Kansas City Bid Committee launches online petition drive

The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee announced Monday that an electronic petition drive has begun to boost the city's chances of hosting FIFA World Cup™ matches in 2018 or 2022 should FIFA choose the United States as a host nation. Kansas City is one of 27 remaining cities in the running to be part of the USA Bid Committee's bid submission to FIFA. The USA Bid Committee is expected to include 18 cities in their bid to FIFA. Matches in Kansas City would be played at Arrowhead Stadium. To support the effort, Kansas Citians are asked to sign the petition at www.goUSAbid.com/kc and pass the petition along to their friends and family.

A series of emails will be sent from community leaders to their employees, patrons and clients in the coming days to support to the online petition effort. All Kansas Citians are encouraged to click through the email and sign the petition, then pass the message along to their friends and family members. The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee is Co-Chaired by Kansas City Chiefs Chairman of the Board Clark Hunt and Cerner Corporation's Chairman and CEO and Kansas City Wizards co-owner Neal Patterson. The USA Bid Committee will select final cities to be included in the bid in December. The USA Bid Committee will then submit their bid to FIFA, world soccer's governing body, in May of 2010. FIFA will select host countries for the 2018 and 2022 events in December of 2010.

"On behalf of the Kansas City Bid Committee, I would encourage sports fans across the Midwest to sign the petition to bring the FIFA World Cup™ to Kansas City," Hunt said. "Hosting the FIFA World Cup™ at Arrowhead was a longtime dream of my father's. The time is right to bring the world's most prestigious soccer competition to the Kansas City community. The USA Bid Committee will soon make its final selections for cities to be included in the USA Bid. We need the community's help to ensure that Arrowhead and Kansas City will showcase the international excitement that is the FIFA World Cup™."

A study released previously by the USA Bid Committee indicates that the total economic impact projected for any one host city ranges from approximately $400 million to $600 million at today's dollar value. That figure is based on 12 host cities staging five to six matches, along with ancillary venues such as the International Broadcast Center (IBC) in one city and FIFA Fan Fest™ in each city. The study also estimates 5,000 to 8,000 jobs would be created in each host city during the event's operation.

"It is not often that citizens from every walk of life have the opportunity to play such an important role in bringing a world-class event to their city," Patterson said. "This is one of those rare opportunities. I encourage all Kansas Citians to visit goUSAbid.com/kc and sign the petition. Hosting an event of this magnitude would showcase our fine community to the rest of the world and bring hundreds of millions of dollars to our local economy."

The Kansas City / USA Host City Bid Committee features members and expertise from a wide range of Kansas City metropolitan area public and private entities from both sides of the state line, including: The Kansas City Chiefs; Kansas City Wizards' ownership group OnGoal, LLC; the Kansas City Sports Commission and Foundation; the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association; the City of Kansas City, Missouri; the Unified Government of Wyandotte County, Kansas City, Kansas; the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA); and POPULOUS, formerly HOK Sport Venue Event.

The full list of cities still in the running includes: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, New York City, Oakland, Orlando, Philadelphia, Glendale-Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa, and Washington, D.C.

TIMETABLE AND PLANNING FOR HOST CITY CANDIDATES

November 10-12, 2009 -- Workshop for final presentations from Cities


December 2009 -- Determination of final Cities for Bid submission


May 14, 2010 -- Bid submission to FIFA


August 2010 -- FIFA Venue Inspection Tour


December 2010 -- Final decision by FIFA for Host of 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups™

At a later stage, which is expected to be five years prior to the applicable FIFA World CupTM at the earliest, FIFA and the Local Organizing Committee ("LOC") will appoint the final host cities for the competition.

ABOUT THE FIFA WORLD CUP

• The world's premier sports event, organized by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the sport's governing body (
www.fifa.com
).

• A global cumulative television audience of over 26 billion for the event.

• 64 Matches, with 32 National teams. Normally played in 10-14 venues.

• Normally staged in June/July over 31 days.

• Most venues will be utilized for a 2-3 week period.

• Each venue normally hosts 4-6 matches

• The event is staged every four years.

• World Cup USA 94 holds the live attendance record of nearly 3.6 million spectators.

• Minimum stadium capacity: Group games: 40,000 / Opening & Final: 80,000

• Sellout crowds are expected for all matches (World Cup USA 1994 had a 96% sellout)

• 90,000+ people involved in the event organization; 20,000 accredited media.

FIFA WORLD CUP HISTORY

USA IN THE FIFA WORLD CUP