Living Cities says World Cup could become local wealth engine in Kansas City

Living Cities is using Kansas City’s World Cup spotlight to ask whether global attention will translate into lasting gains for local entrepreneurs, workers and neighborhoods. The group says the city’s legacy should be measured by who gets contracts, customers, capital and wealth after the games end.

Why it matters: - The FIFA World Cup will bring visitors, spending, contracts and global attention to Kansas City. - Living Cities says the bigger test is whether local businesses, entrepreneurs, workers and neighborhoods capture that value. - The group argues that tourism and attendance are not enough if the economic gains stay concentrated outside the community. - The question extends beyond Kansas City to other host cities weighing how major events can build local wealth.

What happened: - Living Cities released the latest installment of its Capital + Culture series focused on Kansas City and the World Cup. - The organization framed Kansas City as a case study for how sporting and cultural events can strengthen local economies. - Joe Scantlebury, president and CEO of Living Cities, said the key issue is whether local people and businesses are positioned to participate in the opportunity and keep the benefits after the final whistle. - Living Cities also said the city has already made small-business participation part of its World Cup preparations.

The details: - Local leaders in Kansas City have launched tools and marketplaces designed to connect entrepreneurs, makers, artists and vendors to economic activity tied to the tournament. - Living Cities said the city’s legacy will depend on who receives contracts, who gains customers, who builds business relationships, who accesses capital, who expands operations and who hires. - The organization said the most important outcomes would be more visible, more connected and more investable entrepreneurs. - Living Cities said the best measure of success would also include stronger small businesses, pathways to mobility for workers and neighborhoods that capture value. - The group said culture can become a pathway to capital when local participation is built into the event’s economy. - Living Cities described itself as an Action Engine for Equitable Cities, a member collaborative of philanthropic foundations and financial institutions focused on closing income and wealth gaps. - The organization said it has spent 35 years advancing policy and systems changes that support profitable and inclusive wealth-building. - Living Cities said it addresses barriers to capital investment through knowledge sharing and collective action among members, partners and city leaders. - More information is available in Living Cities' announcement.

Between the lines: - The release treats the World Cup as an economic development test, not just a sports tourism moment. - The emphasis on contracts, ownership and capital suggests Living Cities is focused on whether event-driven spending can create durable local wealth. - Kansas City is presented as a model city because it already has a strong local identity and an entrepreneurial base that could benefit from deliberate inclusion.

What's next: - Kansas City’s World Cup preparations will determine how much of the event’s spending reaches local firms and residents. - Living Cities will likely keep using the city as an example in its broader Capital + Culture series. - The long-term result will depend on whether the tournament leaves behind stronger businesses, deeper networks and more community wealth after the matches end.