Blaine City Council designated the upcoming FIFA World Cup as an official “community event” from June 1 to July 17. The resolution will temporarily relax signage regulations, allowing businesses to display more signs to attract tourists into Blaine, especially those who may be traveling between World Cup host cities Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle.
While Blaine won’t be considered an official “Fan Zone” city like Bellingham, Everett or Bremerton, which will host official, FIFA-sanctioned watch parties, the resolution will still enable the city to prepare for what it expects to be an influx of soccer-crazed tourists.
The resolution will allow businesses to post their own signage, hopefully creating a bigger draw to the city sitting between 13 World Cup games in Seattle and Vancouver.
City manager Mike Harmon said the resolution will hopefully invite community engagement.
“It signals to the FIFA fans that Blaine welcomes them to visit our community while providing flexibility on our signage regulations for businesses and vendors who choose to market their businesses or events to FIFA fans,” Harmon wrote in an email.
Harmon said he expects businesses to display A-frames, banners and window signs, among other low-cost displays.
This is yet another step from the city to attract more tourism into downtown Blaine in preparation for the World Cup. Council directed city staff look into upgrading the city’s aging wooden welcome signs along Peace Portal Drive and State Highway 543 on Feb. 23. By early April, public works had added more wayfinding information for visitors.
On March 23, council approved $90,000 in new patio furniture and plaza improvements in the downtown core, with multiple council members citing the upcoming World Cup as a deadline for installation.
Harmon said the city does not have updated data on hotel bookings in the area, and that state tax data is delayed by two months, so the city won’t know meaningful data on this summer’s tourism economy until September.
The Blaine Chamber of Commerce will host a watch party for the World Cup Final, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 19, on the lawn on the southeast side of Borderite Stadium. The event will feature a 16-foot-by-9-foot LED screen, vendors and kids games.
Vancouver and Seattle will host FIFA World Cup games that start June 13 and conclude July 17.
