Post-World Cup Audit: Kansas City infrastructure outlasts temporary storefronts

Kansas City residents now benefit from completed roadway repairs, new pedestrian infrastructure, and digital county tools, but some temporary business experiments are ending their contracts. The city and surrounding counties are assessing which World Cup investments have transitioned into long-term public assets and which remain one-time events.

In the years leading up to the tournament, the city completed safety improvements along Southwest Boulevard between 25th Street and Broadway. This work included repaved roadways, new traffic signals, and flood-storage infrastructure. Officials also upgraded Stadium Drive with sidewalks and a raised shared-use path. A new pathway along the Grand Boulevard bridge now connects the River Market and Berkley Riverfront Park for cyclists and pedestrians.

Jason Waldron, the city’s public works director, stated that these projects predated the tournament announcement but were accelerated to meet the event deadline. Waldron noted that the city aimed to finish major infrastructure before matches began rather than after. The city also redesigned part of 18th Street to include new lighting, landscaping, and public seating for pedestrians.

Johnson County purchased a 20-by-30 foot screen for just under $300,000. The display, located in Shawnee Mission Park, hosted 24 games and attracted more than 12,000 attendees. The district has stored the screen since the tournament but plans to use it during the next Theater in the Park season. County libraries also deployed free phone charging lockers and translation devices. As of October 16, the library system had completed approximately 750 translations using the devices, with Spanish, Korean, and Japanese being the most common languages.

The Open Doors! program, a partnership between the Economic Development Corporation of Kansas City and KC BizCare, provided small businesses with temporary storefronts. The initiative covered 80% of rent and granted each participant $10,000 to cover startup costs. Fifty-one organizations participated, including 515 Music Hub, which opened a live venue in a vacant space. The program’s six-month agreements end this fall, with 515 Music Hub scheduled to close on October 31.

Participants reported mixed results regarding tourist foot traffic. Lindsey Jarrett, founder of Music Across Borders, said that many Westside residents did not observe a significant increase in visitors during the tournament. Similarly, Erica Muñoz, owner of Madrina Vegana Taqueria, estimated that World Cup attendees made up only 10% to 15% of her customers during that period. Despite the limited surge, Muñoz is seeking a permanent location, and Antionette Redmond, co-owner of Bubbles and Goo, is negotiating a lease extension with her landlord.

Nia Webster, the city liaison for the program, said officials are currently evaluating impact metrics to determine if a second round is feasible. The assessment will review outcomes from participating businesses and storefront activations. The data will guide the structure of any future iterations, including potential tracks for nonprofit and arts organizations. The city will use these lessons to refine the approach for subsequent phases of the initiative.