REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Action on the City’s Community Event and Activation Priority List in Connection with Super Bowl LX and FIFA World Cup 2026 and Approve Related Budget Amendment
Report
BACKGROUND
The City of Santa Clara (City) hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2016. Back then, in anticipation of hosting the first Super Bowl at Levi’s® Stadium (Stadium), the City adopted strategic objectives that included developing a plan for city-sponsored community events leading up to the Super Bowl; and an Outreach Program for Santa Clara businesses to become involved in with the Super Bowl 50 Business Connect Program. Santa Clara developed a Slogan “The Center of What’s Possible” and a branding tagline “50 Awesome Things to do in Santa Clara”. The City also hired an event management service consultant to assist in producing the community events: Super Black and Gold Ball, Super Community Celebration (including a concert at Santa Clara University), and Super Community Exhibit at Triton Museum of Art. Additional events included Art unveiling: “Anything’s Possible”, Super Community 5k/10K/Fun Run, STEM Innovation Bowl, among others.
In 2026, the City will be hosting two major sporting events at the Stadium: Super Bowl LX (SBLX) and six Fédération Internationale de Football (FIFA) Men’s World Cup 2026 (FWC26) matches.
The Super Bowl is the annual championship game of the National Football League (NFL). It serves as the final game of every NFL season and is generally played on the second Sunday in February. SBLX will be held at the Stadium on February 8, 2026.
The FIFA Men’s World Cup is an international soccer competition between the national teams of FIFA, the sport's international governing body. The World Cup is held every four years and is the most prestigious association soccer tournament in the world, as well as the most widely viewed and followed single sporting event. The six FWC26 matches hosted at the Stadium will be held:
• Match 8 | Group Stage | Saturday, June 13
• Match 20 | Group Stage | Tuesday, June 16
• Match 31 | Group Stage | Friday, June 19
• Match 44 | Group Stage | Monday, June 22
• Match 60 | Group Stage | Thursday, June 25
• Match 81 | Round of 32 | Wednesday, July 1
DISCUSSION
The 2026 Super Bowl and FIFA Major Events represent a once-in-a-generation opportunity to showcase Santa Clara’s cultural vitality, strengthen community pride, and support local businesses.
Recognizing the importance of being the only city to host both events, the City Council has taken steps to ensure the City is prepared to host the Major Events in 2026.
In January 2025, the City Council transitioned the former Economic Development and
Communications Committee to a temporary ad hoc committee called the Economic Development and Marketing Committee (Committee), limiting the scope to focus on the City’s economic development and marketing activities, including the community engagement for the 2026 Major Events.
Since April 2025, the Committee has advanced planning for community activation tied to Super Bowl LX and the FIFA World Cup 2026. The following is a summary of the Committee topics related to the community engagement efforts surrounding the 2026 events.
• April 28, 2025:
o Staff presented a strategic framework for community activation and event support and introduced the formation of a Major Events Task Force to focus on fundraising, outreach, and engagement.
• June 2, 2025:
o The Committee and stakeholders reviewed the draft Citywide 2026
Economic Development & Community Engagement Plan, including proposed priorities, programming, and campaign theme options:
o Santa Clara: Where the World Kicks Off
o Santa Clara: Get Your Kicks in 2026
o Santa Clara 2026: The World Plays Here
• June 23, 2025:
o The Committed participated in an Event Strategy Workshop which mapped potential event locations against city assets, demographics, and community interests. The exercise also incorporated survey feedback gathered through a community-wide call for event ideas launched on June 17, 2025, and a community values survey (Core Value), which launched on June 30, 2025, to identify core values to help shape a unifying slogan. This activity allowed the city team to gather valuable insights and create a spatial foundation for future community events. Residents contributed their insider knowledge, highlighting meaningful city sites, active community clusters, and local businesses that could play a role in the broader activation efforts leading up to next year’s major events. All input was then synthesized, revealing clear patterns and overlapping trends in the community’s mental map.
• July 14, 2025:
o The Committee reviewed the Core Value survey results, which yielded 335 responses, as well as workshop outcomes. The top community values identified:
o Home (46), Diversity (34), Community (29), Inclusive (16), Family (12).
The Committee reviewed potential event and activation opportunities and partnerships that would then be categorized into the following: City-led, Community-led, and Sponsor Partner.
• July 28, 2025:
o Following a series of community ideation workshops, the City created a stage for residents to voice their ideas and present their initiatives as part of the broader city activation strategy. Community members with specific plans or ambitions for events were invited to present their ideas to the Economic Development and Marketing Committee group, creating an environment of feedback, resource-sharing, and connection among like-minded organizers. The session generated over 10 event proposals and sparked meaningful discussions on inclusivity, as well as how to better meet the needs and expectations of diverse community groups and demographics.
• August 11, 2025:
o The Committee conducted a workshop to further refine the proposed events and activations, including a shortlist of potential City-led events, and continued to hear sponsor/partner proposals for community engagement activities. The Committee conducted a gallery walk, where individuals voted for the event categories, which included Watch Parties & Sports Experiences, Live Music and Performances, Food and Beverage Festivals (night markets/festivals), cultural heritage and storytelling, tech innovation and green showcases, youth and family activities, and signature/legacy events. The total votes were tallied, and events were ranked according to the number of votes received.
• September 22, 2025:
o The Committee provided feedback on the recommended slogan and logo. The slogan was well received, with some comments provided on the logo design. The input was shared with the City Council on September 23, 2025, who approved the slogan and logo for the “Where the Mission meets the Moment” campaign.
• October 6, 2025:
o Staff presented the list of events developed from prior Committee input and presentations. This list reflected the community feedback gathered through the Community Survey and Gallery Walk, which had been evaluated using a scoring rubric aligned with the City’s Guiding Principles for the Major Events. The rubric assessed each proposed event based on its ability to reach the intended audience, create meaningful community impact, align with available budgets and resources, and provide lasting benefits beyond 2026. This evaluation was applied to all proposed events, including those led by the City, community partners, and artists. Staff also summarized insights gathered from one-on-one meetings with event proposers, which provided additional details to strengthen each concept and confirm feasibility. Following this presentation, Committee members divided into task forces for each event to begin shaping and further developing the ideas in smaller working groups. The Event and Acitivation Priority List includes City led, Partner led and Art Activations for the community engagement campaign.
Event & Activation Priority List
The development of the event and activation priority list has been a collaborative and community-driven effort guided by Committee input.
Committee members provided feedback on proposals submitted by community stakeholders, helping to identify and prioritize opportunities that align with the City’s goals. Events were categorized into city-led, partner-led, and sponsor-led activities to clarify responsibilities and focus resources effectively. The City is planning to host four primary City-led events while leveraging and enhancing existing community events to maximize engagement, participation, and visibility for residents and visitors alike.
To ensure community engagement efforts for the 2026 Major Events are strategic, inclusive, and impactful, staff have identified a set of guiding goals. These goals provide a framework for planning and execution, ensuring that programming not only supports the successful hosting of global events but also strengthens community pride, local business vitality, and resident engagement across Santa Clara. The goals are as follows:
• Alignment with Guiding Principles
• Host three major City-led events with strong sponsor partnerships
• Foster community connections between North & South Santa Clara
• Empower residents by elevating City services and trust
• Support local businesses with measurable sales tax and venue impacts
• Promote inclusivity across Santa Clara’s demographics
The following are the types of events that came from the collaborative process:
|
Event Type |
Category |
|
Watch Parties & Sports Experiences |
City-led |
|
Live Music & Performance |
City-led |
|
Night Markets & Festivals |
Partner-led |
|
STEM Bowl |
City-led |
|
Stadium Community Event |
City-led |
|
Art Activations |
City-led & Sponsor-led |
Watch Parties & Sports Experiences
Watch parties and Sports experiences received the highest votes in the community survey (15%) and was strongly prioritized in the committee gallery walk (19).
Official watch parties require entities to adhere to strict regulations and can require licensing. There is no licensing available for Super Bowl watch parties; however, there is licensing available through FIFA for the World Cup matches. There are three types: Non-Commercial Public Viewing, Special Non-Commercial Public Viewing, and Commercial Public Viewing. The event type that is typically hosted by universities, cities, and cultural groups is a Special Non-Commercial Public Viewing. “Special Non-Commercial Public Viewing Events” are those that are staged for purely non-commercial purposes, with a capacity for over 1,000 spectators. Since the event must be for non-commercial purposes, it must be free of charge (no direct or indirect admission fees) and cannot have sponsorships. The City would have to apply for the license which would require the City to adhere to FIFA regulations. It’s not guaranteed that the City would obtain FIFA approval of the license.
As part of the watch party concept for FIFA World Cup, the Committee included athlete meet-and-greets with players and sports memorabilia expos that can be a component of the watch party.
The Committee is recommending watch parties for the FIFA matches; staff is suggesting a maximum of three Watch Parties (opening match, final match, and either if the USA team makes it past the group round or the 3rd place match). The watch parties would be for matches not being hosted at the Stadium.
Again, FIFA approval of the required license(s) for watch parties is not guaranteed. The City would seek direction from Council to apply for the necessary licensing to host the proposed watch parties.
An alternative to watch parties for Super Bowl LX, the City can partner with the Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce and Innovation & VB to help promote Santa Clara businesses that will be showing the game. The same approach could also serve as an alternative if the City is unable to obtain a license to host a FIFA watch party.
Potential Costs: $150,000 - $375,000
Estimated Attendance:10,000
Potential Locations: Central Park, Santa Clara University Buckshaw Stadium, Levi’s® Stadium, Great America, or a local business(s)
Live Music & Performances
Concerts received the second-highest tally (14%) in the community survey votes and 19 votes from the community gallery walk. Live music was also a recurring element throughout nearly every committee proposal, reinforcing strong community interest in music-based programming.
The Committee proposed several music-focused activations, including a concert series, cultural music festivals, multi-stage events, DJ-driven experiences, and youth-oriented concerts targeting the 18-35 age group.
Similar to the community concert held at Santa Clara University for Super Bowl 50 (which was headlined by Huey Lewis & The News), staff recommends hosting a community concert in connection with the 2026 Major Events. Potential venues for a signature community concert include Santa Clara University’s Buck Shaw Stadium, Levi’s® Stadium, and Mission College. Staff have initiated preliminary discussions with venue stakeholders to determine interest and availability. While there is interest, securing dates between March and July, it remains challenging with already programmed events. Staff will continue working with partners to identify feasible options and potential alignment with other city-led activations.
In addition, as part of the night markets events (below) the City is looking to leverage the annual summer concert series to elevate the 2026 series for the “Where the Mission meets the Moment” campaign. Activation of 900 Lafayette would provide a venue in the downtown to host several of the summer concerts held annually at Central Park (please see below in Night markets and Festivals)
Potential Costs: $235,000 - $480,000
Estimated Attendance:10,000 - 30,000
Potential Locations: a stadium or outdoor space (Buckshaw or Levi’s® Stadium, Great America, a local business
Night markets & Festivals
Night Markets and festivals had a strong correlation across all data: in the community survey, among Night markets, food vendors, and food crawls, they collectively received 29% of the votes, and 25 votes were tallied from the gallery walk.
The Committee recommends moving forward with the development and support of Food & Beverage Festival concepts, including night markets, rotating food crawls, cultural food festivals, and BBQ & beer events.
At the presentation of community proposals, many of the proposals could be categorized as a night market or festival. Proposals include Lunar New Year / Holiday Swap night market, International Fútbol Festival, among others.
Staff recommends activating 900 Lafayette as a downtown site, offering a strategic opportunity for placemaking and facility reuse. The concept includes building a semi-permanent outdoor plaza with amenities such as a stage, lighting, power access, turf, and seating, creating a flexible space for night markets, concerts, and festivals both in 2026 and beyond. It’s an exciting opportunity to bring attention to the downtown and create a placemaking space.
We heard from the community that night markets are a must have and the City would like to think of a night market series as a sustainable use of space and legacy building into a space that can continue to be used beyond 2026.
As mentioned above, this space could also be used to host several of the 2026 summer concert series.
As these types of events are anticipated to be partner-led events, the City would provide support, including use of the City facility, and in-kind services (public safety, permits, infrastructure, etc.). To provide a standardized process for community organizations to partner with the City, staff is reviewing the Community Grant Policy and the in-kind services policy, to develop a standardized application process to request City support specifically for the 2026 events.
Potential Costs: Up to $425,000
Estimated Attendance:10,000 - 50,000
Potential Locations: 900 Layfette
City Support could include: Building out a semi-permanent outdoor plaza with placemaking features and amenities to host recurring markets and cultural events, possible grant funding.
STEM Bowl
The City’s original STEM Bowl, hosted during Super Bowl 50, drew over 10,000 attendees and was highly successful in celebrating Santa Clara’s innovation ecosystem. While it ranked moderately in recent community feedback (17 gallery walk votes), the Committee and staff recommend reviving the STEM Bowl 2026 due to its strong alignment with the City’s identity as the heart of Silicon Valley.
Staff has initiated discussions with the Santa Clara Convention Center to host the event in April or May 2026. The STEM Bowl could provide interactive exhibits, hands-on demonstrations, and opportunities for students, innovators, and local companies to showcase advancements in technology, sustainability, and creativity.
Potential Costs: $125,000 - $210,000
Estimated Attendance:10,000
Potential Locations: Convention Center
Stadium Community Event
While an event at the Stadium wasn’t explicitly called out as a category by the Committee, given the significance of the Stadium as the host venue for both Super Bowl LX and FIFA World Cup 2026, there is a strong desire that the City host a Community Event at the Stadium to offer residents a rare opportunity to experience the venue.
Hosting an event at the Stadium transforms it from a place reserved for ticketed fans into a truly inclusive civic space, one where families, youth, and neighbors can gather, celebrate, and feel pride that Santa Clara is home to such an iconic global stage. It’s about creating memories, strengthening community bonds, and ensuring that the excitement of these major events is shared by all residents, not just those in the stands.
Event concepts include a youth cup, concert, movie night, or drone show that is open to the Santa Clara community. Staff is aware that there is a strong desire to host an event at the Stadium and has been working with the Stadium management regarding an event.
While there is strong community interest, logistical challenges-including venue availability, security requirements, and associated costs-will have to be considered. Staff continues to work with stadium management to identify feasible options for an event.
Potential Costs: Youth Cup $145,000 - $295,000 / $525,000 - $1,200,000
Estimated Attendance:15,000 - 30,000
Location: Stadium
Given the scale and scope of the City-led programming, staff recommends engaging a professional event producer to assist in planning, coordination, and execution of city-led events and activations. Similar to the City’s approach for community events leading up to Super Bowl 50, an experienced event management partner would provide critical logistical expertise, assist with sponsorship coordination, and ensure operational consistency across all activities. This partnership would also allow City staff to focus on strategic oversight and strengthening community and business partnerships. Staff has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the event producer and will follow the City’s procurement policies.
Art Activations
As part of the City’s community engagement efforts for upcoming major events, the Committee had provided various concepts for arts and City beautification (Community wayfinding, monument lighting, art contest, banners).
The following are recommendations for several art-based activations designed to foster civic pride, business participation, and citywide visibility. These concepts aim to celebrate Santa Clara’s identity through creative expression, community involvement, and public art displays.
“The Mission Shines” Business Lighting Campaign:
This initiative invites local businesses to participate in a citywide lighting campaign by illuminating their buildings, signage, and storefronts in Santa Clara’s signature colors and event branding. The coordinated lighting effort would create a visually cohesive nighttime display across key corridors and business districts, reinforcing community pride and the “Where the Mission Meets the Moment” campaign.
Potential Costs: $150,000
Corridor Art City Sports Legends:
This public art program aims to transform major corridors and gateways into dynamic storytelling spaces that celebrate Santa Clara. To reflect the major sports events in 2026, the theme of Santa Clara sports legends would highlight community icons with four installations. The installations would highlight local legends, historic milestones, and the city’s long-standing connection to athletics. The project would serve both as a beautification effort and as an opportunity to educate residents and visitors about Santa Clara’s cultural and sporting history, helping create a sense of place and local pride. The art pieces could be relocated to a permanent location within the city after 2026.
Potential Costs: $20,000 - $50,000
Aerial Slogan Display:
A large-scale aerial installation would feature Santa Clara’s event slogan to enhance visibility, generate excitement, and promote civic pride during global sporting events. Staff have been working with the Zo Agency to develop a proposal for the aerial slogan and logistics for placing it on the vacant landfill parcels north of the stadium. As the Super Bowl is less than five months away, to get this completed before the Super Bowl, direction to move forward and approval are required. Staff is working to confirm the use of the landfill parcels for the activation, assess the most feasible type of signage for construction, and address timing challenges to ensure completion prior to Super Bowl LX. The construction approach is particularly critical, as the site is located on a landfill where restrictions limit soil disturbance due to the final over system (cap). If Council approves the initial budget, staff will be able to move forward with getting the activation completed in time for Super Bowl LX.
Potential Costs: $30,000 - $50,000
Community Art Project
This participatory art initiative invites the community to collaboratively create installation(s) displayed at the City-led events. The project could include a series of murals, where the community would paint a portion of the mural, yeah series would have a theme surrounding the “Where the Mission meets the Moment”. The series of murals would come together to reflect Santa Clara’s diverse community and shared excitement for upcoming events. By engaging residents directly in the creative process, the program strengthens civic pride, fosters inclusivity, and ensures that the city’s visual landscape reflects the people who call it home.
Potential Costs: $5,000 - $20,000
Summary of Proposed Events/Activations and Costs
The following chart summarizes the above-described event/activation categories and the projected costs for each:
|
Event Type |
Category |
Estimated Attendance |
Potential Costs |
|
Watch Parties & Sports Experiences |
City-led |
10,000 |
$150,000 - $375,000 |
|
Live Music & Performance |
City-led |
10,000 - 30,000 |
$235,000 - $480,000 |
|
Night Markets & Festivals |
Partner-led |
10,000 - 50,000 |
$425,000 |
|
STEM Bowl |
City-led |
10,000 |
$125,000 - $210,000 |
|
Stadium Community Event |
City-led |
15,000 - 30,000 |
$145,000 - $1.2 Million |
|
Events Sub-Total |
|
|
$1,080,000 - $2,690,000 |
|
“The Mission Shines” Business Lighting Campaign |
Partner-led |
n/a |
$150,000 |
|
Corridor Art City Sports Legends |
City-led |
n/a |
$20,000 - $50,000 |
|
Aerial Slogan Display |
City-led |
n/a |
$30,000 - $50,000 |
|
Community Art Project |
City-led |
n/a |
$5,000 - $20,000 |
|
Activations Sub-Total |
|
|
$205,000 - $270,000 |
|
TOTAL |
|
|
$1,235,000 - $2,960,000 |
The cost estimates above represent preliminary, high-level projections intended to assist the City Council in prioritizing community events and activations. The City recognizes the importance of balancing fiscal responsibility with the desire to deliver high-quality community programming surrounding the major sporting events in 2026.
While the total projected costs for events and art activations range between $1.3 million and $3.0 million, staff will pursue an aggressive sponsorship and partnership strategy to offset expenses with a goal to reach a net cost to the City of approximately $1 million. Efforts will focus on securing corporate sponsorships, community donations, and other revenue-generating opportunities to leverage external resources in support of these initiatives.
The community, through the Committee, has expressed a strong interest in hosting an event at the Stadium, which is recognized as the most significant and costly activation. To advance this vision responsibly, staff will prioritize developing targeted sponsorship packages and partnership opportunities specifically designed to support this event.
Next Steps
Staff is requesting Council prioritize the Event and Activation Priority List. Based on the Council’s prioritization of the events and art activations, staff will further pursue the events and develop refined budgets for the events and activations. Staff will return to Council at a future meeting for updates on status of the events/activations and a comprehensive budget for events/engagement efforts.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(b)(5) in that it is a governmental organizational or administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect changes in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
The range of costs for the events is approximately $1,080,000 to $2,690,000. The art activations range from $205,000 to $270,000. Staff is seeking approval of an initial $1 million budget to as start-up capital to pursue the events and activations. The activities are recommended to be funded from the Budget Stabilization Reserve. The city will be seeking revenues to offset the total costs of the community engagement efforts, including seeking sponsorships.
Budget Amendment
FY 2025/26
|
|
Current |
Increase/ (Decrease) |
Revised |
|
General Fund |
|
|
|
|
Expenditures |
|
|
|
|
Non-Departmental |
$38,861,319 |
$1,000,000 |
$39,861,319 |
|
Budget Stabilization Reserve |
$80,900,000 |
($1,000,000) |
$79,900,000 |
COORDINATION
This report has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office and Finance Department.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
1. Direct City staff to prioritize development and implementation of the five community events and four art activations; and
2. Direct City staff to take the steps necessary to proceed with the aerial art project; and
3. Approve the FY 2025/26 budget amendment in the General Fund to increase the Non-Departmental appropriation for Super Bowl and FIFA community events and art activations in the amount of $1,000,000 offset by a decrease to the Budget Stabilization Reserve (five affirmative Council votes required for the use of unused balances); and
4. Authorize City Manager to execute agreements required to facilitate development of the prioritized community events and art activations, and aerial art project where the collective total or the agreements shall not exceed one million dollars ($1,000,000)in final forms approved by the City Attorney.
Staff
Reviewed by: Paulina Morales, Assistant City Manager
Approved by: Jovan Grogan, City Manager