEADING THE WAY IN THE NEW MIDWEST INCLUSIVE ACCESSIBLE A CITY FULL OF GOOD PEOPLE DOING GREAT THINGS ALRIGHTY SO WHO IS THAT VIDEO INTENDED FOR DO YOU SHOP IT AROUND THE COUNTRY SHOW IT OVERSEAS AT EXPOS IN PLACES LIKE LONDON AND BERLIN KATHERINE YOU KNOW I JUST I THINK IT HELPS TO DEMONSTRATE UM THE THE SORT OF VALUE PROPOSITION THAT WE ARE THE SOCCER CAPITAL OF AMERICA AND ASIDE FROM BEING ABLE TO PROMOTE THE FANDOM AROUND THE SPORT ITSELF WE LIKE TO TALK ABOUT WE'RE HEADQUARTERS TO HEARTLAND SOCCER ASSOCIATION WHICH IS THE LARGEST YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION IN THE COUNTRY HEADQUARTERS TO UNITED SOCCER COACHES LARGEST COACHING ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY THE INVESTMENT IN YOU KNOW VENUES AND TRAINING FACILITIES SPECIFIC TO SOCCER AROUND THIS COMMUNITY OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS IS DEMONSTRABLE SO WE DON'T JUST TALK THE TALK I THINK WE WALK THE WALK AND THAT VIDEO HELPS US DEMONSTRATE THAT WE CAN BACK THAT WE CAN SHOW IT THOUGH DO YOU GET BYTES THAT WE'VE BROUGHT IN CONVENTIONS HERE WE'VE BROUGHT IN TOURNAMENTS HERE BECAUSE OF THAT VIDEO I MEAN I'M SURE YEAH I MEAN KATHY AND VISIT KC USE THAT VIDEO QUITE FREQUENTLY TO MARKET YOU KNOW KANSAS CITY BEYOND THE SPORT OF SOCCER THAT WE'RE WELCOMING AND AND AND YOU KNOW THAT WE HAVE A FANDOM HERE AND AN OPPORTUNITY THAT IS UNIQUE TO OTHER PLACES IN THE COUNTRY YEAH AND WE WE CERTAINLY USE THAT VIDEO EXTERNALLY BUT ALSO INTERNALLY DOESN'T THAT LIKE OH MY GOSH THIS IS FANTASTIC AND I THINK SOMETIMES OUR OUR PEOPLE HERE IN KANSAS CITY THEY KNOW THIS IS A BIG DEAL BUT THEN YOU SEE WHAT THE POWER OF WHAT WE DO ALREADY AND BRINGING THAT TO THE POWER OF THE WORLD I THINK WE USE THAT VIDEO INTERNALLY AS MUCH TO SHARE WITH OTHER PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY NOW WHEN VISITORS ARRIVE IN KANSAS CITY IN 2026 THEY'LL BE FLYING INTO A BRAND NEW KCI AIRPORT IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON SO LONG BUT IT'S GOING TO OPEN IN LESS THAN FOUR MONTHS WHAT ROLE DID THE NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL PLAY IN KANSAS CITY BEING AWARDED THE 2026 WORLD CUP IT WAS CRITICAL I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD HAVE BEEN AWARDED HOST CITY DUTIES WITHOUT REALLY OKAY SO WE WOULD NOT HAVE GOTTEN THIS IF WE DIDN'T DO IT I DON'T THINK SO NO I MEAN WE WILL STILL BE THE NEWEST AIRPORT OF ALL HOST CITIES IN 2026.

I JUST THINK HAVING THAT WELCOME MAT UM FOR ALL THE FOLKS THAT WILL BE TRAVELING IN FOR THIS EXPERIENCE WAS WAS REALLY CRITICAL BUT WHAT COULD YOU DO AT THIS NEW AIRPORT THAT YOU COULDN'T HAVE DONE IN THE OLD UH THREE TERMINAL DESIGN THAT WE HAD BEFORE WELL INTERNATIONAL GATE THINK ABOUT THAT BEING ABLE TO DO DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM INTERNATIONAL LOCATIONS IS A BIG DEAL TO US SIGNAGE MARKETING TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT THE EASE OF THE AIRPORT I MEAN EVERYTHING THAT WE KNOW IS PEOPLE THAT USE THE AIRPORT OFTEN THAT JUST MAKES IT A BETTER EXPERIENCE FOR FANS ARE WE GOING TO GET MORE DIRECT FLIGHTS AS A RESULT OF THIS I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE GOING TO I HOPE SO OKAY THAT'S STILL JUST A HOPE THERE CERTAINLY THERE ARE CERTAINLY LOTS AND LOTS OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND THAT HAPPENING RIGHT NOW OKAY IN ADDITION TO THE GAMES THERE ARE A LOT OF OTHER ACTIVITIES INCLUDING BIG FAN FEST EVENTS HERE'S SOME FOOTAGE BY THE WAY OF SOME OF THOSE WRAP AROUND EVENTS FROM THIS YEAR'S WORLD CUP AND QATAR HOW WILL THIS WORK IN KANSAS CITY AND WHERE WILL THEY BE SO WE PROPOSED DURING THE INITIAL BID PROCESS TWO SITES UM YOU KNOW THE SORT OF FRONT DOOR OF KANSAS CITY RIGHT UNITE UNION UNION STATION AND WORLD WAR ONE MUSEUM IN MEMORIAL WHERE WE'VE SHOWCASED UH CHAMPIONSHIP PARADES AND AND WHERE THE NFL DRAFT WILL BE HEADQUARTERED AND THEN WE ALSO PROPOSED UM THE SOUTH LAWN OF THE NELSON ATKINS MUSEUM ACROSS EMMANUEL CLEAVER BOULEVARD DOWN TO TICE PARK UM YOU KNOW WE ARE WAITING FOR SOME DIRECTION AND INFORMATION FROM FIFA WITH RESPECT TO FAN FEST WHICH WILL ABSOLUTELY IMPACT HOW WE PLAN AROUND THAT BUT I THINK THE CITY CAN ABS CAN EXPECT TO HAVE A LOT OF DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH UM YOU KNOW MATCHES WHEN THEY'RE WHEN THEY'RE BEING PLAYED ANYWHERE IN IN THE THREE COUNTRIES UNITED STATES CANADA AND MEXICO SO WE WILL BE WORKING THROUGH PLANNING THAT EXPERIENCE IN THE COMING YEARS DO YOU HAVE A NEW POTENTIAL VENUE FOR A FAN FEST AND THAT IS KAUFMAN STADIUM IF THE ROYALS END UP LEAVING WE'VE NOW WE SAW THAT NEWS THIS WEEK JOHN SHERMAN SAYING THEY WANT TO BUILD THEY WANT TO MOVE GO DOWNTOWN TO A NEW TWO BILLION DOLLAR UH VILLAGE THERE A BASEBALL VILLAGE UH WOULDN'T THAT GIVE YOU A PLACE FOR INTERNATIONAL ENTERTAINERS TO DO THEIR CONCERTS AND EVERYTHING ABSOLUTELY BETWEEN THAT AND THE CASEY CURRENT STADIUM I MEAN THERE ARE SO MANY WE WE HAD FIFA IN JUST A FEW WEEKS AGO AND THEY MENTIONED WE'RE A PLETHORA OF NOT ONLY TRAINING FACILITIES BUT VENUES IN GENERAL SO YES ALL OF THAT HELPS YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THE NFL DRAFT YOU'VE ALREADY GOT THE WORLD CUP COMING WHAT DID THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENT DO FOR YOU DID IT JUST COMPLICATE YOUR WORLD MAKE IT MUCH MORE DIFFICULT FOR YOU YEAH YOUR PLATE IS ALREADY FULL YOU'RE ALREADY THE HEAD OF THE SPORTS COMMISSION THE HEAD OF THE VISIT KC NOW YOU'VE GOT SOMETHING ELSE YOU HAVE TO WORK ON RIGHT AND YOU KNOW WE'RE THERE TO SUPPORT THE ROYALS IT'S NOT IT DOESN'T COMPLICATE OUR WORLD IT'S ONE OTHER TOOL FOR US AS YOU WE GO OUT AND ATTRACT DIFFERENT THINGS HERE IT ABSOLUTELY JUST MAKES OUR CITY THAT MUCH MORE MEMORABLE THAT MANY MORE PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT US NOW ONE OF THE BIG PINCH POINTS THAT WE'VE BEEN TOLD ABOUT AS FAR AS BRINGING THE WORLD CUP TO KANSAS CITY IS TRANSPORTATION YOU SAID HOTELS WASN'T AN ISSUE BUT WE'RE NOT KNOWN FOR BEING A ROBUST TRANSIT SYSTEM HOW ARE WE PLANNING TO BRING WHAT COULD BE POTENTIALLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INTERNATIONAL VISITORS TO KANSAS CITY IN 2026 AND MOVING THEM FROM THEIR HOTELS TO THE STADIUM DOWNTOWN YOU KNOW OBVIOUSLY AT ARROWHEAD RATHER RIGHT AND ALSO TO YOU KNOW FAN FEST SO IN BETWEEN THOSE IN THOSE THREE SORT OF KEY POINTS AND LIKE YOU SAID THROUGHOUT THE HOTELS UM WE'RE VERY IN THE VERY EARLY PLANNING STAGES BUT WITH RESPECT TO THE BID AND WHAT WE NEEDED TO SHOWCASE DURING THAT PROCESS WE DID WORK WITH SOME YOU KNOW TRANSPORTATION ENGINEERS TO COME UP WITH THIS IDEA OF A MULTIMODAL TRANSIT SYSTEM WE ARE REQUIRED TO DELIVER FREE TRANSPORTATION DURING DURING THE EVENT WE SORT OF TOOK IT A STEP FURTHER AND CONCEPTED IDEAS AROUND A REGIONAL UM HUB AND SPOKE SYSTEM SO THAT MAYBE WE COULD TRANSPORT PEOPLE IN FROM AROUND THE MIDWEST WITHOUT THEM NEEDING TO DRIVE CARS SO AGAIN EARLY EARLY CONCEPTS BUT DEFINITELY SOMETHING THAT WE ARE STARTING TO THINK EXTENSIVELY ABOUT BECAUSE TRANSPORTATION IS CRITICAL IF WE DON'T GET TRANSPORTATION RIGHT IT COULD RUIN THE ENTIRE EXPERIENCE NOW RIGHT AFTER THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT KANSAS CITY WAS GOING TO GET THE WORLD CUP BACK IN JUNE BRIAN PLATT THE CITY MANAGER WHO CAN'T BE WITH US NOW BUT DID MENTION THAT HE WENT TO THE THE STREETCAR AS PART OF THIS HE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE STREETCAR EXTENDED TO THE STADIUMS WAS THAT PART OF THE BID WITH FIFA TO BRING A STREETCAR TO THE STADIUM NO IT WAS NOT IT WAS NOT IF YOU KNOW WHATEVER THE WORLD CUP DOES TO HELP OUR CITY EXPAND AND GROW WE'RE ALL FOR BUT THE STREETCAR EXPANSION TO ARROWHEAD WAS NOT PART OF IT DOES IT HELP ABSOLUTELY BUT I THINK TO KATHERINE'S POINT WE CERTAINLY HAD A VERY SOLID PLAN GOING INTO IT THAT'S ONLY GOING TO GET BETTER SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN KATHERINE JUST SAID FOR INSTANCE THAT ALL OF THAT TRANSPORTATION HAS TO BE PROVIDED FOR FREE TO TICKET HOLDERS THAT'S THAT'S A BIG UNDERTAKING SO ARE YOU GOING TO BE NOW HIRING FLEETS OF BUSES FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO CONVERGE ON KANSAS CITY FOR THIS EVENT WELL THAT'S OUR ONE OF OUR PLANS WE CERTAINLY HAVE MULTIPLE TRANSPORTATION EXPERTS AND ENGINEERS RANGING FROM MID-AMERICA REGIONAL COUNCIL TO DIFFERENT ENGINEERS AND COMPANIES IN TOWN ALL INVOLVED AT THE TABLE TALKING ABOUT TRANSPORTATION SO I THINK AS WE YOU KNOW PICK AWAY AT IT AND WHAT WE LEARN IN QATAR I THINK THAT'LL BE REALLY HELPFUL TO US AS WELL IS THE TRANSPORTATION ISSUE THE ITEM THAT GIVES YOU INSOMNIA AT NIGHT THAT KEEPS YOU UP YES JUST BECAUSE I THINK IT'S SO CORE TO DELIVERING A A SUPERIOR EXPERIENCE WHEN WHEN THEY'RE IN TOWN FOR YOU KNOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS EVENT BUT BUT I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT US BEING ABLE TO DELIVER AGAINST AGAINST THAT REQUIREMENT I THINK WE HAVE SOME REALLY GREAT IDEAS AND YOU KNOW LIKE KATHY SAID IF IF THE WORLD CUP IS IS A USEFUL CATALYST FOR YOU KNOW EXPANDED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION THAT'S WONDERFUL AND KANSAS CITY ALREADY HAS THE LARGEST FREE FAIR TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM IN THE COUNTRY SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO SORT OF LEVERAGE THOSE LEARNINGS BORROW RESOURCES FROM AGAIN THE SURROUNDING REGION THIS WAS ALWAYS A BID THAT WAS REPRESENTING THE ENTIRE MIDWEST SO CERTAINLY I THINK THAT WE CAN PARTNER WITH OTHER MARKETS TO HELP PROVIDE YOU KNOW THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO DELIVER AGAINST THIS BUT TRANSPORTATION WILL BE KEY IT WILL ABSOLUTELY BE KEY YOU KNOW I SORT OF GLOSSED OVER THIS BECAUSE THE WORLD CUP IS SUCH A BIG DEAL BUT YOU SORT OF GET A TRIAL RUN ON THIS WHEN THE NFL DRAFT COMES TO KANSAS CITY LET'S NOT FORGET ABOUT IT AFTER BEING IN LAS VEGAS THIS YEAR IT'S COMING TO KANSAS CITY THE WEEKEND OF APRIL 27TH I SEE ON THE SPORTS COMMISSION AND WEBSITE YOU DON'T WANT NFL DRAFT TEAMMATES TO HELP WITH THAT THESE ARE PAID POSITIONS WILL THAT BE TWO OF THE WORLD CUP TWO THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE PAYING PEOPLE TO HELP YOU WITH THEM YEAH WE HAVE NOT GOTTEN TO THAT DISCUSSION YET AT ALL WITH FIFA THAT'S PROBABLY YET ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO DOWN THE ROAD BUT FOR THE NFL DRAFT THAT'S A CRITICAL PART OF MAKING THAT EVENT SUCCESSFUL WE WILL NEED A YOU KNOW A ROBUST VOLUNTEER SORT OF CREW TO HELP PULL OFF THE BOTH OBVIOUSLY THE NFL DRAFT AND WORLD CUP BUT WITH RESPECT TO HOW IT WILL REFLECT WHAT THE NFL IS DOING LIKE KATHY SAID THAT'S THAT'S STILL A LITTLE TBD A LOT OF FOLKS WHO KNOW SO WE'RE TRYING TO APPEAL TO PEOPLE ON THIS PROGRAM WHO MAY NOT EVEN THINK MUCH ABOUT SOCCER THERE ARE OTHERS WHO ARE FEVERISHLY WANTING TO KNOW EVERY SINGLE DETAIL ABOUT HOW DO I GET TICKETS WHEN HOW AM I GOING TO BE SIGNING UP BUT SOMETHING WE HAVEN'T HEARD MUCH ABOUT YOU KNOW IT'S BEEN IN JUNE THAT WE FOUND THE ANNOUNCEMENT THAT WE WERE GOING TO BE HOSTING IT BUT DO WE KNOW HOW MANY GAMES ARE WE GOING TO GET IN KANSAS CITY I MEAN IS IT IS IT GOING TO BE JUST ONE GAME I MEAN HOW WHAT WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THAT AT THIS POINT WELL WE KNOW WE WILL HAVE MULTIPLE I WOULD TELL YOU THAT NUMBER RANGES THEY ARE WORKING ON A SCHEDULE AND IT WILL PROBABLY BE THE END OF 2023 BEFORE WE EVEN HAVE A SENSE TO WHAT THAT SCHEDULE WILL LOOK LIKE I MEAN IT'S THE FIRST TIME EVER THEY'RE GOING TO 60 COUNTRIES MULTIPLE YOU KNOW I MEAN JUST MUCH BIGGER AND AS THEY GET THROUGH THIS YEAR'S WORLD CUP THEN WE'LL LEARN MORE AND MORE ABOUT THAT SO YES ALL TO BE DETERMINED WE WILL NOT JUST HAVE ONE OKAY WE DO KNOW THAT YOU WON'T GET THE OPENING MATCH OR THE FINAL BECAUSE I SAW ON FIFA'S RULES THERE HAD TO BE A STADIUM OF AT LEAST 80 000 SEATS SO ARROWHEAD WOULD NOT QUALIFY FOR THAT BUT IT COULD BE MULTIPLE UH GAMES UH BEYOND THAT I KNOW THAT OUR BUSINESS LEADERS ARE SALIVATING AND OUR RESTAURANT OWNERS THEY'RE GOING TO GET ALL OF THIS BUSINESS COMING IN BUT WILL SOME OF THAT ENTHUSIASM UH DIMINISH KATHERINE IF WE SEE MATCHUPS FOR INSTANCE IN KANSAS CITY BETWEEN SAY SENEGAL VERSUS SAUDI ARABIA OR CAMEROON VERSUS IRAN I DON'T THINK SO I THINK PARTICULARLY KANSAS CITY WHICH IS SUCH A SPORTS TOWN THAT WRAPS THEIR ARMS AROUND ALL THESE DIFFERENT TYPES OF EVENTS AND KEEP IN MIND THIS IS UM THIS IS GONNA BE THE LARGEST SPORTING EVENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD SO IT'S IT'S HISTORIC AND I THINK THAT NO MATTER WHICH COUNTRIES ARE COMPETING OUT AT GEHA FIELD AT ARROWHEAD PEOPLE WILL TURN OUT AND PEOPLE WILL TRAVEL TO KANSAS CITY FROM CERTAINLY ALL OVER A REGION ALL OVER OUR REGION BUT I THINK ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO COME AND HAVE THAT INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE THERE WAS A STORY IN THE KANSAS CITY STYLE THAT REALLY CAUGHT MY EYE AND IT SAID THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO FOLK OVER ABOUT 300 DOLLARS TO GET A SEAT INSIDE ARROWHEAD STADIUM FOR ONE OF THESE WORLD CUP GAMES WHAT ABOUT KANSAS CITY AND WHO CAN'T AFFORD THAT FAN FEST THERE'S ALL KINDS OF OPPORTUNITIES AND I REALLY DON'T KNOW THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE TICKET PRICES ARE YET I ALSO FEEL LIKE THOSE TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT TICKETS ARE PROBABLY GOING FOR A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT SO IF YOU CAN'T AFFORD A TICKET NO MATTER WHAT THE PRICE ENDS UP BEING I DO THINK THE FAN FESTIVAL IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO CELEBRATE KANSAS CITY TO CELEBRATE OUR REGION AND TO CELEBRATE THE NORTH AMERICAN HOSTING OR NORTH AMERICA HOSTING THE WORLD CUP THIS IS A METROPOLITAN-WIDE BID THOUGH ISN'T IT AND SO YOU'VE GOT FAN FEST THOUGH ON THE ON THE MISSOURI SIDE YOU SAID THE NELSON COULD BE A VENUE FOR THAT ARE THERE VENUES ON THE KANSAS SIDE THAT WE'LL BE HAVING FRANCIS POSSIBLY AGAIN WE'RE SORT OF LOOKING AT WHAT THAT STRUCTURE WILL WILL WILL BE YOU KNOW IT MIGHT BE THAT IT TAKES A NEW FORM IN WHICH THERE ARE MULTIPLE SATELLITE FAN FESTS MAYBE SMALLER IN SIZE AND SCOPE UM I THINK THAT YOU KNOW FROM OUR ACTIVATION PLAN ABSOLUTELY WE WOULD WANT TO HOST EVENTS AROUND THE THE METROPOLITAN AREA IN ORDER TO AGAIN ENCOURAGE THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE COMING INTO KANSAS CITY TO EXPERIENCE AS MUCH OF THE REGION AS AS POSSIBLE NOW WE'RE TOLD FOR INSTANCE ARROWHEAD STADIUM IS NOT READY TO GO AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME IT IS GOING TO COST ABOUT WHAT WE'RE TOLD ABOUT 50 MILLION DOLLARS TO MAKE RENOVATIONS SO THAT THAT WOULD INCLUDE POTENTIALLY REMOVING THOUSANDS OF SEATS FROM THE STADIUM TO TO TO FIT IN THE UH RECONFIGURED SOCCER PITCH THAT WOULD GO INTO ARROWHEAD STADIUM SO WHO PAYS FOR ALL OF THEM WELL ONE I WANT TO CORRECT YOU AND THAT IT'S MODIFICATIONS MODIFICATIONS THAT THAT IS CERTAINLY WHAT WE'RE DOING WE ARE MODIFYING THAT FIELD AND PITCH TO MAKE SURE THE SOCCER PITCH FITS INSIDE OF ARROWHEAD YOU KNOW WE ARE WORKING THROUGH WHERE ALL OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM WE WOULD NOT AGAIN HAVE WON THE BID HAD WE NOT PRESENTED A PRETTY ROBUST PLAN FOR FUNDING AND IT'S CERTAINLY GOING TO BE A MIX OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE FUNDING BOTH STATES WE'RE IN A GREAT LOCATION RIGHT WE SIT ON THE STATE LINE AND BEING ABLE TO HAVE SUPPORT FROM BOTH MISSOURI AND KANSAS WILL HELP THERE'LL BE SOME CITY HELP BUT THERE'S SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES THAT KATHERINE WILL LEAD WITH SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE WORLD CUPS NEVER HAD BEFORE THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO RAISE LOTS AND LOTS OF MONEY AND I WOULD TELL YOU ALL THE OWNERS EVEN THE ROYALS AND THE CASEY KERN ARE VERY MUCH EXCITED ABOUT HOW DO THEY HELP US MAKE THIS A SUCCESSFUL EVENT UH IF YOU DON'T GO TO ANY OF THE GAMES WILL YOU STILL BE ABLE TO WILL YOU STILL BE FORCED TO BE PAYING ADDITIONAL TAXES IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THESE CHANGES AT ARROWHEAD STADIUM I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT IS NOT ON THE TABLE WHATSOEVER THAT'S NOT ON THE TABLE AT ALL OKAY HOW ABOUT THE SECURITY COMPONENTS OF THIS AND WHO PAYS FOR THAT I SEE PART OF THE BID ALSO FROM UM THE FIFA IS THAT EACH HOST CITY HAS TO PAY FOR ALL OF THE POLICING LAW ENFORCEMENT AND SECURITY INVOLVED IN PUTTING ON THAT EVENT WHO PAYS FOR THAT KATHERINE IT WILL COME OUT OF THE SAME MONEY THAT IS RAISED YOU KNOW TO SUPPORT THE EVENT FROM A HOLISTIC STANDPOINT RIGHT SO STADIUM MODIFICATIONS SAFETY AND SECURITY FAN FEST MARKETING AND MEDIA ALL OF THAT WILL UM WILL BE WILL BE YOU KNOW PART OF OUR PLAN UM TO TO LEVERAGE THE FUNDS THAT ARE RAISED TO PRODUCE THIS EVENT WHEN THE WORLD CUP UH THE THE FIFA WANTS DID TO BE HUGE CHANGES IN THE COMMUNITY IN WHICH A WORLD CUP TAKES PLACE AND YOU COULD SAY IN QATAR THERE THEY WANT TO MAKE THIS THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY WORLD CUP EVER THOUGH THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THEY'RE TREATING WORKERS AND HOW THEY'RE TREATING OTHER GROUPS LIKE LGBT COMMUNITY BUT WHEN IT COMES TO KANSAS CITY WHICH IS THE ONLY THING YOU HAVE CONTROL OVER YOU KNOW WHAT IS GOING TO BE THE LEGACY OF THESE GAMES HERE UH WHAT CAN WE SAY WAS IMPROVED BECAUSE THE WORLD CUP TOOK PLACE WELL THERE IS A HIGH FOCUS ON HUMAN RIGHTS SO YOU KNOW NOT NOT TO NOT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION BUT THERE ARE MULTIPLE FACETS THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THERE IS A GROUP THAT IS WORKING ON WHAT IS THE LEGACY LEFT BEHIND WHAT IS THE IMPACT NOT ONLY FOR THE FANS THAT VISIT BUT WHAT IS 50 YEARS FROM NOW LOOK LIKE AFTER HOSTING AN EVENT OF THIS CALIBER BUT THEN ALSO YOUR HUMAN THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMPONENT OF THIS THEY CERTAINLY ARE FOCUSED THAT IS A LOT OF WORK ON OUR PLATES FOR THAT SO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN IN TERMS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN KANSAS CITY I ACTUALLY LET KATHERINE UP SURE SO UM YOU KNOW THEY THEY ACTUALLY CONTRACTED WITH UH CONSULTING FIRM WHO DID INDIVIDUAL STUDIES ON EACH OF OF THE ACTUAL YOU KNOW THE SHORT LIST OF HOST CITIES SO 23 DOWN TO 16.

AND THEY IDENTIFIED A HANDFUL OF ISSUES IN EACH CITY UM THAT THAT THEY FELT ROSE TO THE TOP AS NEEDING TO BE ADDRESSED AGAIN VARYING FROM FROM CITY TO CITY AND MARKET TO MARKET YOU KNOW SOME THAT THEY IDENTIFIED IN KANSAS CITY WERE CONCERNS ABOUT HOUSING HOUSING RIGHTS ISSUES RIGHT SO YOU MENTIONED AIRBNB EARLIER WHICH WE CERTAINLY WANT TO WORK WITH WITH TENANTS TO BE ABLE TO ALLOW THEM THE OPPORTUNITY HOWEVER WE NEED WE NEED TO BE REALLY MINDFUL THAT TENANTS DO NOT I'M SORRY THAT LANDLORDS DO NOT EVICT UM LONG-TERM TENANTS IN ORDER TO CAPITALIZE ON THIS EVENT DOWN THE ROAD RIGHT AND AND RAISING RENTS TO TO LEVERAGE THESE SHORT-TERM RENTAL OPPORTUNITIES UM YOU KNOW WORKERS RIGHTS COMING OUT OF OF DOHA AND THE 2022 WORLD CUP WILL BE A HUGE FOCUS FOR FOR UH FIFA TO ENSURE THAT NOTHING UM EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO DATE TO BRING THIS WORLD CUP TO LIFE HAPPENS MOVING FORWARD THERE'S OBVIOUSLY SOME SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES AND THEN SAFETY AND SECURITY POLICING AND SO ON AND SO FORTH NOTHING THAT IS SPECIFICALLY REALLY UNIQUE TO KANSAS CITY FIFA WILL PROVIDE A FRAMEWORK WORK WITHIN WHICH ALL OF THE INDIVIDUAL HOST CITIES CAN LEVERAGE RESOURCES AT A HIGH LEVEL BUT THEN ALSO CUSTOMIZE BASED ON THE INDIVIDUAL MARKET NEEDS WHEN MELUCOS HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THE BENEFITS OF BRINGING A WORLD CUP ARE EQUALLY SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CITY HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO THAT WELL WE HAVE SAID IN HOW MANY CHALLENGE SESSIONS WORKING WITH MULTIPLE PEOPLE AROUND THE COMMUNITY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR OUR CITY SO THAT'S CERTAINLY SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN FOCUSED ON THE LAST FEW MONTHS YOU KNOW I REMEMBER WHEN THE ALL-STAR GAME CAME HERE UH IN 2012 WASN'T IT THERE WAS A BIG EFFORT TO TRACK THE MAIN ROUTES THAT OUT OF TOWN VISITORS WOULD NAVIGATE TO GET TO KAUFMAN STADIUM FOR THAT GAME AND THERE WAS A MAMMOTH EFFORT TO DEMOLISH UNSIGHTLY ABANDONED BUILDINGS SPRUCE UP OTHER EYESORES ALONG THE WAY KANSAS CITY IS MAKING A CLEAN SWEEP OF ILLEGALLY DUMPED TRASH AHEAD OF THE ALL-STAR GAME TODAY 50 TRUCKS MADE THEIR WAY TO 66 NEIGHBORHOODS STRETCHING FROM GLADSTONE BOULEVARD TO BANNISTER AND TROOST OF BLUE RIDGE AND THEY PICKED UP EVERYTHING FROM OLD FURNITURE TO CAR PARTS I JUST REMEMBER ALL THAT WE DID IT ON OUR PROGRAM AT THAT TIME WHAT OTHER CHANGES MIGHT WE SEE WHEN THE WORLD CUP COMES HERE IN TERMS OF WHAT OUR CITY WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN INTERNATIONAL VISITORS GET OFF THAT PLANE IN 2026.

I MEAN CERTAINLY WE WANT TO PUT OUR BEST FOOT FORWARD RIGHT I MEAN THIS IS A MONEY CAN'T BUY MARKETING OPPORTUNITY SO YOU KNOW WE WANT TO SHOW OFF KANSAS CITY IN THE HOPES THAT PEOPLE RETURN FOR OTHER EVENTS OUTSIDE THE WORLD CUP SO I CAN YOU KNOW YOU CAN EXPECT THAT YES WE WOULD WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT KANSAS CITY IS SPRUCED UP AND CLEANED UP AND AND RUNNING AS EFFICIENTLY AS AS POSSIBLE AND IF THAT'S ONE OF THE SORT OF YOU KNOW POSITIVES THAT COME OUT OF THE LEGACY OF HOSTING THE WORLD CUP AND THAT SUSTAINS ITSELF ON AN ONGOING BASIS THAT WILL BE WONDERFUL AND AGAIN ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE WHAT WE ARE THINKING ABOUT AS WE AS WE AS WE TRAVEL TO QATAR AND HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE AND THEN COME BACK AND REALLY DIG INTO THE PLANNING EFFORTS WHAT'S LEFT KATHY I MEAN YOU CAN HAVE A WORLD CUP WE'VE HAD AN ALL-STAR GAME HERE WE HAVE THE NFL DRAFT ARE YOU NOW WORKING ON KANSAS CITY'S OLYMPIC BID YOU KNOW I WE CHUCKLE ABOUT THAT BECAUSE BOTH KATHERINE AND I THE THE NEXT DAY HAD MEDIA INQUIRIES AND SOMEONE SAT IN OUR OFFICE AND SAID WELL WHAT'S NEXT AND YOU THINK THE NFL DRAFT WE HAVE MULTIPLE NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS WORLD CUP LIKE THAT YOU REALLY JUST ASKED ME THAT BUT I DO PLEASE KNOW WE ARE ART AS A CITY AS THE SPORTS COMMISSION AND VISIT CASEY WE ARE ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD SO WE HAVE A BID IN TO HOST THE WORLD CUP RUGBY IN 2031 AND WOMEN'S WORLD CUP IN 2033 WE HAVE A BID ON THE TABLE RIGHT NOW TO HOST THE USA GYMNASTICS OLYMPIC TRIALS IN 2024 SO THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING WE'RE WORKING TOWARDS AND WORKING FOR WORLD CUP MIGHT BE THE BIGGEST THING THAT EITHER ONE OF US WILL EVER TOUCH EVEN WITHOUT THE WORLD CUP BEING HERE RIGHT NOW WE WE'RE STILL PLANNING FOR IT BUT HAVE WE CREATED NEW BUSINESS AS A RESULT OF JUST EVEN BEING CHOSEN AS A HOST CITY YES GOING TO GIVE ME AN EXAMPLE ABSOLUTELY WE WERE JUST AWARDED THE 2027 IT'S AN INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT RELIGIOUS COMP CONFERENCE AND THEY SAID IT'S BECAUSE WE'RE A HOST COMMITTEE FOR THE WORLD CUP SO THEY WERE IN FOR A SITE VISIT AND DURING OUR BREAKFAST MEETING IT WAS WELL MY GOSH YOU WILL ALREADY HAVE SIGNAGE AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO HOW TO TREAT INTERNATIONAL VISITORS THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT PLACE FOR US TO LAND AND ON THAT WE WILL SAY OUR SPECIAL SPORTY AND GLOBAL NEWSMAKER EDITION OF WEEK IN REVIEW IS A WRAP THANKS TO THE HEAD OF THE SPORTS COMMISSION AND VISIT KC KATHY NELSON AND THE DIRECTOR OF OUR WORLD CUP HOSTING COMMITTEE UH KATHERINE HOLLAND BY THE WAY WHILE THE WORLD CUP STARTS ON SUNDAY THE UNITED STATES PLAYS ITS FIRST GAME ON MONDAY AFTERNOON AND YOU CAN SEE ALL THE ACTION ON THE 40-FOOT WIDE 18-FOOT HIGH SCREEN AT KC LIVE IN THE POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT AND GUESS WHO THE US IS PLAYING WALES MY HOME COUNTRY WHICH IS PLAYING IN ITS FIRST WORLD CUP SINCE 1958 IN OTHER WORDS IT'S KIND OF A BIG DEAL PERHAPS IF YOU START CHEERING ON WALES FOR THIS YOU MIGHT GET AN INTERNATIONAL DEAL OUT OF WALES OUT OF THIS I MEAN WE CAN ONLY HELP FINGERS CROSSED ALL RIGHTY NEXT WEEK WE'RE HEADED TO OUR WINTER MEMBERSHIP DRIVE AS TRUCKERS LIKE TO SAY WE'LL SEE YOU ON THE FLIP SIDE OF THAT I'M NICK HAINES FROM ALL OF US HERE AT KANSAS CITY PBS BE WELL KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON