SerpApi.Org
The World Cup has left Seattle, but not without leaving its mark.
The big picture: The tournament's six-match run here left behind murals, a new sculpture by the stadium and new mini-soccer pitches around the region — along with changes to a few prominent public spaces.
Zoom in: Seattle's World Cup organizing committee looked for ways to make the tournament's benefits last beyond the final game, Leo Flor, the committee's chief legacy officer, told Axios.
- That included helping raise money to renovate Westlake Park, as well as to remove the fences surrounding the courtyard at the Pacific Science Center.
Meanwhile, a permanent bronze sculpture called "Vital Spirit" now rises outside Lumen Field, where Seattle's World Cup matches were played.
- Two giant murals commissioned by the local World Cup committee decorate the sides of downtown buildings — one of them reaching 17 stories tall.
- The local World Cup committee also helped raise money for new soccer pitches around the state, including in partnership with the Puyallup Tribe and Lummi Nation.
What they're saying: The goal was not just to have "a cool tournament," but to "create and harness an opportunity" to improve the city and region, Flor said.
Between the lines: Other investments are less physical.
- The World Cup committee hopes one of its projects, the Unity Loop — a map, app and directory of businesses throughout Seattle — will continue to be used by visitors.
- "The whole point is about getting people out across the city," said Jennifer Hamilton of Gensler, an architecture and urban planning firm that worked on the project.
What's next: A memorial commemorating the 1886 expulsion of Chinese immigrants from Seattle is still in development. The local World Cup committee contributed $50,000 to the project.
