Lee's Summit hears LS Goal 26 plan for World Cup "Football Fridays"; council asks for budget details before committing funds

LS Goal 26, a volunteer nonprofit coordinating local events tied to KC 2026 World Cup activity, told the Lee's Summit City Council on Tuesday that it aims to stage five "Football Fridays" downtown and needs city partnership to scale the program.

"We hosted over 800 folks" at a December draw-day test event and spent roughly $6,300 against a $10,000 sponsorship, Laura Maxwell, a leader with LS Goal 26, told council members. Maxwell said the board has secured about $35,000 in financial sponsorships and significant in‑kind support, including use of Green Street Marketplace and Lawn.

The request to the council was twofold: permission to use the city’s Green Street venue (including janitorial and public-safety support) and a potential discretionary stipend if sponsorships and licensing fees fall short. Organizers warned that the largest unknown is the public‑viewing licensing fee for FIFA matches; Laura Maxwell and John Ellis said a commercial license (if required) would be a single fee covering all matches, but the amount was not yet known.

Council members supported showcasing Green Street but repeatedly pressed for more financial detail. "If that means you have a giant screen showing the game and events related to that, that's fine," Councilmember Shields said, while adding concern that a five‑figure licensing bill could make a licensed screening impractical. Shields proposed in‑kind facility use, janitorial services and public‑safety presence plus a $25,000 discretionary stipend for LS Goal 26 to allocate toward licensing or event programming, with council review of a finalized budget.

Finance staff noted a possible funding source: the Business & Industry (BNI) tax fund. City staff reported a FY26 BNI fund balance of approximately $1,323,674 and said reserves could cover a startup stipend if council approved it. Several council members, including Lovell and Reeder, said they were not opposed to a $25,000 contribution but wanted written budgets, sponsorship commitments and a clearer estimate of licensure costs before authorizing city funds.

Organizers emphasized flexibility: they said a noncommercial festival without a public match screening would avoid license costs and could still draw visitors, but that showing matches was a major draw for regional attendance. "It's kind of a we have to make a choice," a city staff presenter said, noting that commercial events with sponsorships typically require a license while purely noncommercial events do not.

Mayor Pro Tem Lopez and staff asked LS Goal 26 to return with a detailed budget, a list of confirmed sponsors and clearer cost projections — particularly for FIFA licensing — before council would consider formal financial support. Organizers said they will continue planning and provide the requested financial information to the council.

Next steps: LS Goal 26 will refine its budget and sponsorship list and come back to the council; the council did not take an immediate vote on funding at Tuesday's meeting.