"The small Bay Area city hosting the 2026 Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup wants to make an impression as the world watches. That may be difficult when it's sandwiched between San Francisco to the north and neighboring San Jose to the south with their big budgets and competitive intentions. Santa Clara is determined not to be overlooked as the host city. It has allocated up to $1 million from its general fund for community events leading up to the games next year."
"The events include night markets, concerts, three watch parties, an activity at Levi's Stadium and a STEM Bowl celebrating the city's technology and scientific innovation. City officials anticipate the events, along with art installations, could cost between $1.2 million and $2.9 million. They plan to cover the remaining costs with sponsorship money. The funding comes as the city of roughly 128,000 residents prepares to compete with San Jose and San Francisco for the spotlight as the Bay Area takes center stage."
"Residents and officials have mixed feelings about whether Santa Clara can keep up, since most promotional materials only mention the Bay Area. District 5 Councilmember Suds Jain wants to host events that draw people to Santa Clara's unique charm. But he's concerned many of the events won't happen during the roughly three weeks the city hosts consecutive World Cup games, leading visitors to look elsewhere for entertainment. He said it may be too difficult for the Santa Clara Police Department to provide security at the games and external activities."
Santa Clara allocated up to $1 million from its general fund and seeks sponsorships to finance community events tied to the 2026 Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup. Planned programming includes night markets, concerts, three watch parties, an activity at Levi's Stadium and a STEM Bowl highlighting technology and science. Estimated costs including art installations range from $1.2 million to $2.9 million. The city of about 128,000 residents aims to capture visitors and regional economic benefits amid competition from San Jose and San Francisco. Officials and residents express concerns about event timing, security capacity and standing out in Bay Area promotions.
Read at San Jose Spotlight
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