Thursday, October 1, 2026
Members of the Tumwater City Council expressed concerns about participating in a countywide effort that designates the region as a fan zone for FIFA World Cup soccer matches in Seattle next year.
Concerns revolve around co-funding the events within the fan zone, as well as the absence of local branding.
City Administrator Lisa Parks briefed the council about the proposed plan on Tuesday, July 8. She said fan zones are typically situated around stadiums where FIFA games take place. They are areas where fans gather and watch matches with food and beverages, as well as enjoy other forms of entertainment and cultural activities.
According to Parks, the Seattle Organizing Committee has designated nine fan zones in Washington. One of the nine fan zones is the “Olympia/Lacey/Thurston County fan zone,” which is being coordinated by the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce. Most events within this fan zone would take place at the port peninsula in Olympia.
There are six definitive dates in June and July of 2026 when the fan zones will be activated, with the possibility of four more dates in July to coincide with the final and semifinal matches. The final matches are not in Seattle, which is why the dates are tentative.
To fund the project, Parks said Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater and Thurston County are being asked to contribute $375,000. Payments would be made quarterly starting in the third quarter of 2025 through the second quarter of 2026.
Parks said there is also a request for the four jurisdictions to contribute resources. The jurisdictions are being asked to allocate hours from their staff so they can help organize the events by participating in various planning committees. Parks said the specific amount of staff time being requested is not clearly defined at this point.
Other requests include the use of facilities and equipment, as well as marketing assistance.
There may also be a need for law enforcement, and fire and emergency services, which would present a challenge as the number of scheduled leave time in the Tumwater fire department is highest during summer, Parks said.
She said another challenge is city staff would be planning for other events within the same time frame. Having staff focus on the fan zone would take away time that could be used for other events.
According to material provided by the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce, fan zones could help boost regional tourism activities and potentially elevate visibility. Parks added there are plans for a regional marketing campaign to support local businesses ahead of the event.
Parks noted the city has not allocated any funding for the project. If the city chooses to participate, Parks said funding would likely come from the general fund or lodging taxes.
The city’s fund balance for lodging taxes is $925,595. The money has been budgeted to fund organizations with tourism promotion activities and to preserve the old brewery tower near Tumwater Falls, as well as two historical houses.
Council member Eileen Swarthout noted the organizations that benefit from lodging taxes include groups who coordinate the Olympic Air Show, Tumwater Artesian Family Festival and Washington State Senior Games.
Parks said the city can tap into the remaining fund balance, but noted there are efforts to conserve the fund as much as possible, as there are deferred maintenance activities for historical sites in Tumwater.
Council member Michael Althauser said he supported using lodging taxes if feasible, as he did not want to contribute to increasing the general fund deficit.
Other council members were more cautious about participating. Council member Angela Jefferson said she would vote against funding the fan zone unless the required contribution was proportional to the city’s resources.
There were also worries about the fan zone's viability. Parks acknowledged there's a question of whether visitors would actually spend money in Tumwater hotels and restaurants.
Council member Peter Agabi was skeptical about fan zones in general, believing FIFA 2026 would not attract the same number of fans in the country as it does when FIFA is held in other countries.
“The football-playing world is outside of North America. I doubt even if the Canadians will even come. … Now, if you cannot draw from the Canadians, how are you going to draw from Central America, knowing whether they will need a visa to come here?” Agabi said.
“We don't play soccer in the greater number in America, so it's kind of like me trying to sell you a piece of clothes that you have no need for.”
Several council members also expressed concern about Tumwater’s name being absent from the name of the fan zone. Mayor Debbie Sullivan also weighed in on the issue.
“I have made my comments about equal sharing equally in the cost and our name not being included. I have made mention of that on a couple of occasions, so it's not that they haven't heard it, they just haven't responded to it quite yet,” Sullivan said.
The council did not make any decision during the meeting. Before they vote, some council members said they wanted to hear from the Thurston County Chamber of Commerce to get more information about the project.
8 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
turtleman
It would be smart of FIFA moves their world cup games out of the US. The aren't going to be sell outs because people from other countries are dubious about visiting this country under the current regime. And most Americans really don't care.
Friday, July 11, 2025 Report this
Rabbit
Obviously Turtleman isn’t a golfer.
Let’s make it interesting. If there is a sell out are you willing to back your statement? You underestimate die hard European fans. Even Americans are naive enough to travel to Russia with their Mary Jane vape pens.
Anyone can put up an inflatable screen and have viewing parties. Craft district is an ideal spot.
Friday, July 11, 2025 Report this
BobJacobs
Public funds should be used only for public purposes. I don't see any public benefits from this activity. We have better things to spend our tax money on. Lots of better things.
Bob Jacobs
Saturday, July 12, 2025 Report this
HappyOlympian
More fluff and waste on the part of area agencies. If our local officials have time to work on such things, their jobs are a waste of tax dollars and should be eliminated. Right on Tumwater for not wanting to participate.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 Report this
Porter
Their pay should be docked just for thinking about this. Who is going to come to Tumwater to watch tv?
Saturday, July 12, 2025 Report this
TheGreatAnon
So, FIFA, a multi-billion foreign corporation, is proposing to strip funds from local orgs to fund what? A giant outdoor screen with a beer garden & food trucks? That's a hard no.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 Report this
JulesJames
If a Thurston County Seattle Sounders fan zone did not materialize during the FIFA Club World Cup, I can't see a viable market for a fan zone when Bolivia plays Cameroon in Seattle or Vancouver. It seems a longshot Seattle will host the USA, Mexico or Canada teams in the 2026 tournament. So spending government money for FIFA to sell over-priced merch seems more a local-yokel tourist trap than a valid use of taxpayer resources.
Saturday, July 12, 2025 Report this
Yeti1981
The concerns raised by Tumwater City Council are understandable—local branding, cost equity, and staffing capacity are real challenges. But it's also worth taking a clear-eyed look at what a well-executed FIFA Fan Zone could bring to the broader Thurston County region, including Tumwater.
1. Regional Visibility and Tourism Dollars
Major international events like the FIFA World Cup don't come around often. A designated fan zone offers Tumwater and its neighbors the chance to insert themselves into the narrative of a global spectacle, even if the matches aren’t held locally. This can draw regional visitors, fill hotel rooms, and boost spending at restaurants, shops, and breweries—including in Tumwater, especially if local venues or businesses are integrated into the promotional effort.
2. Strategic Use of Lodging Tax Dollars
Lodging taxes exist specifically to promote tourism-related activities. If this event encourages out-of-town visitors—or even just regional day-trippers who might otherwise not think to explore Tumwater—then using a portion of the lodging tax fund is not only appropriate, but aligned with its legal and policy intent. Council Member Althauser’s point about preserving the general fund while leveraging designated tourism resources reflects a smart fiscal approach.
3. Community Activation and Cultural Engagement
Fan zones are more than screens and soccer. They're community festivals with music, food, vendors, kids’ activities, and cultural showcases. They offer a platform to spotlight local artists, small businesses, and even Tumwater’s own identity—if the city takes a proactive role in shaping the zone’s programming. Events like this also foster civic pride and bring people together across political and cultural divides.
4. Economic Multiplier Effects
Skepticism about international turnout is valid. But the primary audience isn’t Europeans—it’s Washingtonians. In King, Pierce, and even Clark counties, soccer is one of the most participated-in youth sports, and Sounders FC has built one of the largest soccer fan bases in the country. Fan zones activate local economies not through global fans, but through regional foot traffic. For example, Spokane’s economic impact from NCAA basketball viewing zones was in the millions—without hosting a single game.
5. Leverage Over Visibility and Identity
Tumwater’s concerns over being left out of the name are fair. But that’s not a reason to walk away—it’s a reason to negotiate. A seat at the table means shaping the outcome. Withholding participation guarantees irrelevance. Participation, even conditional, gives the city leverage to ensure that branding, cost-sharing, and logistical roles are equitably balanced.
A Reasoned Path Forward
Rather than an all-in or all-out decision, Tumwater could:
Request a proportional funding model based on population or expected return.
Condition participation on prominent inclusion in fan zone branding.
Designate local Tumwater venues as satellite sites (e.g., the Craft District or Brewery Park).
Advocate for funding commitments to be tied to clear deliverables on business engagement and visitor metrics.
In a time when public trust in government is often low, community events—especially global ones that allow local pride to shine—can provide a much-needed sense of belonging and shared experience. When done right, this isn’t just about soccer. It’s about smart tourism investment, regional cooperation, and creating moments that put Thurston County on the map.
Monday, July 14, 2025 Report this