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East Point staff and businesses begin planning ‘soccer and soul’ fan experiences ahead of 2026 World Cup matches in Atlanta
Summary
Economic Development Director Michelle Rogers presented a range of ideas for accommodating international visitors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in Atlanta, including fan zones, beautification, shuttle service to MARTA, vendor permits and use of the Commons and John Milner Park for public viewing and events.
Economic Development Director Michelle Rogers briefed council on preliminary options to prepare East Point for visitors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup matches to be hosted in Atlanta. Rogers and staff framed the outreach as both a short‑term visitor strategy and a longer‑term economic‑development opportunity to raise the city’s profile.
Rogers proposed several near‑term initiatives that could be scaled for the June–July 2026 tournament window: downtown and MARTA station cleanup and beautification, temporary wayfinding and multilingual signage, coordinated sidewalk and ADA improvements, enhanced pedestrian and bike connections, commissioning murals and temporary art displays, and establishing an East Point fan zone with large screens, food trucks and shuttle connections from Virginia Avenue hospitality hotels to viewing areas at John Milner Park and the Commons.
On funding, Rogers suggested the city could explore hotel‑motel (tourism) tax revenues, sponsorship packages, vendor fees and parking/shuttle revenue to cover temporary activations. She said staff would coordinate with the regional convention and visitors bureau (CVB) and MARTA to discuss multimodal access, co‑branding, and how MARTA’s station near downtown could be enhanced for visitors. Rogers asked council to consider selecting three priority initiatives to allow focused planning and budgeting.
Council members urged fast, visible action on downtown streetscape, signage, trash collection and the planters program; they also recommended early engagement with downtown businesses, hoteliers and neighborhood associations so residents and merchants can weigh in on proposed activations and operating hours. Staff said they will meet with the CVB and regional partners and return to the Nov. 10 work session with a prioritized set of short‑term measures and budget options for council review.
