Drafter

Clerk 02/08/2018

Title

A MOTION supporting the city of Seattle's proposal to be a host city for the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association World Cup.

Body

                     WHEREAS,  King County is one of the regions in the United States, Mexico and Canada being considered by the United Bid Committee as a host city for the 2026 Fédération Internationale de Football Association ("FIFA") World Cup, and

                     WHEREAS, on January 16, 2018, the Seattle city council passed a resolution declaring its support of the city's proposal to be a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and

                     WHEREAS, more than 125,000 young people actively compete in soccer matches around Washington state, and

                     WHEREAS, recreational soccer is one of the most popular sports in King County, and the parks and recreation division of the King County department of natural resources and parks partners with numerous soccer leagues to host and support both youth and adult soccer programs and tournaments in the region, and

                     WHEREAS, King County's parks and recreation division has more than twenty soccer fields in its athletic field inventory, which are used by amateur youth and adult soccer teams from across King County, and

                     WHEREAS, the region has a soccer fan base that has attracted large, enthusiastic crowds for professional matches since 1976, including when the Seattle Sounders broke Major League Soccer attendance records and merchandise sales in their first season in 2009, and

                     WHEREAS, the FIFA World Cup will provide the city of Seattle and King County with a unique opportunity to inspire new generations of soccer enthusiasts, while promoting our shared commitment to recreation, sport, health, human rights, equity and social justice and the environment, and

                     WHEREAS, the United States received an estimated four billion dollars in economic benefits from hosting the 1994 FIFA World Cup, and

                     WHEREAS, soccer fans who travel to attend tournaments bring significant additional revenue to local hotels, restaurants, shops and businesses, thereby providing additional tax revenue for areas that host the FIFA World Cup, and

                     WHEREAS, King County is an open and welcoming region with an international reputation for celebrating diversity and welcoming people from all nations and cultures, and

WHEREAS, the King County executive and King County council share a common goal of promoting the region’s quality of life, diversity, and economic vitality, which will be enhanced by hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and

                     WHEREAS, the Seattle Host Committee will bring local leaders from government, community development associations, hospitality industry, international companies, global marketing campaigns, unions and professional sports franchises together to ensure Seattle maximizes the cultural, social and economic benefits of being a FIFA World Cup host city, while promoting FIFA's goals of corporate and social responsibility and environmental awareness, and

                     WHEREAS, the city of Seattle and King County share a common goal of ensuring that economic benefits and additional revenues generated by the 2026 FIFA World Cup will further the areas goals of equity, social justice and improving the lives of hospitality workers, construction workers and the community at large, through living wage jobs, adequate benefits, apprenticeships, education, training, job protections, affordable housing and antidisplacement programs, and

                     WHEREAS, FIFA will determine the final host country or countries for 2026 by June 2018 and, along with the United Bid Committee, will determine final host cities five years before the event;

                     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:

                     A.  King County supports regional efforts to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Seattle and will work collaboratively with the city of Seattle and stakeholders to highlight the area as an attractive host for an international soccer tournament.

                     B.  King County will work collaboratively with the region to ensure that the

proposal to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup will result in an outstanding event that is beneficial for the region, our residents and businesses.