A LOUIJEUNE AT LARGE CITY COUNCIL AND I AM THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON ARTS, CULTURE, ENTERTAINMENT, TOURISM AND SPECIAL EVENTS. TODAY IS MARCH 20TH 2026. THE EXACT TIME IS 1003.
THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BOSTON.COM/CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 FIOS CHANNEL 964.
READING COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT CKC@BOSTON.GOV AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN .
UM UH WE'LL TAKE A FEW AT THE BEGINNING AND A FEW DURING UH THE UH THE HEARING INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY.
IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON, PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY, PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON MEGAN
CAVANAUGH AT MEGAN CAVANAUGH@BOSTON.GOV RIGHT HERE UH FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON TWO DOCKETS DOCKET NUMBER 0186 ORDER FOR A HEARING ON
EQUITABLE CONTRACTING AND BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAJOR CIVIC, SPORT AND CIVIC AND SPORTING EVENTS IN BOSTON. UM THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MYSELF AND WAS REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JANUARY 28TH, 2026
AND DOCKET NUMBER 041 TO ORDER FOR A HEARING TO BRING WORLD CUP ACTIVATIONS AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY TO BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS. THIS MATTER IS SPONSORED BY MYSELF COUNCILOR AND WE UH BUTTON AND COUNCILOR BRIAN
MORRELL. IT WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 25TH 2026. I'M REALLY GRATEFUL FOR EVERYONE WHO IS HERE TODAY. AND I WANT TO THANK, UH, OUR PANELISTS AND THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO HAVE JOINED US TODAY.
WE ARE HERE. WE ARE HERE, UH, AND WE'RE TRULY EXCITED ABOUT THIS MOMENT FOR OUR CITY AND THE EXCITEMENT AND THE POSSIBILITIES OF THIS SUMMER OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS AND BEYOND. WE WILL HOST A SERIES OF HISTORIC AND WORLD CLASS
EVENTS FROM THE FIFA WORLD CUP TO SAIL BOSTON, BOSTON TO 50 AND MORE THAT WILL BRING GLOBAL ATTENTION, ENERGY AND OPPORTUNITY TO OUR CITY. THESE EVENTS ARE MORE THAN JUST SPORTS OR CELEBRATIONS.
THEY ARE A CHANCE TO SHOWCASE WHO WE ARE AND TO WELCOME THE WORLD INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND FINALLY TO ENSURE THAT THE BENEFITS AND SPOTLIGHTS ARE NOT JUST IN DOWNTOWN BUT OUR THROUGHOUT OUR ENTIRE CITY.
TODAY'S HEARING IS. GROUNDED IN OPPORTUNITY AND IN RESPONSIBILITY. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO BE INTENTIONAL, TO CREATE PATHWAYS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO DESIGN ACTIVATIONS THAT BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER TO SUPPORT OUR BLACK
AND BROWN BUSINESSES, TO SUPPORT OUR VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES AND FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ENTIRE CITY IS ACTIVATED NOT JUST ONE SINGLE SINGLE. >> CENTRAL LOCATION BUT. THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. I'M HOPEFUL ABOUT WHAT WE CAN
ACCOMPLISH TOGETHER. I'M REALLY EXCITED AND I'M ENCOURAGED BY THE COLLABORATION ALREADY UNDERWAY AND GRATEFUL TO ALL. OF YOU WHO ARE. >> HELPING SHAPE THIS WORK. IF WE GET THIS RIGHT, WE WON'T JUST HOST GREAT EVENTS. WE'LL LEAVE BEHIND STRONGER
NEIGHBORHOODS AND A MORE ECONOMICALLY SOUND CITY. UM SO I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. I'M GOING TO DO THINGS JUST A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER. I KNOW THAT THERE ARE SOME HARD STOPS, BUT I DO THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR US TO HEAR FROM
SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS BEFORE WE GET STARTED. SO I WANT TO CALL UP TO THE PANEL FIRST WE'LL HEAR FROM YOU KNOW, UH TORRES THEN WE'LL HEAR FROM HEATHER O'BRIEN. THEN SEE JOHN LEE AND THEN WE
WILL HEAD INTO THIS UM UH, VERY WONDERFUL ILLUSTRIOUS PANEL THAT WE HAVE. UH, SO, YOU KNOW, IF YOU COULD COME DOWN YOU'LL. >> HAVE TWO MINUTES. INTRODUCE YOURSELF. WHO YOU ARE, WHERE YOU'RE FROM AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
STARTING NOW. SURE. >> UM. HELLO, EVERYONE. UH, MY NAME IS JANELLE JOHN TORRES AND, UM, JUST, UH, YOU KNOW, A LONGTIME NEIGHBORHOOD
RESIDENT OF MATTAPAN, UH, BORN AND RAISED THERE. UM, AND NOW CURRENTLY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE MATTAPAN SQUARE MAIN STREETS. UM, I WOULD JUST LIKE TO SAY THAT, UM, THIS IS A ONCE IN A
LIFETIME OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY. UM, WE DON'T GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO TO BE ABLE TO HOST SUCH A WORLD STAGE THAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR CITY OF BOSTON AND I DO LOVE IT DEARLY.
UM, THERE ARE SOME OPPORTUNITIES, UM, THAT THE COMMUNITY OF MATTAPAN UM, DON'T WE DON'T WANT TO DROP THE BALL ON. UM, IT'S IT'S, UH, OPPORTUNITY
TO BE ABLE TO SHOWCASE, UH, OUR CULTURE WHICH IS VERY MUCH INGRAINED INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF MATTAPAN AND TO BE ABLE TO HOST PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO BE TRAVELING FROM ALL OVER THE
WORLD AND THIS OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR BUSINESSES AND OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. UM, WHICH WE KNOW FROM YOU KNOW ,FROM THE TIMES THAT ARE COMING OR THAT HAVE BEEN ARRIVING THAT ECONOMIC UM
SITUATION THERE ISN'T THE GREATEST. UM I THINK IT GIVES US THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE ABLE TO REVITALIZE OUR COMMUNITIES, UM, SHOW OUR YOUTH UM AND INSPIRE OUR YOUTH TO BE ABLE TO DO AND
BE INVOLVED, UM, WITH WHAT'S GOING ON ON A WORLDLY SCALE AND BEING ABLE TO KIND OF LIFT THE BARRIERS THAT THEY EVEN HAVE IN THEIR IMAGINATION ON WHAT'S POSSIBLE. SO I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SAY UM,
WE WOULD LOOK FORWARD THE MATTER KNOWING WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN WHERE MAIN STREETS WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO HOST SOMETHING, TO BEING ABLE TO DO SOMETHING FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND UM AND ALL THE PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING AND
PASSING THROUGH OUR GREAT CITY OF BOSTON AND WE KNOW WE CAN'T GET THAT DONE WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT. SO WE ABSOLUTELY WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO BEING ABLE TO WALK IN AND HAND IN THIS PARTNERSHIP TO GETTING IT DONE. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. >> I NOW APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY. NEXT WE HAVE HEATHER O'BRIEN. HEATHER YOU HAVE THE MIC. TWO MINUTES. HI. >> GOOD MORNING. I'M HEATHER O'BRIEN. ONE SECOND. HEATHER WELL I GOT TWO.
OH, YOU GOT TWO. THIS IS MY FIRST HEARING AND I DON'T KNOW HOW TO USE THIS. OKAY. THERE. OKAY.
OKAY. JUST GET STARTED AND. I'LL FIGURE IT OUT, OKAY? I'M HEATHER O'BRIEN. I'M AN EAST BOSTON RESIDENT WHO'S ORIGINALLY FROM DORCHESTER. UH. >> WHERE ALL FOUR OF MY GRANDPARENTS FROM FOUR DIFFERENT COUNTRIES IMMIGRATED TO THE SAME STREET IN SAVIN
HILL. THEY ALL CAME FROM PLACES WHERE FOOTBALL SOCCER IS INGRAINED IN THE CULTURE. IT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE. I THINK THAT WHERE WE ARE TODAY
IN WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE WORLD AND WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR CITY HAS BEEN SOME REALLY DIRE TIMES ECONOMICALLY AND POLITICALLY. I THINK THAT THIS WORLD CUP IS A CHANCE FOR US TO CELEBRATE
SOMETHING POSITIVE. IT'S A CHANCE TO MAKE THE WORLD CUP WHICH IS AN INACCESSIBLE, EXCESSIVELY EXPENSIVE VENTURE FOR MOST SMALL BUSINESSES AND
FOR MOST OF MY NEIGHBORS WHO WOULD LOVE TO SEE A MATCH. I THINK THERE'S SOME GREAT OPPORTUNITIES ON THE TABLE TODAY. I THINK LETTING BUSINESSES BE
ABLE TO UM, STREAM THE WORLD CUP WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY EXORBITANT FEES FOR LICENSURE THAT THEY NEVER WOULD GET AND BRING THINGS TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS LIKE DORCHESTER,
EAST BOSTON AND MATTAPAN IS GOING TO BE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT AND IT'S ALSO GOING TO GIVE SOME MORE UM, LIKE AN ECONOMIC KIND OF BOOSTER TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES WHO HAVE BEEN
SUFFERING THROUGH THE POLITICAL TIMES THAT WE'VE ALL BEEN UNDER THE YOUTH IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS ,UM, WHO PLAY EVERY DAY NO MATTER WHAT. AND THIS HAPPENS ALL AROUND THE
WORLD, NO MATTER HOW BAD THINGS ARE POLITICALLY, NO MATTER HOW BAD THINGS ARE ECONOMICALLY, YOU'RE GOING TO FIND KIDS PLAYING SOCCER SOMEWHERE ON A FIELD WITH THE MOST BEAT UP BALL EVERY DAY.
I KNOW MY SON, WHO'S THE SON OF IMMIGRANTS, GREW UP PLAYING SOCCER IN DORCHESTER IN EAST BOSTON EVERY SINGLE DAY WITH HIS FRIENDS AND THESE FRIENDS THESE FAMILIES DIDN'T HAVE CARS. PARENTS WERE WORKING TWO AND
THREE JOBS, BUT THEY MADE SURE THEIR KIDS HAD FOOTBALL BOOTS AND A BALL TO PLAY EVERY DAY. I THINK IT'S A WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY AS A WHOLE AND IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT FOR OUR INDIVIDUAL
NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU ALL FOR THE EFFORTS THAT YOU'RE PUTTING FORTH. THANK YOU HEATHER. UH, NEXT AND LAST FOR THIS PORTION OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY WE
HAVE C.J.. JEAN-LOUIS. C.J., YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND. TWO MINUTES. GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS CARL JEAN LEWIS.
I GO BY C.J. UM, I'M FROM DORCHESTER. SHOUT OUT TO D4. UH, THIS TESTIMONY IS REALLY CENTERED ON DOCKET UH, 0412. UM, BOSTON'S BIPOC COMMUNITIES
ARE UNDERREPRESENTED IN NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NARRATIVES. UH, JUST LAST MONTH I WAS IN ATLANTA AND I HAD TO PUSH BACK ON THE IDEA THAT THERE AREN'T MANY BLACK FOLKS IN BOSTON. THAT NARRATIVE IS INCOMPLETE
AND THAT'S WHY IT MATTERS. UH, FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 GIVES US A GLOBAL STAGE TO SHOW THE FULL STORY OF WHO WE ARE AND THE IDEAS I'M SHARING TODAY COME DIRECTLY FROM CONVERSATIONS WITH SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS, RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS WHO ARE ALL EXPRESSED A CLEAR DESIRE FOR AN EQUITABLE OUTCOME FROM THIS MOMENT. SO HOW DO WE MAKE SURE OUR NEIGHBORHOODS AND BUSINESSES ARE PART OF THAT STORY?
WE WANT TO CREATE A CITYWIDE DIGITAL DIRECTORY THAT MAKES IT EASY FOR VISITORS TO FIND AND SUPPORT LOCAL DIVERSE BUSINESSES AND IT SHOULD BE HEAVILY MARKETED FOR USE. A SECOND ACTIVATE OUR PUBLIC
TRANSIT SYSTEM AS A MARKETING TOOL CONNECTING PEOPLE TO CULTURAL DISTRICTS AND NEIGHBORHOODS UH, SIMILAR TO WHAT L.A. 28 FOR THE OLYMPICS IS DOING WITH ITS FESTIVAL TRAIL CONCEPT.
THIRD, WE WANT TO INVEST IN STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS NOT ONLY WITH OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS BUT ALSO WITH LOCAL INFLUENCERS AND MEDIA PLATFORMS TO AMPLIFY THESE BUSINESSES AND HELP TO DRIVE
REAL FOOT TRAFFIC. UH, ALL OF THIS SHOULD BE DONE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE VERY COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ASKING TO BE INCLUDED. THIS IS MORE THAN AN EVENT. IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL BOSTON'S FULL STORY
INTENTIONALLY AND EQUITABLY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH, C.J. AND THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE OFFERED PUBLIC TESTIMONY. I SEE AND HERE FROM HYDE PARK MAIN STREETS I HAVE SEEN MEMBERS FROM OUR GANNON COMMUNITY AND I THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE. UM WE ARE GOING TO MOVE TO OUR PANEL AND I JUST WANT TO AGAIN THANK THE PANEL. I KNOW EVERYONE IS HAS PRETTY SCHEDULES. UM WE HAD A HEARING LAST YEAR UM, IN A LATE FALL ABOUT THIS.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE INFORMATION ABOUT WELL, WHAT WHAT, UH, YOUR DIFFERENT ENTITIES ARE DOING AND TO SHARE IT WITH THE PUBLIC AND THE PUBLIC TO HEAR WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND SEE HOW WE CAN COLLABORATE MORE. SO I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THIS
PANEL. WE HAVE UH, NEIL DOUGHERTY REPRESENTING UH BOSTON THE HOST COMMITTEE FOR FIT FOR BOSTON 26 . MADAM CHAIR. YOUR MIC JUST WENT RED. JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE CAN HEAR YOU. CAN THEY HEAR ME? MY GOOD.
THANKS, JOHN. >> THANK YOU. I'M GOOD. UH, MARTHA SHERIDAN FROM ME BOSTON. DUSTY RHODES FROM UH, THE PRESIDENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CONVENTIONS JOHN BURROWS UH, CONVENTION CENTER AUTHORITY.
MICHAEL NICHOLS DOWNTOWN BOSTON ALLIANCE AND WE MAY HAVE ERIC CHAVEZ JOINING US FROM THE BOSTON UM, MAIN STREETS FOUNDATION SO WE CAN JUST GO IN ORDER OF UH ACTUALLY LET'S
START WITH NEIL AND WE'LL GO DOWN THE LINE AND UM, YOU EACH HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL, CAN ANYONE HEAR? PERFECT. UM THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS NEIL DOHERTY, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS WITH THE FIFA WORLD CUP BOSTON 2026 HOST COMMITTEE. UH, WOULD LOVE TO JUST PROVIDE A QUICK UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS ARE AND UM, HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET INTO A CONVERSATION ABOUT
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR OUR CITY. SO I APPRECIATE THE COUNCIL'S LEADERSHIP ON ADVANCING THIS HEARING ORDER, THE FOCUS ON BRINGING WORLD CUP ACTIVATIONS AND ECONOMIC ACTIVITY INTO BOSTON'S NEIGHBORHOOD IS NOT ONLY ALIGNED WITH OUR STRATEGY
,BUT IT'S ESSENTIAL TO THIS THE SUCCESS OF THIS TOURNAMENT IN OUR REGION. BOSTON AND THE COMMONWEALTH ARE PREPARING TO WELCOME MORE THAN NEARLY 2 MILLION VISITORS ALONGSIDE A GLOBAL TELEVISION AUDIENCE OF OVER 5 BILLION
PEOPLE. THIS IS THE LARGEST EVENT IN THE WORLD AND WE ARE LUCKY TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO HOST IT AND SHOW THE WORLD WHAT BOSTON HAS TO OFFER. THIS IS A ONCE IN A GENERATION OPPORTUNITY AND IT'S NOT JUST
AS A HOST CITY BUT AS A COLLECTION OF VIBRANT, DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT DEFINE OUR CITY. AT THE HOST COMMITTEE ITSELF, OUR WORK IS CENTERED ON THREE PRIORITIES SAFETY AND SECURITY TRANSPORTATION AND CELEBRATION
ON SAFETY AND SECURITY. WE'RE ENCOURAGED BY THIS WEEK'S ANNOUNCEMENT THAT FEMA HAS AWARDED $625 MILLION OF FUNDING TO THE US HOST CITIES, 46 MILLION OF WHICH HAS BEEN AWARDED TO MASSACHUSETTS.
THESE RESOURCES WILL SUPPORT PLANNING AND PERSONNEL ACROSS LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PUBLIC SAFETY PARTNERS. OUR APPROACH IS COMPREHENSIVE AND PROACTIVE, ENSURING BOTH THE STADIUM AND KEY SITES IN AND AROUND BOSTON ARE SAFE AND
WELL COORDINATED. ON TRANSPORTATION, WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE MBTA AND TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS TO DELIVER RELIABLE AND ACCESSIBLE OPTIONS FOR BOTH RESIDENTS AND VISITORS. THIS INCLUDES ENHANCED COMMUTER
RAIL SERVICE TO AND FROM BOSTON FOR ALL SEVEN MATCHES, AS WELL AS A BUS PROGRAM TO BRING TICKET HOLDERS FROM THEIR HOTEL TO THE STADIUM AND BACK. WITH AN ESTIMATED 30 TO 50% OF ATTENDEES TRAVELING FROM
OUTSIDE THE REGION, PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WILL BE CRITICAL NOT ONLY FOR MATCH OPERATIONS ON THOSE SEVEN DAYS BUT FOR CONNECTING VISITORS TO NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS OUR CITY. WE WILL SHARE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON TICKETS AND SERVICE DETAILS IN THE COMING
WEEKS. THIRD ON CELEBRATION WE ARE PROUD TO HOST THE FIFA FAN FESTIVAL HERE AT CITY HALL PLAZA WHICH WILL SERVE AS THE CENTRAL GATHERING POINT FOR FANS THROUGHOUT THE TOURNAMENT. WE'RE WORKING WITH BOSTON BASED
DMC DMC SPORTS TO MANAGE THE FAN FESTIVAL AND THEIR EXTENSIVE EXPERIENCE DELIVERING LARGE SCALE EVENTS IN THE CITY LIKE THE BOSTON MARATHON HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ADVANCING PLANNING EFFORTS. IT WAS GREAT TO SEE YOU
COUNCILOR UM AND MANY OF YOUR COLLEAGUES AT THE UM EVENT LAST MONTH HERE AT CITY HALL PLAZA TO ANNOUNCE UM I. >> MEANT TO THROW THIS TO YOU AS A WAY OF LIKE INSTEAD OF TURNING YOUR MIC ON, I THROW YOU THE SOCCER BALL AND I GOT. AT THAT EVENT.
UM, BUT IT WAS LATE. BUT THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE CUE TO DO IT NOW. YES. >> UM, WE'LL PLAY HOT POTATO. YEAH. UM, BUT IT WAS GREAT TO SEE YOU AND OTHER ELECTEDS. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE THE MAYOR, THE GOVERNOR, THE LG CHAIR MIKE WATTS UM AND THEN STATE AND
LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS THERE AS WELL AS SOME OF MY ESTEEMED PARTNERS UP HERE. UM, SO OUR COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY HAS BEEN EXTREMELY PRODUCTIVE. WE'RE GRATEFUL FOR THE MAYOR AND UH, THE ONGOING PARTNERSHIP THAT WE HAVE ACROSS DEPARTMENTS
. UH, I KNOW THE CITY TEAM IS HERE NOW AND REALLY JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THEIR WORK. IT MEANS SO MUCH PLANNING IS PROGRESSING WELL AND WHILE WE'RE CONTINUING TO FINALIZE EVENT PROGRAMING AND OPERATIONS
ON THE PLAZA, WE EXPECT TO SHARE DETAILS IN THE COMING WEEKS ON UM HOURS, DATES, THINGS LIKE THAT. UH, IN THE VERY NEAR FUTURE. OUR GOAL IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY IS A TRULY CITYWIDE ACTIVATION STRATEGY.
TO SUPPORT THIS WE'RE LEVERAGING MULTIPLE PLATFORMS OUR OFFICIAL DIGITAL CHANNELS INCLUDING THE FIFA FAN APP WHICH BASICALLY ANYONE WHO'S TRAVELING FROM AROUND THE WORLD WILL HAVE AND THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY THERE TO SHOWCASE
WHERE TO GO IN AND AROUND BOSTON ALONG WITH OUR UH, BOSTON WORLD CUP WHATSAPP CHANNEL WHICH ALREADY HAS OVER 5000 SUBSCRIBERS UM AND WILL BE A RESOURCE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE IN TOWN.
UM, THESE THIS WILL DIRECT VISITORS TO COMMUNITIES ACROSS BOSTON HIGHLIGHTING LOCAL RESTAURANTS, CULTURAL ASSETS AND EVENTS. THE INTENT IS SIMPLE ENCOURAGE VISITORS TO EXPLORE BEYOND DOWNTOWN AND SPEND TIME AND
DOLLARS IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS. WE'RE ALSO FOCUSED ON BUSINESS ENGAGEMENT AND ACCESS THROUGH A BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES PORTAL. LOCAL BUSINESSES ARE PROVIDED TO FIFA STAKEHOLDERS, SPONSORS AND TRAVELING FAN GROUPS SEEKING VENUES SERVICES AND
EVENT PRODUCTION. EXPANDING AWARENESS TO THIS TOOL IS CRITICAL. WE WELCOME THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE COUNCIL TO SHARE THAT INFORMATION. I KNOW YOU HAVE COUNCILOR UH BUT THAT IS ON OUR WEBSITE AND WE ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO UM TO SIGN UP SO THEY'RE AWARE
OF POSSIBLE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THIS TOURNAMENT. IN ADDITION, WE KNOW THAT TEAM DRIVEN AND COMMUNITY DRIVEN ACTIVATIONS WILL BE A MAJOR DRIVER OF NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVITY. BOSTON WILL HOST EIGHT NATIONAL TEAMS IN THE GROUP STAGE
INCLUDING HAITI, GHANA, MOROCCO ,ENGLAND, FRANCE, SCOTLAND AND NORWAY. MANY OF THESE TEAMS HAVE A DEEP CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY TIE ACROSS GREATER BOSTON AND THE COMMONWEALTH THAT CREATES A NATURAL OPPORTUNITY FOR
AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY LED CELEBRATIONS THAT BRING ENERGY AND ECONOMIC BENEFIT DIRECTLY INTO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. FINALLY, WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THIS WORK IS ONGOING AND COLLABORATIVE. WE'RE CONTINUING TO COORDINATE CLOSELY WITH THE CITY
OF BOSTON, THE COMMONWEALTH MEET BOSTON, THE CONVENTION CENTER UM PARTNERS HERE WITH SAIL BOSTON AND THE OTHER EVENTS THIS SUMMER UH DBA DOING GREAT WORK DOWNTOWN. UM AND WE KNOW THAT THERE IS A
LOT TO DO THERE IS UM BUT THIS OPPORTUNITY AS SOME OF THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY SAID, IT'S A ONCE IN A GENERATION UH IT'S EVERY LAST ONE WAS 30 PLUS YEARS AGO. SO WE NEED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO BRING THE
ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT WE CAN DO. SO APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU NEAL. AND I DO JUST WANT TO UM I DO JUST WANT TO THANK YOU BECAUSE WE DID HAVE A PRELIMINARY
MEETING IN THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY HAITI'S AND THE WORLD CUP FIRST TIME IN 52 YEARS AND YOU GRACIOUSLY CAME AND OFFERED A LOT OF INFORMATION AND INSIGHT. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR HOW AVAILABLE AND ACCESSIBLE YOU'VE BEEN. I KNOW IT'S NOT BEEN THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHALLENGES BUT I JUST
WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I WANTED TO THANK YOU. UH, NEXT WE HAVE MARTHA SHERIDAN WITH BOSTON. GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING. MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. I'M MARTHA SHERIDAN. I'M THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OF MEET BOSTON.
WE ARE THE OFFICIAL DESTINATION SALES AND MARKETING. ORGANIZATION FOR BOSTON CAMBRIDGE IN 45 SURROUNDING CITIES AND TOWNS. UM MIT BOSTON IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN A STRONG ADVOCATE FOR
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY NOT ONLY AS IT RELATES TO THESE MAJOR EVENTS THAT ARE COMING THIS SUMMER BUT ALSO FOR THE VISITOR INDUSTRY IN GENERAL. IN FACT, WE ARE WORKING TO LAUNCH A DEDICATED PORTAL FOR
DIVERSE VENDOR PROCUREMENT THIS SPRING. IT'S A GROUNDBREAKING PROJECT AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON IT FOR ALMOST TWO YEARS AND WILL BE EXCITED TO FORMALLY UNVEIL THAT, UH, FOR FUTURE
ACTIVATIONS AND CITYWIDE EVENTS SUCH AS THIS. UM, SO THIS IS THE LANE WE OCCUPY. WE DON'T SPECIFICALLY. PROCURE VENDORS FOR THESE LARGE SCALE EVENTS, BUT OUR MAIN FUNCTION IS TO DRIVE ACTIVITY
INTO THE REGION TO GENERATE IMPACT AND EXPOSURE JUST AS WE'VE DONE AS MAJOR SPONSORS FOR WORLD CUP AND FOR SALE BOSTON THIS SUMMER, WE ALSO HAVE DEDICATED INITIATIVES
AROUND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY EVENT SUPPORT, PARTICULARLY AS IT RELATES TO NEIGHBORHOOD EVENTS, NEIGHBORHOOD CONTENT AND CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VISITOR DOLLARS TO FLOW.
TO ALL AREAS. OF BOSTON AND THE GREATER BOSTON AREA. AS A DESTINATION MARKETING ORGANIZATION, WE CARRY AND PROMOTE EVENTS THAT. WILL APPEAL TO BOTH VISITOR AND
RESIDENT AUDIENCES. IN FACT, WE'VE PRODUCED A DOZEN NEIGHBORHOOD VIDEOS THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY GEARED TOWARD ELEVATING NEIGHBORHOOD EXPERIENCES AND INDUCE INDUCING VISITOR DOLLARS TO BE SPENT
THERE. WE ARE NOT EVENT PRODUCERS OURSELVES BUT RATHER WE ARE AMPLIFIERS FOR THE MAJOR EVENTS OF THIS SUMMER, PARTICULARLY WORLD CUP, WE RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE MANY COMMUNITIES THAT
WANT TO BE INVOLVED THAT DO NOT KNOW WHO OR WHAT THE BEST ENTITY IS FOR INFORMATION AND ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE. THE CITY OF BOSTON AND THE
COMMONWEALTH ARE BOTH PLAYERS IN THIS CONVERSATION, AS IS THE LOCAL HOST COMMITTEE. NEIL UM HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THIS CONVERSATION AS HAS DUSTY WITH SAIL BOSTON.
UM AND AGAIN WE ARE FOCUSED ON EDUCATING OUR PARTNERS AND THE COMMUNITY ON THESE EVENTS AND PROMOTING EVENTS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVATIONS, UH, THAT ARE GOING TO BE FORMULATED AS A RESULT OF THESE LARGE
SCALE. EVENTS. >> IN THIS VEIN, WE'VE ALREADY HOSTED TWO INDUSTRY EVENTS TO EDUCATE PEOPLE ON WHAT IS HAPPENING AND HOW THEY CAN GET INVOLVED. I SAT ALONGSIDE MY COLLEAGUES
HERE ON THIS PANEL FOR THOSE EVENTS. UH, WE GENERATED UM AND AT BOTH EVENTS AND ATTENDANCE OF OVER 500 PEOPLE. SO I THINK WE MADE SOME REALLY GOOD IMPACT AND ON APRIL 8TH WE
WILL HOST A WEBINAR IN CONCERT WITH THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF TRAVEL AND TOURISM THAT IS SPECIFICALLY GEARED TOWARD WORLD CUP EDUCATION AND OPPORTUNITIES. THIS EVENT IS A LITTLE BIT
DIFFERENT IN SCOPE AND THAT WE WILL BE VERY GRANULAR ON THE TEAMS THAT ARE COMING NOW THAT. >> WE. KNOW WHO. THEY ARE. >> CAN YOU. REPEAT THE DATE? MARTHA THE DATE IS APRIL 8TH. I DON'T HAVE THE TIME IN FRONT OF ME, BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET THAT TO YOU AND IT WILL BE
UM VIRTUAL. UH, BUT WE UM WE PLAN TO WORK WITH FIFA. NOT NOT THE LOCAL LLC. YES, BUT FIFA THE BIG FIFA ON EDUCATING THE COMMUNITY ON WHO
THE TEAMS ARE, WHAT ARE THEIR CULTURAL PREFERENCES? WHAT ARE THEIR NUANCES? HOW DO THEY TRAVEL? WHAT WILL THEIR BEHAVIOR BE WHEN WE'RE IN THE MARKETPLACE WHICH WILL HELP ALL OF US GEAR
OUR ACTIVATIONS APPROPRIATELY TOWARDS THE SPECIFIC UH, CULTURES THAT WILL BE VISITING BOSTON? UM, WE HAVE A VERY ROBUST LANDING PAGE FOR ALL OF THESE MAJOR EVENTS AND WE'RE
EMBARKING NOW ON A NEW INITIATIVE TO MAKE SURE OUR PARTNERS AND THE DIVERSE COMMUNITIES OF BOSTON CAN SHARE WITH US THE EVENTS THAT THEY ARE HOSTING WATCH PARTIES,
CULINARY OFFERINGS, UH, CULTURAL FESTIVALS AND NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVATIONS THAT WE CAN UH, AMPLIFY AND PROMOTE ACROSS ALL OF OUR CHANNELS WHICH HAVE HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF FOLLOWERS RELATED TO THIS, WE ARE ALSO INVESTING IN A NEW PARTNERSHIP WITH BLACK OWNED BASS, WHICH IS A BOSTON PARTNER TO CURATE CITY GUIDES AND DRIVE MORE VISITORS
TO THEIR DIRECTORY. THIS PARTNERSHIP AIMS TO LEVERAGE THE MAJOR EVENTS TO DRIVE MORE EQUITABLE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY. SO IN CLOSING I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT WE ARE COMMITTED TO
ENSURING THAT THESE EVENTS UH, GO OFF SMOOTHLY, UM, AND SAFELY BUT ALSO TO ENSURING THAT ALL OF BOSTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS AND ACROSS THE REGION UH, THERE IS ACCESS TO ALL OF THE ACTIVITY
THAT WILL BE HAPPENING. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH. MARTHA, FOR YOUR TESTIMONY AND FOR THE. WORK THAT YOU'VE. BEEN DOING. UM, OKAY. WE I'VE BEEN JOINED I'D LIKE TO KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES COUNCILOR ED FLYNN AND COUNCILOR CULPEPER.
THANK YOU COUNCILORS FOR JOINING US. NEXT WE HAVE JOHN BURROWS. UH, CONGRATULATIONS, JOHN, ON YOUR NEW POSITION WITH THE MTA . UH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. AND. UM. >> MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE
AND, UH, MY NAME IS JOHN BARROWS AS, UH, THE CHAIR JUST SAID I SERVE AS THE INTERIM EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE MASSACHUSETTS CONVENTION AND AUTHORITY CENTER AND AUTHORITY. UM, SO I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY AND JOIN, UH, NEIGHBORS. MAIN STREET. UM, COLLEAGUES UP FRONT AND YOU ,UH, MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE .
UM, I WANT TO GREET FIRST, UH, COUNCILOR FLYNN, COUNCILOR. CULPEPER. >> UM, FOR FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTNERSHIP. I WANT TO ALSO RECOGNIZE THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE MAYOR'S OFFICE AND ADMINISTRATION, UM,
PARTICULARLY THE, UH, INITIAL CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD WITH CHIEF DRAKE, UM, ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT THIS, UH, THIS SUMMER IS INCLUSIVE AND THAT WE ARE
MAKING SURE THAT THIS MAXIMUM PARTICIPATION AND BENEFITS I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE UH, UH, COMMENTS MADE BY UH, MY PARTNER MARTHA AT ME BOSTON THE FOCUS
ON EQUITY INCLUSION UH THE FOCUS ON PARTICIPATION. UM, I WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SAY THANK YOU TO NEIL FOR HIS PARTNERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION IN IN WHAT IS A VERY COMPLEX, UH, OPERATION COMING OUT
OF FIFA. UM, AND RECOGNIZE MY COLLEAGUE FROM UM, UH, CONVENTION IN DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ALLIANCE THE MCA OWNS AND OPERATES SEVERAL
OF THE COMMONWEALTH'S PREMIER EVENT FACILITIES INCLUDING THE THOMAS MENINO CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTER, THE JOHN BEHIND VETERANS MEMORIAL CONVENTION CENTER IN THE BACK
BAY, THE MASS MUTUAL CENTER IN SPRINGFIELD AND OF COURSE THE LAWN ON D UM IN THE SOUTH BOSTON WATERFRONT. EACH YEAR WE HOST HUNDREDS OF EVENTS AND WELCOME HUNDREDS
OF THOUSANDS OF ATTENDEES. THEY ACTIVE THEY. ACTIVATE AND GENERATE OVER $1 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT IN IN IN BOSTON AND ACROSS MASSACHUSETTS.
WE BELIEVE IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE BENEFITS OF THESE EVENTS EXTEND WAY BEYOND THE MCA AND THE IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING AREA, WHICH IS WHY WE ARE PROUD, UM,
OF THE IMPACT THAT SHOWS UP IN OUR COMMUNITY. WE HAVE TO DO A LOT MORE UM, AND PROUD OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR HAS ASKED ME TO DO, UM, AT THE MCA IS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE DO
IT, MEASURE IT, TELL IT, DO MORE, MEASURE IT AND TELL IT AND THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT. UH, LOOKING AHEAD AT THE SUMMER OF 2026, IT IS SHAPING UP TO BE A TRULY HISTORIC MOMENT.
WE'VE ALREADY HEARD THAT FROM UH, PANELISTS. WE'VE HEARD THAT FROM TESTIMONIES UH, WITH FIFA WITH SAIL BOSTON WITH THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED
STATES, OUR REGION WILL BE ON THIS GLOBAL STAGE IN AN UNPRECEDENTED WAY. THERE ARE NOT IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST THE FACT THAT THESE IN ITS OWN RIGHT ARE MAJOR EVENTS BUT
COLLECTIVELY ARE IS A REAL TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY OPPORTUNITIES TO SHOWCASE BOSTON AS A WORLD CLASS DESTINATION, OPPORTUNITIES TO CELEBRATE OUR HISTORY AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY,
OPPORTUNITIES TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD, SUPPORT ARTISTS, SUPPORT COMMUNITIES. SUPPORT UM CITYWIDE DIRECTORY SUPPORT STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS,
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT MAIN STREETS UM I COULD GO ON BUT BUT I THINK YOU UNDERSTAND AT THE MCA WE HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE SERVING AS A GATEWAY FOR LARGE SCALE INTERNATIONAL EVENTS.
WE UNDERSTAND WHAT IT TAKES TO MANAGE COMPLEXITY, TO COORDINATE ACROSS PARTNERS AND TO DELIVER HIGH QUALITY EXPERIENCES THAT REFLECT THE BEST OF OUR CITY AND COMMONWEALTH.
WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT MOMENTS LIKE THESE ARE BIGGER THAN ANY ONE ORGANIZATION. WE ARE COMMITTED TO WORKING COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE STATE, THE CITY, TOURISM AGENCIES, OUR
PARTNERS AND ENSURE THE IMPACT OF THESE EVENTS ARE BROAD, INCLUSIVE. ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS WE CAN DO THIS IS BY ACTIVELY UM, ENGAGING IN THE PUBLIC
SPACE IN A WAY THAT IS OPEN, WELCOMING AND ACCESSIBLE. THAT IS WHERE THE LAND ON D COMES IN. THE LINE ON D SITS RIGHT NEXT TO THE MC IN THE SOUTH BOSTON
WATERFRONT AND IS A UNIQUE OUTDOOR CIVIC SPACE DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND LARGE SCALE COMMUNITY PROGRAMING. OVER THE YEARS IT'S BECOME A GATHERING PLACE FOR CULTURAL
EVENTS, FOOD ACTIVATIONS, PUBLIC ART PERFORMANCES AND COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS. IT IS HIGHLY VISIBLE, EASILY TO ACCESS AND ALREADY SET UP TO SUPPORT DRAMATIC UH DYNAMIC
PROGRAMING. UH WE SEE A CLEAR OPPORTUNITY FOR THE LONG ISLAND ON D TO SERVE AS A VENUE FOR WORLD CUP WATCH PARTIES AND RELATED PROGRAMING THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. THESE ACTIVATIONS WOULD EXTEND
THE EXCITEMENT OF THESE EVENTS BEYOND THE STADIUM. UH FOR THE WORLD CUP BEYOND THE WATERFRONT UM INTO THE COMMUNITY IN WAYS THAT SOMETIMES AND WE HEARD FROM UH
THE TESTIMONY UH PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET TOO UM AND SO WE WOULD LIKE TO COMPLEMENT UH, THE WORK OF THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE STATE IN TERMS OF THE FAN FEST HERE AND WORK CLOSELY
WITH THE ADMINISTRATION TO MAKE SURE THAT, UM, IT IS PART OF THE UH, WORLD FEST ANNOUNCEMENTS, UM, HAPPENING HERE AT CITY HALL. THIS IS NOT JUST ABOUT WATCHING
MATCHES. THIS IS ABOUT BUILDING COMMUNITY, SHARING EXPERIENCES ,SHARING CULTURE, UM, AND BRINGING THE BEST OF WHO WE ARE TO THE WORLD STATE BUT ALSO TO OUR LOCAL NEIGHBORS. RIGHT. UM, TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD.
UH, AS WE KNOW I KNOW MY TIME IS UP. WE'VE GOT A COUPLE OTHER PAGES HERE I KNOW, I. KNOW, I'M. SORRY, BUT NO, THAT'S RIGHT. IT'S UH I UNDERSTAND THERE'S SO. MUCH TO COVER. >> AND SO NO NO NO, WE'RE EXCITED WE'RE EXCITED AND, UH. >> LOOK FORWARD TO PARTNERING WITH YOU. THANK YOU.
>> THANK Y SO MUCH, JOHN. AND I WANT TO ALSO BE YOU WERE SO GRACIOUS IN SAYING YES IMMEDIATELY AND I APPRECIATE THAT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ANYBODY. UM NEXT UP WE HAVE A DUSTY RHODES. FROM CONVENTIONS. BECAUSE HE HAD. >> THE FLOOR FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU. MADAM CHAIRMAN AND MY FELLOW PANELISTS THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND PARTICULARLY ME BOSTON HAS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE, UH, OF SOUTH BOSTON. MANY OF YOU REMEMBER OR HEARD
THE BICENTENNIAL CERTAINLY PUT BOSTON IN A NEW LIGHT. WE ATTEMPTED TO INVIGORATE AND AND SHARE THAT ENTHUSIASM IN THAT WORLD SPOTLIGHT IN 92 FOR
THE QUEEN'S CENTENARY AND SUBSEQUENTLY IN OH 917, 2012 AND THIS BOSTON THIS YEAR UPON THE OCCASION OF THE SEMICOLON
CENTENARY WILL BE THE LARGEST THAT WE HAVE SEEN SINCE THE YEAR 2000. DUSTY, IF YOU'LL ALLOW ME TO INTERRUPT UM, SOME PEOPLE HERE MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THE WORLD CUP BUT THEY MAY NOT BE SO FAMILIAR WITH SO BOSTON. SO IF YOU COULD JUST GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF AN OVERVIEW
OF WHAT IT DOES FOR SOME THAT. CERTAINLY CERTAINLY UM TELL US HAS A FIVE AND ONE C3 CORPORATION THAT IS ATTRACTING THE TALL SHIPS OF THE WORLD TO BOSTON HARBOR THIS JULY
BASICALLY JULY 10TH UH, THROUGH THROUGH SEPT 16 AND WE ARE ENCOURAGING AND WILL BE DELIGHTED TO SEE OVER 60 SHIPS COME IN. UH, MANY OF THESE CLASSIC
CLASSIC SHIPS UH OR ONE OF A KIND MANY TIMES THEY REPRESENT THE MARITIME TRAINING INITIATIVES OF OUR NAVY SUCH AS THE ARGENTINEAN NAVY WOULD HAVE
ITS CADETS UPON THE ARGENTINIAN SHIP THEY SAILED THE WORLD. IT HAS TAKEN US EIGHT YEARS TO PUT TOGETHER, UH, THE CONFLUENCE OF ALL OF UM THE 60
SHIPS THAT ARE COMING 21 DIFFERENT CULTURES UH, ARE COMING AND IT IS A GREAT CELEBRATION OF OUR HARBOR OF OUR CITY. AND THE BEAUTY OF BOSTON IS
THAT IT IS FREE. UH, AND WE HAD MANY PEOPLE TELL US STORIES ABOUT WHEN I WAS A LITTLE KID. I REMEMBER STANDING IN EAST BOSTON AND SEEING THE PARADE OF SAIL COME IN AND NOW THESE
SAME PEOPLE ARE BRINGING THEIR CHILDREN, UH, TO THE SHORES. WE START WITH THE DAY AFTER THE NINTH UM OF JULY FOLLOWING A WONDERFUL SEAFOOD GAME.
UM, OUR GRAY HALLS ARE NAVY SHIPS THAT ARE VISITING WILL START INTO OUR PORT FROM THE OUTER SOUND THEREAFTER THE TALL SHIPS THE FOLLOWING MORNING AT 9:00 THEY WILL PARADE INTO THE
PORT AND COME UP TO WHERE THE USS CONSTITUTION IS. TURN AROUND AND THEN GO TO VARIOUS BERTHING OPPORTUNITIES UM THROUGHOUT THE HARBOR. BOSTON HAS A WONDERFUL NATURAL
RESOURCE AND THE FACT THAT OUR HARBOR IS NOT ONLY DEEP WATER BUT IT IS NARROW AND THEREFORE THE SPECTATORS CAN PROUDLY SHORT AS THEY DO. AND IF THE WEATHER IS WORKING WITH US AND PERHAPS THERE'LL BE
2 OR 3 MILLION PEOPLE ON THE SAME DAY OVER THE COURSE OF THE SIX DAYS WE DO EXPECT 5 MILLION PERSONS. UM THAT HAS BEEN OUR HISTORY WORKING AND I MUST SAY THAT IT
WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE COOPERATION OF THE CITY. UH AND THE STATE WE HAVE HAD PUBLIC SAFETY BRIEFINGS FOR THE LAST FIVE YEARS, UH, TO WHICH
WE ARE EMBRACING AND INTEGRATING 46 DIFFERENT AGENCIES. IT WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITHOUT, UM, THAT GOOD COLLABORATION. WE'RE VERY. PROUD OF HOW THESE AGENCIES
WORK TOGETHER AND THEY THEY SHOW GREAT SPIRIT AND DETERMINATION TO MAKE IT SAFE EVEN IN THESE DAYS WHERE THINGS ARE A LITTLE MORE CHALLENGING WORLDWIDE.
UH, THESE AGENCIES GIVE US THE ASSURANCE THAT IT WILL BE A SAFE, WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE FOR THOSE FAMILIES AND WE DO EMBRACE, UH, THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON THROUGH THE GOOD COOPERATION AGAIN WITH THE CITY
. UM, WE HAVE BRIEFED UH, I BELIEVE SO FAR SEVEN DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ABOUT THE POTENTIAL OPPORTUNITIES AND THE POTENTIAL
ENJOYMENT THAT THEY CAN CAN HAVE. UM, MANY WE ALSO WORK WITH A LOT OF THE CHANGES THE SUMMER THE SCHOOLS ARE OUT SO WE WORK WITH THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS
OF DORCHESTER IN SOUTH BOSTON, EAST BOSTON TO GET THE KIDS OVER TO THE BOATS TO TAKE THE TOURS UH TO TO MEET THESE YOUNG CADETS FROM ALL THESE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. WE ALSO HAVE UH WORKING WITH
THE COUNCIL IN THE MAYOR'S SUMMER JOBS PROGRAM AGAIN, OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOME FROM YOUTH TO HAVE A PAID OPPORTUNITY FOR THE SUMMER UH, WORKING THIS IS A VERY EXCITING
EVENT. THE EVENT IS FUNDED BY AGAIN THE CITY'S PUBLIC SAFETY, THE STATE'S PUBLIC SAFETY AND THEN WITH THE COLLABORATION OF PEOPLE LIKE ME BOSTON UH, WE
HAVE UM HAD TO RAISE ABOUT $4 MILLION UH, TO PAY FOR THE THE PRIVATE SECTOR ENJOYMENT THE WE ALSO HAVE A VERY AGGRESSIVE VETERANS PROGRAM WHERE WE
BECAUSE WE HAVE THESE FOREIGN NAVIES IN OUR PORT AS WELL AS THREE GRAY HILLS FROM OUR OWN U.S. NAVY AND A GRAY FROM BRITAIN. WE WORK WITH THE VETERANS GETTING THEM DOWN AND ONTO
THESE SHIPS SOME OF WHICH REMEMBER SERVING UH, PROUDLY UH IN THE NAVY THEMSELVES. UM THE NEIGHBORHOODS UM, ARE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT TO US.
UM WE ALSO HAVE A VERY AGGRESSIVE VENDING PROGRAM WITH REGARD TO SANITATION, PRINTING ,UM SECURITY WHICH IS VERY, VERY STRONG AND WORKING UH
AGAIN WITH THE UH PARTICULARLY THE CITY OF BOSTON ON OUR STREET CLOSURES AND INFORMING OUR NEIGHBORS ABOUT THE IMPACT TO THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD. BUT HOW CAN THEY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUCH A LOVELY EVENT?
THANK YOU. THANK YOU DUSTY, AND THANK YOU FOR, UH, YOU WERE HERE LAST NIGHT. YOU HERE AGAIN? UH, WORKING ON A PROJECT HOPEFULLY TO MAKE IT EVEN MORE INCLUSIVE. YES. >> WE'RE TRYING TO GET A SHIP FROM SENEGAL.
YEAH, AND WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT HAPPEN. UM, AND WE HEARD THAT TESTIMONY LAST TIME AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND, UH, MAKING, UM, TRYING TO SEE THAT HAPPEN HERE. UH, WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUE COUNCILOR BEN WEBER.
THANKS FOR JOINING US. WE ALSO HAVE WITH US. FORMER STATE. SENATOR LENDERS. AND A FORWARD. >> THANK. YOU FOR YOUR PRESENCE AND BEING HERE AS WELL. UH, LAST BUT NOT LEAST, WE HAVE, UH, MICHAEL NICHOLS AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE I DON'T GET THE NAME WRONG BECAUSE I KNOW
IT'S BEEN CHANGED DOWNTOWN BUSINESS ALLIANCE THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN FIVE MINUTES. UH, GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. AND THANK. >> YOU FOR HAVING ME. >> THANK YOU, MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL FOR BEING HERE. MY NAME IS MICHAEL NICHOLS. I SERVE AS THE PRESIDENT. >> OF. THE DOWNTOWN BOSTON ALLIANCE. I'M HERE TODAY BECAUSE WE ARE. STANDING ON THE PRECIPICE OF A
TRULY DEFINING SUMMER FOR OUR CITY. UH, IN 2026, BOSTON WILL ONCE AGAIN SERVE AS AN ENVOY TO. >> THE WORLD. WE ARE LOOKING AT THE CONVERGENCE OF GLOBAL ATTENTION THAT IS AS RARE AS IT IS EXHILARATING.
AND WHILE THE WORLD CUP MATCHES THEMSELVES TAKE PLACE NEARBY UH ,THE. PULSE OF THE CELEBRATION, THE ENERGY, THE FANS, UH, THE INTERNATIONAL SPOTLIGHT UH, WILL BE RIGHT HERE IN DOWNTOWN
BOSTON UH, FROM THE FAN FEST AT CITY HALL PLAZA, UM, TO THE VIBRANT FESTIVITIES OF SAIL BOSTON ON OUR WATERFRONT, WE ARE READY TO BE THE GLOBAL FRONT PORCH FOR THE MILLIONS OF VISITORS WHO WILL SOON CALL OUR STREETS HOME.
I WANT TO EXPRESS DEEP APPRECIATION TO THE MAYOR AND HER TEAM, THE CITY COUNCIL, FOR BEING SUCH FIERCE CHAMPIONS OF THIS MOMENT. UH, YOUR LEADERSHIP IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO DREAM THIS BIG. WE ARE ALSO INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL
FOR THE PARTNERSHIP OF THE LEGISLATURE AND GOVERNOR HEALEY. THEIR COMMITMENT OF FUNDS HAVE BEEN VITAL TO THE SUPPORT THAT HAS ALLOWED OUR LOCAL PLANNING TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING. FURTHERMORE, WE WANT TO THANK THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT
FOR THEIR TIRELESS WORK ON SAFETY PLANNING. THEIR EXPERTISE IS WHAT ENSURES OUR RESIDENTS AND VISITORS CAN CELEBRATE WITH PEACE OF MIND. IT IS THIS UNIFIED FRONT FROM THE CITY HALL TO STATE HOUSE TO
THE PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICIALS AND PARTNERS THAT WILL ENSURE BOSTON SHINES. IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OUR SUCCESS IS BUILT ON THE COMMITMENT OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE DOWNTOWN WORK EVERY DAY MANY OF OUR PROPERTY OWNERS
AND SMALL BUSINESSES ARE STRETCHING AND REINVESTING THEIR OWN RESOURCES AND ENERGY TO ENSURE THAT OUR DISTRICT IS READY TO MEET THIS GLOBAL OPPORTUNITY. OUR VISION FOR THE CELEBRATION
IS ROOTED IN THE VERY FABRIC OF OUR LOCAL ECONOMY. WE ARE CURRENTLY PLANNING A MAJOR STREET ACTIVATION FEATURING 11 RESTAURANTS, TEN OF WHICH ARE OWNED BY IMMIGRANTS UH TO OUR CITY THAT
REPRESENT UH CAPE VERDE, IRAN, THAILAND, SCOTLAND, TURKEY, MOROCCO AND MORE. IMAGINE A FAN FROM PARIS OR CASABLANCA OR EVEN OSLO WALKING THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND SEEING
THEIR OWN CULTURE REFLECTED AND CELEBRATED BY A LOCAL BOSTON ENTREPRENEUR. THAT IS THE KIND OF ORGANIC, INCLUSIVE MAGIC THAT ONLY A CITY OF OUR CHARACTER CAN DELIVER. HOWEVER, TO FULLY REALIZE THIS
UNPRECEDENTED POTENTIAL, WE HOPE TO HAVE A BIT MORE FLAHERTY IN THE WEEKS AHEAD FROM FIFA REGARDING BRANDING AND SPONSORSHIP, WE'RE ALSO LOOKING TO IDENTIFY MORE RESOURCES FROM BOTH THE STATE AND THE CITY TOWARD OUR
PLANNING AND THE PLANNING OF COMMUNITY ACTIVATIONS THROUGHOUT OUR CITY. WHILE OUR PRIMARY ROLE IS TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESS OF DOWNTOWN, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT OUR GOAL IS A RISING TIDE FOR OUR ENTIRE CITY. THESE RESOURCES ARE ESSENTIAL
TO ACTIVATING BOTH OUR DOWNTOWN AND ITS NEIGHBORHOODS, MOVING FROM A SUCCESSFUL EVENT TO A TRANSFORMATIVE LEGACY, WE NEED WORLD CLASS MAINTENANCE AND BEAUTIFICATION OF OUR HIGH TRAFFIC CORRIDORS.
MULTILINGUAL BOOTS ON THE GROUND FOR AMBASSADORS TO HELP SUPPORT AND GUIDE OUR FANS TO OUR WATERFRONT AND BEYOND AND AND HIGHLIGHTING AND SPOTLIGHTING OUR DIVERSE RESTAURANT ACTIVATIONS. ULTIMATELY OUR SHARED ABILITY
TO PUT ON A SERIES OF FIRST RATE EVENTS AT THIS SCALE IS WHAT BEST SUPPORTS THE GREAT WORK OF MEAT BOSTON, THE MCA AND OTHERS TO DREAM BIG FOR OUR CITY AND REGION. WHEN WE EXECUTE AT THIS LEVEL
WE DELIVER LASTING ECONOMIC, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BENEFITS FOR OUR PEOPLE. BOSTON HAS THE HISTORY, THE HARBOR, THE HEART. WE'RE READY TO PROVE THAT THERE'S NO BETTER PLACE ON EARTH TO CELEBRATE WITH YOUR
CONTINUED LEADERSHIP AND THE RIGHT RESOURCES, 2026 WILL BE A TRIUMPH FOR EVERY RESIDENT AND BUSINESS OWNER IN OUR CITY. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH MICHAEL AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR COMING AND FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. MICHAEL. >> IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR LISTED A NUMBER OF GREAT BUSINESSES.
>> A HAITIAN. RESTAURANT BUSINESS THAT DOWNTOWN ALSO SAVOR IN THE LEATHER DISTRICT ADD A FEW UH BUILDING UP THAT CATALOG BUT JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL THE INCREDIBLE WORK THAT YOU DO AND THANK YOU TO THIS PANEL.
UM, SO I THINK EVERYONE HAS STATED WE HAVE UH, A TREMENDOUS ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY FOR OUR CITY I THINK MORE THAN $1 BILLION FLOWING THROUGH OUR CITY. UH, IT'S GOING TO BE GREAT TAX REVENUE. IT'S GOING TO BE UH, GREAT FOR
OUR CITY. MY I HAVE TWO OBJECTIVES, UH, THAT MATTER MOST TO ME. ONE HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE FLOWING TO OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, TO OUR BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES, TO OUR WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES, TO
OUR VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES? HOW ARE WE SUPPORTING OUR SMALL BUSINESSES? AND THE SECOND IS HOW ARE WE MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE HAVING ACTIVATIONS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD? SO IT'S NOT JUST TOURISTS WHO ARE COMING AND CELEBRATING.
ALTHOUGH I AM EXCITED ABOUT THE TOURISTS, I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WATCHING FROM SCOTLAND SO HELLO UM BUT HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT OUR PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE IN DORCHESTER, MATTAPAN, HYDE PARK, UH EAST BOSTON, WEST
ROXBURY KNOW THAT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN THIS WORLD CUP. WE HAVE THE CITY PEOPLE COMING NEXT AND THAT WILL BE MORE BUT SO THOSE ARE MY WITH THOSE OBJECTIVES STATED CITIES LIKE LOS ANGELES AND SEATTLE ARE PLANNING MULTIPLE DISTRIBUTED
FAN ZONES AND NEIGHBORHOOD AND LET ME GIVE. MYSELF FIVE MINUTES. BECAUSE I. WANT TO MAKE SURE. >> THAT I STICK TO TIME AND I KNOW. >> THAT PEOPLE ARE ON TIME. LIMITS AND TO MY COLLEAGUES WHEN. >> IT'S YOUR TURN I'M GOING TO THROW YOU THIS. >> BALL. AND IT'S YOUR TIME TO GO. ALL RIGHT. UM SO WE HAVE WE HAVE CITIES
LIKE LOS ANGELES AND SEATTLE ARE PLANNING MULTIPLE DISTRIBUTED FAN ZONES AND NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVATIONS. PHILADELPHIA IS INTENTIONALLY USING WORLD CUP PLANNING TO HIGHLIGHT AND PROMOTE BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES THROUGH FESTIVALS AND VENDOR PIPELINES .
UM KANSAS CITY LAUNCHED A PPA READY BUSINESS PROGRAM WITH MULTILINGUAL TOOLS AND PREPARATION SUPPORT. WE KNOW. >> THAT IN THESE BIG EVENTS, SMALL BUSINESSES AND UNDERREPRESENTED NEIGHBORHOODS TEND TO MISS OUT ON THE WINDFALL THAT THEY CAN BRING.
WHAT SPECIFIC STEPS TO THIS QUESTION ARE BEING TAKEN TO ENSURE THEY THAT THEY DON'T JUST BENEFIT THE LARGEST OR MOST CONNECTED COMPANIES AND PEOPLE? AND I KNOW UH, SEVERAL OF YOU
MENTIONED INITIATIVES. THAT YOU ARE GOING TO ROLL OUT. SO IF YOUR ANSWER IS CONNECTED TO THAT, I'D LOVE FOR YOU TO HIGHLIGHT WITH THE SPECIFICITY THAT YOU CAN A PROGRAM THAT YOU ARE GOING TO ROLL OUT THAT RELATES TO THE ANSWER TO THAT
QUESTION OR WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE THAT IS THAT IS ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE MARK THAT YOU CAN. START AND JUST TRYING. >> TO I WON'T THROW THE BALL REALLY ACTUALLY. >> OKAY. BUT IF. >> YOU WANT. TO SAY. >> SOMETHING JUST. JUST JUMP IN. THANK YOU. UH YES.
SO AS I MENTIONED UH IN MY OPENING STATEMENT WE HAVE ALREADY CONDUCTED TWO UM IN-PERSON SEMINARS TO EDUCATE OUR COMMUNITY, UM, BUSINESSES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES ABOUT
HOW THEY CAN BECOME INVOLVED. WE DID IT IN. CONJUNCTION WITH MY PARTNERS HERE ON THE PANEL. UM, THE THE OPPORTUNITIES ARE STARTING TO FLOW. MANY OF THEM HAVE ALREADY BEGUN
TO FLOW BUT AS AS THE FAN FEST IN PARTICULAR UH, GETS UP AND RUNNING UH LOGISTICALLY YOU'RE GOING TO SEE MORE RFP, UH, RFP FLOWING FROM THAT EVENT. SO UM WE ARE DEFINITELY
COMMITTED TO MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE EDUCATED AGAIN, THIS WEBINAR ON THE EIGHTH IS ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO. BECOME INVOLVED. I'VE I'VE PERSONALLY SERVED ON SEVERAL OTHER WEBINARS
SPONSORED BY BANK OF AMERICA, BY THE BOSTON BUSINESS JOURNAL, BY THE BOSTON GLOBE AND TALKED ABOUT ALL OF THIS UM, ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SO THAT WE ARE DOING OUR BEST FROM A
PUBLIC SPEAKING PERSPECTIVE TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THE WORD OUT AS FAR AS PROMOTION GOES AND UH, YOU KNOW, ACTIVATING NEIGHBORHOODS REALLY WHAT OUR GOAL IS IS TO IS TO
WORK WITH UM, BUSINESSES IN NEIGHBORHOODS TO DEVELOP THEIR OWN PROGRAMING THAT WE CAN THEN AMPLIFY THAT. WE TELL THEM ABOUT THE WORK OF BLACK OWNED BOSTON THAT YOU'RE DOING. >> WELL. THAT THAT WORK THAT WORK IS ONE EXAMPLE OF OF JUST OF A GUIDE
TO BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES IN THE CITY WHICH WE ALREADY FEATURE UH, ON OUR MEET BOSTON WEBSITE. BUT EVEN BEYOND THAT WE'LL BE GOING OUT TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS TO CURATE WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE OUR
SOCIAL MEDIA TEAMS IN THE MARKETPLACE SO THAT WE CAN PROMOTE NOT JUST TO GET PEOPLE FROM THAT NEIGHBORHOOD THERE BUT BECAUSE OUR AUDIENCE IS VERY MUCH UM, 50% LOCAL, 50%
VISITOR BUT ALSO TO GET PEOPLE THAT ARE VISITING OUR CITY OUT TO THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL. AND YOU KNOW, TO THE EXAMPLE OF THE BROADCAST SITUATION, UM ,I THINK PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE
IF YOU ARE A BAR OWNER OR A RESTAURANT OWNER AND YOU ALREADY HAVE, YOU KNOW, PAID STREAMING ON YOUR UH IN YOUR FACILITY YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY ANY MORE MONEY TO BROADCAST MATCHES.
YES, THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMBER OF LARGE BROADCASTS AND NEIL CAN TALK TO THIS LARGE BROADCAST LICENSE IS AVAILABLE FOR LARGER WATCH PARTIES THAT AREN'T IN AN ALREADY UM
APPROVED FACILITY. BUT FOR US IT'S WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AN INVENTORY OF ALL THE RESTAURANTS AND PUBS THROUGHOUT THE BOSTON AREA TO SAY ARE YOU BROADCASTING? WHAT ARE YOU BROADCASTING?
YOU KNOW WHICH MATCHES SO THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY DEVELOP CURATED INFORMATION FOR VISITORS AND RESIDENTS TO REALLY FOLLOW THIS EVENT LIVE? AS YOU SAID, NOT EVERYONE CAN BUY A TICKET TO THE WORLD CUP,
BUT WE REALLY DO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS AN INCREDIBLY POSITIVE EXPERIENCE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY. SO WE'RE COMMITTED TO THAT AND OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP OPEN LINES OF COMMUNICATION WITH THE MAIN STREETS.
ORGANIZATION WITH ALL OF OUR FRIENDS AT CITY HALL WHO'VE BEEN INCREDIBLE PARTNERS SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHERE TO SEND THIS INFORMATION AND WE'RE HAPPY TO SHARE IT WITH WHOMEVER, WHEREVER UM, WE NEED
TO BUT IT'S THERE'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE BIT OF A TWO WAY STREET HERE WHERE SOME OF THE WORK IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE DONE BY LOCAL BUSINESSES BANDING TOGETHER AND PARTNERING ON EVENTS THAT ARE THAT ARE UM APPEALING AND ATTRACTIVE FOR
VISITORS AND RESIDENTS. AND THEN ONCE WE KNOW WHAT THOSE ARE, WE'RE GOING TO COMMIT TO PROMOTING. >> THEM, UM. AS BEST WE POSSIBLY CAN. YEAH. >> JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON MARTHA'S PIECE AND I HAVE TO THANK MARTHA. SHE'S BEEN AN INCREDIBLE CHAMPION OF THE WORK OF THE
WORLD CUP AND HOW WE MAKE THIS A SUCCESS HERE IN BOSTON IN THE COMMONWEALTH. BUT UM, THE LICENSE PIECE IS SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN A QUESTION I WANT TO BE CLEAR IF YOU ARE A BAR OWNER OR
RESTAURANT OWNER AND YOU SHOW A SOX GAME OR PATS GAME, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SHOW THE WORLD CUP MATCHES AND WELCOME VISITORS INTO YOUR RESTAURANT AND IT'S UP TO THAT BUSINESS OWNER RIGHT ?
SO I MENTIONED THE TEAMS THAT WE HAVE SCOTLAND, HAITI, UM SOME TEAMS. THAT COME TO THE THE HOST COUNTRY WITH THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE.
UM I KNOW SCOTLAND HAS CHOSEN A BAR AND UM I BELIEVE JP AS THEIR UH HOME BASE AND THAT'S GOING TO BE A BUSY PLACE THIS SUMMER AND HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT RESTAURANTS OR JUST
BUSINESS DISTRICTS LIKE MATTAPAN MAIN STREETS ARE THEY THE HAITIAN CENTER AND THROUGH THE FIFA FAN APP AND THE WHATSAPP CHANNEL AND OTHER, YOU KNOW, SOCIAL MEDIA ROUTES WE
CAN ENCOURAGE THESE VISITORS TO THOSE LOCATIONS BECAUSE I THINK WE'RE ALL THE WAY LIKE DOWNTOWN IS GOING TO BE OKAY LIKE THE FAN FEST IS GOING TO HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE. THESE EVENTS THAT JOHN AND MIKE HAVE MENTIONED UM, THEY'RE
NATURAL DRAWS. HOW DO WE PUSH PEOPLE TOWARD UM THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT NEED THAT ECONOMIC SHOT IN THE ARM THAT I THINK WAS WAS MENTIONED FROM PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND THAT'S GOING TO BE THE
CHALLENGE AND I KNOW IT'LL BE RISEN TO BUT HOW DO OUR SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS COME TOGETHER TO ADVERTISE THEMSELVES AS THE LOCATION FOR THESE VISITORS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD TO BE BE
PART OF THIS EVENT. OF CHANGES ADDING ON UM SO. YEAH. >> I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK OUT OF TURN BUT YOU CAN ANTICIPATE THE ROLLOUT OF A PROGRAM COMING OUT OF THE AROUND ON ON D I. WILL TELL YOU WE'VE ALREADY
BEEN. APPROACHED PARTICULARLY BY MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITIES UH, TEAMS THAT ARE. THAT ARE. PART OF. >> THE TOURNAMENT. RIGHT. >> AND SO. >> I'M WORKING WITH DUSTY AND CONVEYANCERS ON ON MAKING SURE IN FACT THAT UM, SEVERAL EVENTS
TAKE PLACE UH, WITH COMMUNITIES. >> I'M. NOT AT LIBERTY RIGHT NOW TO TALK ABOUT BECAUSE THEY'RE. ALL THEY'RE. >> ONGOING CONVERSATIONS. RIGHT. BUT JUST BUT TO SAY THAT UM,
90% OF THE WATCH PARTIES I'M TALKING TO NOW ARE COMING FROM BIPOC COMMUNITIES, RIGHT? ALL OF THEM HAVING PARTICIPATION HIGH LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION IN TERMS OF AND BWB. >> AND.
SO AND TALKING ABOUT THOSE GOALS. UM, SO I LOOK FORWARD TO UH GOING PUBLIC WITH THAT AND LOOK FORWARD TO ROLLING OUT INITIATIVES. UM, WE'LL STAY CLOSE TO OUR PARTNERS UP HERE, UH, TO MAKE
SURE THAT IT'S ALL COORDINATED, UH, TO STAY CLOSE TO THE COMMUNITY AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS THAT WE WE I. >> THINK. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE DO TWO THINGS. ONE IS TO TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY BENEFITS FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT.
TWO IS TO TALK ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THERE IS THAT WE TALK TO COMMUNITY ABOUT SAFETY. I MEAN NEIL KEPT HITTING THAT ON THE HEAD SAFETY. FIRST AND THEN MAKING SURE IT'S CONVENIENT FOR COMMUNITIES. RIGHT.
SO WE WILL STAY VERY CLOSE TO UH COMMUNITY LEADERS, UH AROUND OUR FACILITIES AS WE THINK ABOUT THESE EVENTS, WHICH IS WHY I WOULDN'T EVEN MENTION ANY RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE. NEED TO GO. >> THROUGH A PROCESS LOCALLY
BOTH ON PARTICIPATION AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S NO ADVERSE EFFECTS, UH, BECAUSE THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE SHOWING UP AND THESE EVENTS WILL BE BIG. AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE'S UH. THIS GOOD COMMUNITY PROCESS. AROUND IT. >> THANK YOU.
>> JUST BRIEFLY. WITH 21 COUNTRIES AND CULTURES COMING HERE FOR SALE BOSTON MAN AND THEN VERY VERY HEAVY CONTINGENT OF LATIN AMERICAN. SO IF YOU PICTURE THE COLOMBIAN
COMMUNITY OR THE CHILEAN COMMUNITY, THE ECUADORIAN COMMUNITY, EVEN THE BRAZILIAN COMMUNITY WE ARE GOING TO LEAVE VIA THE THE RECEPTION MEETINGS WE'VE HAD WITH THE COUNCILOR CORPS.
WE'RE REACHING INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES TO TO GET THEM EXCITED, UH, ACTIVATE THEIR POTENTIAL TO VISIT THE SHIPS AND OFF HOURS AND A CELEBRATION OF THEIR CULTURE. WE ALSO HAVE A PARADE RIGHT
THROUGH UH WITH DOWNTOWN WHERE WE WILL BE FEATURING ALL OF THESE COUNTRIES. UH, MANY OF THEM HAVE THEIR OWN THEIR OWN BAND. UM, AND WE'RE WELCOMING THOSE CONSTITUENCIES IN THOSE
COUNTRIES TO COME MONDAY, MONDAY THE 13TH AND WATCH THIS WONDERFUL PARADE THROUGH DOWNTOWN BOSTON. AND MADAM CHAIR, TO YOUR QUESTION, I JUST MIGHT SAY BRIEFLY. UM, YOU KNOW. DOWNTOWN IS NEITHER MONOLITHIC NOR IS IT AN ECOSYSTEM THAT
JUST HAPPENS. IT REPRESENTS, UH, JOB OPPORTUNITIES, THE GREATEST NUMBER OF JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE AT OUR CITY AND THROUGHOUT OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, FOR JUST ABOUT ALL OF OUR
700,000 PEOPLE IN BOSTON, WE'RE JUST A $2.40 RIDE AWAY FROM, UM ,YOU KNOW, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY ASSOCIATED WITH A JOB OR A BUSINESS. AND SO FOR THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE AT THE DOWNTOWN ALLIANCE FOR THIS SUMMER, IT'S WHERE DO
WE CENTER THE WORLD CUP ACTIVATIONS THAT ARE ACCESSIBLE TO THE ENTIRE CITY AND REGION, UH, BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER BUT ALSO UPLIFT AS I NOTED IN MY REMARKS, UH, THE REALLY
TERRIFIC ECOSYSTEM OF IMMIGRANT AND BIPOC OWNED BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE ON TEMPLE PLACE IN DOWNTOWN. THANK YOU. THANK YOU MICHAEL. UM, NEIL JUST OR YOU MENTIONED A WHATSAPP UH, WHATSAPP CAN YOU CAN YOU STATE THE NAME OF THAT
WHATSAPP GROUPS. >> THAT. FOLKS KNOW HOW THEY CAN JOIN? YES OKAY. ALL RIGHT. I CAN COME BACK TO YOU ON THAT BUT UM UH JUST JUST A SMALL QUESTION DOVETAILING WE KNOW
THAT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME FUNDRAISING CHALLENGES UM, IN LIGHT OF THAT FOR THE FOR THE LOCAL HOST COMMITTEE AND WE'VE ALSO HEARD OF PEOPLE NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE CONTRACTS.
IS THAT IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO LIKE I HEAR FROM PEOPLE WHO AREN'T ABLE TO ACCESS THOSE CONTRACTS? UM, AND I KNOW IS THERE A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THAT AND YOU KNOW, SOME PEOPLE FEELING LIKE THEY'VE BEEN SHUT OUT SOME
OF THE VERY PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW, UM, HAVE BEEN MENTIONED ALREADY? THAT'S AN EXCELLENT QUESTION, COUNCILOR. UM, AS FAR AS THE WHATSAPP IT'S FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 BOSTON ON WHATSAPP IF YOU SEARCH FOR THAT
YOU CAN FIND THAT CHANNEL. UM AS FAR AS THE FUNDING GOES, WE ARE VERY HAPPY TO HAVE THE FEDERAL FUNDING THAT CAME THROUGH. UM I BELIEVE IT WAS WEDNESDAY THIS WEEK WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THE 46 MILLION FROM THE FOR THE
SECURITY AND SAFETY DOLLARS FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WHICH WILL ALLOW US YOU KNOW, THAT FIRST PRIORITY WHICH IS A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL AND SECURE EVENT UM THESE ARE CURATED EVENTS AND THEY REQUIRE
SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF COORDINATION AND WORK AMONG LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS SO THAT WORK HAS BEEN ONGOING AND THE PLANNING AND UM ,OPERATIONALIZING OF IT IS NOW UNDERWAY. UM, WE'VE ALSO HAD GREAT
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE STATE MASSACHUSETTS UH, THROUGH UM TO WELL, THERE'S THE GRANT THAT I KNOW YOU'RE AWARE OF THAT IS UH OUT THERE RIGHT NOW THAT IS SUPPORTING SOME OF THE WORK WE'RE DOING ON FAN FEST AND
OTHER THINGS AND THERE'S APPRECIATE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. UM, JUST THIS WEEK PASSED ANOTHER $10 MILLION TO SUPPORT SOME OF THIS WORK AND MAKE SURE THAT THIS IS THE ECONOMIC BENEFIT THAT WE'RE ALL EXPECTING AND HOPING IT WILL
BE. UM, WE ALSO HAVE THE COMMERCIAL FUNDRAISING PRIVATE FUNDRAISING PROGRAM WHICH IS ONGOING AND THERE ARE SEVERAL PARTNERS UM, FROM INCREDIBLE BUSINESSES HERE AND AROUND IN AND AROUND BOSTON .
UM, THAT IS IS HAPPENING I THINK WE ARE IN A GOOD PLACE. THERE ARE SOME THINGS TO FIGURE OUT WITH THE MARK GRANT ON WHAT EXACTLY THE PLANNING AND SCOPE AND SCALE OF THE FAN FESTIVAL WILL LOOK LIKE OUT FRONT.
BUT UM, GENERALLY ONCE WE HAVE THOSE THOSE ANSWERS WE'LL BE ABLE TO GO OUT WITH THOSE UM WITH THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT EVERYONE'S LOOKING FOR AND ALSO THE PREPARATION AND AND
COMMUNICATION THAT ALLOWS US TO SHOW THE BUSINESSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS BUT ALSO DOWNTOWN HOW HOW TO ACTIVATE HOW TO BE PART OF THIS AND HOW TO DRAW THESE VISITORS TO THEIR LOCATIONS. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEAL. UM OKAY.
I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES WE HAVE. FIRST UM, UH, COUNCILOR FLYNN THEN WE'LL GO TO. >> COUNCIL CULPEPER. >> AND THEN AFTER COUNCIL UH, CULPEPER WILL GO TO COUNCIL WEBER SO. COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU. >> HAVE THE FLOOR.
THANK YOU. >> WITH THE FIFA WORLD CUP. FAST APPROACHING. GAMES SCHEDULED FROM JUNE 13TH THROUGH. JULY 9TH, FAN FESTIVAL ACTIVITIES. PLANNED FOR MORE THAN. 16 DAYS.
AT BOSTON CITY HALL. OUTSTANDING ISSUES REMAIN AS IT RELATES TO SECURITY, PUBLIC SAFETY, TRANSPORTATION CONCERNS AND RESPONSE. I FILED A HEARING ORDER TO
DISCUSS THE IMPACT OF FIFA WORLD CUP FAN MARCHES ON BASIC CITY SERVICES. REPORTS INDICATE THAT WHILE POLICE DEPARTMENTS AT OTHER SITES ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE
PLANNING FOR THE POTENTIAL OF UNPLANNED ASSEMBLIES AND FAN MARCHES, A PART OF INTERNATIONAL SOCCER CULTURE OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS MEETINGS HAVE TAKEN PLACE AT
THE CITY AND STATE LEVEL TO ACTIVELY COORDINATE THESE FAN MARCHES WITH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MAY GATHER AT CITY HALL THE BOSTON COMMON EVEN METAL IS ON A PARK IN SOUTH
BOSTON BEFORE MARCHING TO THE THOMAS AND MENINO CONVENTION CENTER. IN A LETTER TO CITY ADMINISTRATION I WROTE ON FEBRUARY 10TH UM I SAID I
CANNOT SUPPORT A PLAN WHERE RIDESHARES UH PICK UP AND DROP OFF THOUSANDS OF VISITORS IN MARCHES OR VEHICLES PARKING AT THIS SCALE WOULD EXIST WOULD
EXASPERATE LONG TIME PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ISSUES. I ALSO RELAYED, UM THAT IN GOOD CONSCIENCE I COULDN'T SUPPORT A PLAN TO POTENTIALLY SHUT DOWN
SUMMER STREET WHICH WOULD ONLY RESULT IN TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE CITY FOR EVERY GAME THIS SUMMER IT WOULD NEGATIVELY IMPACT OPERATIONS FOR MANY NEARBY BUSINESSES AND THE SOUTH BOSTON WATERFRONT.
THE FLYNN CRUISE TERMINAL ESSENTIALLY CLOSED DOWN CONLEY TERMINAL, A KEY TRUCK DRIVER FOR OUR CITY, STATE AND LOCAL REGIONAL ECONOMY.
I WELCOME TOURISM AND WANT TO SHOWCASE ALL OF OUR CITY AND STATE AND WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER AND UP, BUT IT CANNOT BE AT THE EXPENSE OF PUBLIC SAFETY RESPONSE TIME OR.
DELAYING THE TRANSPORTATION OF RESIDENTS TO A NEARBY HOSPITAL IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. GRIDLOCK TRAFFIC QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES. THESE ARE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT
WE HAVEN'T DISCUSSED YET. WE HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO CONTINUE TO DELIVER BASIC CITY SERVICES TO OUR NEIGHBORS SUCH AS TRASH REMOVAL, PUBLIC SAFETY
,STREET SWEEPING AND OTHER SERVICES DURING THAT TIME. WHY HAVEN'T WE ENGAGED THE SOUTH BOSTON COMMUNITY ON POTENTIALLY HAVING A FAN MARCH
FROM METAL ON A PARK TO THE MENINO CONVENTION CENTER? COUNCIL THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS. REALLY APPRECIATE UM ALL YOUR WORK ON THIS TOPIC AND THE HEARING ORDER THAT YOU FILED.
LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT CONVERSATION. UM, I THINK THROUGH THE THE FAN WALK PROCESS FAN WALKS ARE SOMETHING THAT ARE A SIGNIFICANT PIECE OF THIS
INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL COMMUNITY AND TYPICALLY THEY HAPPEN WHERE FANS GET TOGETHER ,UH, IN THE THOUSANDS AND BEGIN THE WALK TO THE STADIUM ITSELF ACROSS THE WORLD
STADIUMS TEND TO BE RIGHT DOWNTOWN AND THERE'S A UH JUST THE CLEAR ROUTE TO IT HERE. WE'RE LUCKY IN BOSTON THAT UM WE GET TO HAVE THE FAN WALKS,
HEAD TO SOUTH STATION AND THEN JUMP ON THE TRAIN DOWN TO THE THE BOSTON STADIUM IN FOXBOROUGH. UM, SO THROUGH THAT PROCESS WHAT WE WANTED TO DO WAS ALLOW THE OPPORTUNITY FOR FAN GROUPS
THE CHANCE TO. AND YOU KNOW, WHY HAVEN'T WE NOTIFIED THE RESIDENTS OF THE ELECTED OFFICIALS ABOUT THE PLAN? BECAUSE WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH THOSE PLANS. I KNOW WE'VE SPOKEN ABOUT THAT
UM A FEW TIMES BUT HAVE BEEN. I HAVEN'T I HAVEN'T HEARD ANYTHING FROM THE CITY ADMINISTRATION ON THIS NOW. UH, I'M NO LONGER WITH THE ADMINISTRATION. I KNOW WE ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY AND, UM ARE EXCITED TO
PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO THE TO THE COUNTRIES WHO WANT TO HAVE THAT WALK AND HAVE THAT COMMUNITY CELEBRATION. UM, I THINK IT'S IT'S NOT THE SAINT PATRICK'S DAY PARADE. IT IS UM IT IS PROBABLY A 60
MINUTE AFFAIR AND WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH THE BOSTON POLICE, WITH THE STATE POLICE OF MASSACHUSETTS, WITH MASSPORT, WITH OTHER PARTNERS, UH, TO ENSURE THAT IT'S SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL AND DOES NOT IMPACT SOME OF THOSE PIECES. I ALSO JUST WANT TO SAY THAT
THE. UM I KNOW THE CITY WILL RISE TO THE OCCASION AS FAR AS TRASH COLLECTION AND STREETS AND BEAT DPW. THEY DO AMAZING WORK SO WELL. VERY PREPARED. I DON'T WANT TO SEE A CLOSING
OF SUMMER STREET. IT WILL IMPACT THE ECONOMIC UM ECONOMIC CLIMATE OF THE REGION . UH CAN'T CAN'T SHUT DOWN A MAJOR PORT IN BOSTON FOR A FAN MARCH. MICHAEL.
UM, YOU ALSO WE ALSO HAVE POTENTIAL, UH, FAN MARCHES FROM DOWNTOWN BOSTON. UM, HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO ME? HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION ?
UH, I'M NOT A PART OF THE ORGANIZATION. I'M JUST I'M ASKING YOU A QUESTION, MICHAEL. I ANSWERED IT. AND YOU SAID NO. I'M NOT A PART OF THE ORGANIZING OF THOSE EVENTS. WE WILL PLAY OUR PART IF THEY COME THROUGH THE DOWNTOWN AREA. >> HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY
FUNDING FUNDING FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON? NO. >> DO YOU EXPECT TO. FOR FAN MARCHES OR IN GENERAL. IN GENERAL? WE NOT THAT I'M AWARE OF, NO. OKAY. >> UM DUSTY, ARE YOU GOING TO
ENGAGE THE SOUTH BOSTON COMMUNITY ON PUBLIC SAFETY ASPECTS OR MATH OR ON THE IMPACTS PUBLIC SAFETY FAN MARCHES WILL HAVE ON THE COMMUNITY. SIR, NOT ON CANNED MARCHES
BECAUSE I'M HEARING ABOUT IT SOMEWHAT FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS AS FAR AS BRIEFING THE COMMUNITY ON UNTIL BOSTON. WE HAVE DONE THAT AGAIN WITH THE COOPERATION WITH THE
NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES AND FEEL THAT WE'VE COMMUNICATED FAIRLY WELL WITH WITH OBVIOUSLY WITH NOT SPORT BUT WITH THE CITIZENS ASSOCIATION AND LEADERSHIP SUCH AS YOURSELF AND SENATOR COLLINS . JOHN. >> YES, SIR.
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE FAN MARCHES? UM, POTENTIALLY SHUTTING DOWN SOME STREET. YOU KNOW, THANK UH THANK YOU. AGAIN FOR RAISING IT. UM, FIRST TIME I HEARD ABOUT IT WAS WHEN YOU RAISED IT. UH, SO I CALLED NEIL.
UM, ACTUALLY NEIL CALLED ME, SO I GIVE HIM CREDIT. NEIL CALLED ME AND, UH, HAD SOME QUESTIONS FOR NEIL ABOUT HIM. UM, AND EXACTLY WHAT HE STATED TODAY AND AND SO I'M LEARNING ABOUT IT, SIR.
I DON'T KNOW, UH, ENOUGH TO BE RESPONSIVE TO ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THEY ARE JUST NOT NOT INVOLVED IN THE CONVERSATION. OKAY. >> I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE CITY AND STATE OFFICIALS AND WITH PEOPLE
AT THIS AT THIS, UH, PODIUM ABOUT THEM. THE NEXT PANEL IS CITY PANEL AND THEY ME THEY PROBABLY BETTER ABLE TO ANSWER ALL OF YOUR QUESTIONS. SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW IF YOU WANT TO. >> I UNDERSTAND THAT OKAY. I UNDERSTAND THAT.
OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY MORE QUESTIONS? OKAY. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR PEPPER. UH, COUNCILOR CULPEPPER, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. UH, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR
HOLDING THIS HEARING. AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE PANELISTS HERE TODAY. BOSTON PREPARES TO HOST MAJOR CIVIC AND GLOBAL EVENTS IN BOSTON 250 TO THE FIFA WORLD CUP.
THESE MOMENTS REPRESENT NOT ONLY CULTURAL MILESTONES BUT SIGNIFICANT ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS AND LOCAL BUSINESSES. LET ME JUST CUT TO THE CHASE ON
THIS FOR EACH OF YOU. HOW HAVE YOU. DESIGNED AND PREPARED TO INVOLVE THE MINORITY WOMEN
BUSINESSES AND THE CONTRACT THAT YOU EXPECT TO LEAD EACH OF YOU? THANK YOU COUNCILOR I APPRECIATE THE QUESTION. I THINK FOR THE THE WORLD CUP SIDE OF THINGS WE HAVE HAD UM A
NUMBER OF RFPS THAT HAVE GONE OUT AND THERE HAS BEEN UM INFORMATION SESSIONS FOR THOSE UH LARGELY MOVED UM FOR TRANSPORTATION SECURITY AND WE HAVE WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH THE
FIFA FAN FEST OUT FRONT UM DMS SPORTS THAT'S GOING TO BE MANAGING THE FAN FESTIVAL HAS UM THE WBE VENDOR LIST AND FREQUENTLY WORKS WITH MWB
VENDORS. SO WE LOOK FORWARD TO TO WORKING WITH THOSE GROUPS THAT ARE GOING TO BE INVOLVED. UM AND WE ALSO JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE ONE THING TO RECOGNIZE ABOUT THE FIFA WORLD
CUP IS WE HAVE THE HOST COMMITTEE, WE HAVE THE FAN FEST AND WE HAVE UM SOME TRANSPORTATION AND OTHER SECURITY NEEDS. THE MAJOR ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THIS IS WHAT COMES TO THE REGION, RIGHT?
FIFA HAS MASSIVE UM GLOBAL BRANDS THAT WILL BE COMING AND ACTIVATING IN AND AROUND BOSTON UH LIKE COCA-COLA, MCDONALD'S FOLKS LIKE THAT WHO THROUGH THE WORK OF FIFA AND THE HOST
COMMITTEES ARE GIVEN UM THE FIFA LOCAL IMPACT SUPPLIER PROGRAM. IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN PUSHING OUT TO UH, MWB THROUGH SOME OF THESE LARGE UM, INFORMATION SESSIONS SO THAT
FOLKS CAN SIGN UP. I'M A FLORIST. I'M UM, AN MWB I AM WHATEVER I HERE'S WHAT I PROVIDE. IF COKE OR SOMEONE ELSE NEEDS THAT SERVICE, THEY HAVE THAT LIST OF WHO THE RIGHT FOLKS ARE
IN AND AROUND TOWN. UH, YOU. >> LIST WITH THAT WHICH YOU GET THAT LIST FROM. SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CITY AND THE STATE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAMS BUT ALSO IT'S UM PUSHED TO BUSINESSES
AND UH, ASKED FOR THEM TO SIGN UP AS WELL. HAVE YOU REACH OUT TO BECKMAN? UH, NICOLE. YES. >> AND IN ORDER. IN ORDER? UH, I DON'T THINK WE WOULD LOVE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. I JUST. >> WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR
EFFORT IS SUCCESSFUL. AGREED. >> AND THERE'S DEFINITELY MORE WORK TO DO. REALLY APPRECIATE THE. >> THE COMMENT. YOU HAVE AN RFP. CHIZUKO PEPPER, CAN I JUST INTERRUPT TO ASK UM, MARTHA MARTHA SHERIDAN HAS TO LEAVE SO
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS DIRECT IT TO ME BOSTON. OR IF. >> A CUSTOMER HAS ANY QUESTIONS OR I CAN TELL ME BOSTON SHE HAS TO GO JUST IF NOT, THEN WE'LL LET HER GO. I WANTED EVERYONE TO ANSWER THE SAME QUESTION WHAT SPECIFIC
PLANS THAT YOU HAVE TO INCLUDE MINORITIES AND WOMEN BUSINESSES IN THE CONTRACT THAT YOU ANTICIPATE IN THAT. SO IT'S. UM SO I'VE USED THE AS LONG AS
IT'S RED SOLID RED YOU CAN TALK . YES OKAY. YEAH. UH SO MEET BOSTON AT THIS POINT IS NOT CONTRACTING UH. ANYTHING FOR THESE SPECIFIC EVENTS WE'RE REALLY ACTING AS A
CONDUIT UM, TO ASSIST THE EVENTS WITH ACCESSING BUSINESSES IN THE HOSPITALITY SECTOR THAT MIGHT WANT A PIECE OF THIS. AND, UM, I HAD SAID EARLIER IN MY, UH, COMMENTS WE'VE HELD TWO
INFORMATIONAL. SESSIONS WHICH DREW OVER 500 PEOPLE COLLECTIVELY TO EDUCATE THEM ON HOW TO GET INVOLVED EITHER FROM A SMALL BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE BUT JUST IN A
GENERAL PERSPECTIVE AS WELL. WE'VE WORKED CLOSELY WITH UM, THE FOLKS ON THIS PANEL UM ON THOSE SESSIONS. THERE'LL BE ANOTHER SESSION COMING UP ON APRIL 8TH AS WELL. SO SAY THAT BUT WHAT
SPECIFICALLY HAVE YOU DONE? AND I HEARD YOU SAY THAT YOU'VE HAD THOSE TWO SEMINARS BUT WHERE WERE THOSE SEMINARS AND DO YOU PLAN TO HAVE ANY SEMINARS IN THE COMMUNITY IN THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.
THERE'S A THE NEXT SEMINAR IS APRIL 8TH AND IT IS A WEBINAR. IT IS REMOTE AND THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO ANYONE THAT WANTS TO SIGN IN AND ACCESS IT. CAN YOU PLAN SOMETHING IN THE
COMMUNITY TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE BUSINESSES, BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE? WE COULD DEFINITELY DO THAT AND. GET BACK TO ME AND LET ME KNOW WHEN AND AND I CAN HELP YOU GET
THE WORD OUT. ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU. YES. >> UM THANK THANK YOU MARTHA. THANK YOU FOR MARTHA FOR ME THANK YOU. COUNCIL CORPORATE GREAT SUGGESTION. THANK YOU FOR HAVING COUNSELOR UH, MARTHA SHERIDAN THANK YOU FOR FOR FOR BEING HERE WITH US
. UM, I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE A HARD STOP SO YOU CAN LEAVE. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE IT AND WE'LL FOLLOW UP WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THAT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU MARTHA THANK YOU KNOW DO I GET BACK MY TIME? >> YEAH YOU MAY CONTINUE. COUNSELOR CULPEPER.
COUNSELOR CULPEPER. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. UM, JOHN. BEFORE YOU GET TO THAT QUESTION, I HAD A QUESTION YOU TALKED ABOUT THE LOCAL, UH, PAYMENT THAT YOU'VE BEEN USING
WITH THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY. WHAT IS THAT LOCAL PROCESS? WHAT DOES THAT ENTAIL? THE LOCAL PROCESS YOU TALKED ABOUT. THE LOCAL. PROCESS FOR BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.
UM. NOT SURE I REMEMBER. EXACTLY THE GIVE ME MORE ON THAT. UM ABOUT INVOLVING. OR INVOLVING THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.
CLOSE TO THAT LOCAL. WHAT DOES IT ENTAIL? YEAH. >> HOW ARE. YOU GOING ABOUT IT? UNDERSTOOD. >> YEAH. SO UM YOU KNOW I DO I THINK I CAN I CAN SAY IN FACT. WORKING CLOSELY WITH BECKMANN. ON THIS. RIGHT. SO NICOLE. >> HAS BEEN GREAT.
UM, AND TWO THINGS WE DID WHEN I, I PROBABLY MENTIONED LOCAL BECAUSE WE'RE DOING WORK ACROSS THE STATE. SO HERE SPRINGFIELD AND UH, WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE SURE THAT
UH INCLUSIVE PARTICIPATION IS HAPPENING UH, IN BOSTON AND IN SPRINGFIELD AND IN FACT WE'RE ACTUALLY WORKING WITH ANOTHER CITY UM, IN THE STATE AND WE CAN. WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT LATER IF THERE'S SOME TRACTION.
SO COULD IS CAN YOU GIVE ME YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT NOW. SURE BECAUSE BROWN SPECIFIC PLANS FOR HOW YOU ARE INVOLVING THE LOCAL BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY.
SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT WHAT I DO WHAT THE AMICA DOES IS HOST EVENTS RIGHT. AND SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED. LAWN ON. D AS A VENUE THAT PEOPLE CAN
USE. FOR THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER. TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY. NOW THESE ARE GOING TO BE YOU KNOW WATCH PARTIES. UM THE CITY HAS DONE A GREAT JOB IN SENDING US. UM JOHN.
WHAT PARTIES DO YOU HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY? BECAUSE MY POINT IS I'M TRYING TO GET EVERYONE TO FOCUS ON GOING TO THE COMMUNITY. I KNOW YOU DO THESE EVENTS DOWNTOWN.
I KNOW YOU DO THEM IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF BOSTON, BUT I WANT ALL OF YOU TO GO STRAIGHT TO THE COMMUNITY, HAVE IT IN ROXBURY, HAVE IT IN DORCHESTER. YEAH. AND INVITE THE FOLKS THAT LIVE
IN ROXBURY DORCHESTER SO THEY CAN REALLY BE PART OF THIS RIGHT NOW. THEY DON'T FEEL PART OF THIS. THE PLAN SOUND GREAT. EVERYTHING YOU SAID SOUNDS GREAT BUT I DON'T HEAR YOU
SAYING ANYTHING THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE HEART OF THE BLACK AND THE BROWN COMMUNITY AND THAT'S WHAT I WANT YOU TO DO. LOOK, BILLIONS OF DOLLARS $1.1 BILLION IS COMING INTO THE COMMUNITY.
BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES ARE NOT JUST SEE IT ON TELEVISION, BUT THEY NEED TO BE PART OF ACTUALLY WHAT'S TAKING PLACE FINANCIALLY. SO LET ME LET ME ASSURE YOU THAT BLACK AND BROWN
COMMUNITIES WILL BE PLANNING THE EVENTS AT THE AMICA. SO UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE I HAVE A LIMITATION SO I. >> DON'T OWN. FACILITIES I DON'T OWN. FACILITIES IN ROXBURY IN MATTAPAN. I MEAN.
LET'S BE CLEAR. >> I UNDERSTAND I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT BUT CAN YOU TELL. >> ME. WHAT I WILL BRING ROXBURY I'M OUT A PLAN. MATTAPAN AND. >> DORCHESTER AND MANY OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE FACILITIES THAT WE DO OWN. RIGHT. I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE INCLUSIVE
PARTICIPATION IN UH. THOSE WHO COME TO THOSE EVENTS BUT THOSE WHO PUT ON THE EVENTS. AND THOSE WHO GET PAID FOR THE EVENT. SO WE ARE VERY CLEAR, UH, ON A VERY INCLUSIVE UH AND INCLUSIVE BOTH.
UH SUPPLY. DIVERSITY APPROACH AND PARTICIPATION THAT WE. WANT TO KNOW WHEN AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO IT. THAT'S WHAT THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO BE SPECIFIC RIGHT. IT SOUNDS GREAT BUT I WANT TO
BE SPECIFIC ABOUT THE PLANS TO INVOLVE BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES AND EVERYTHING THAT'S TAKING PLACE HERE AND I KNOW MY TIME IS GOING TO BE UP SOON. BUT JOHN, LET'S GO TO DUSTY BECAUSE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT
THAT RFP DOES THE. UM OH. EXCUSE ME SIR WHICH RFP? SO UH. I WILL BE SPECIFIC HOWEVER IF YOU WOULD LIKE RIGHT. AS PART OF THE SELL BOSTON
EVENT, THE CITY ISSUED AN RFP TO OPERATE A VENDOR PROGRAM FROM JULY LEMON TO THE 16 FEATURING BOTH FOOD AND MERCHANDISE VENDORS. MY QUESTION IS HOW IS THAT AND
INCLUDING MINORITY AND WOMEN BUSINESSES, BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES IN THAT RFP HOW DID THEY GET IT? WHAT DID THEY GET IT? WITH ALL DUE RESPECT COUNSELOR ,I WILL BE VERY SPECIFIC REGARDING SYLLABUS.
SO BOSTON IS A IS A FIVE AND ONE C3 AND THE MANAGEMENT OF BOSTON IS DONE BY CONVENTIONS WHICH IS A FEMALE AND 100% UH COMPANY. UM OUR PRIMARY CONTRACT FOR
SHELL BOSTON IS SECURITY WHICH HAS BEEN BRANDED TO WIND WALKER WHICH IS 100% BLACK OWNED BUSINESS THE SECOND LARGEST UH CONTRACT THAT WE ARE GOING TO
BE ISSUING IS WITH TANKING AND THAT IS TO A FEMALE OWNED BUSINESS. THE THIRD LARGEST UH AREA IS WITH TRASH AND UH MAINTENANCE AND WE ARE INTERVIEWING THREE DIFFERENT MINORITY OWNED
COMPANIES AT THIS POINT WE ARE ALSO WORKING WITH UM PRINTING NOW A COUPLE OF OUR OTHER LARGE CONTRACTS SUCH AS BARGES AND TUGS AND PILOTS ARE LICENSED BY
THE STATE AND. TODAY STOP. NO, YOU CAN KEEP GOING AND THEN I'M GONNA HAVE TO MOVE TO COUNCILOR WEBER AFTER THIS AND THEN WE CAN GO AROUND FOR A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS. >> BUT ONE VERY, VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION FOR THE FOR ALL THE
COUNCILORS IS THE RFP THAT THE CITY PUT OUT FOR FOOD VENDING AND MERCHANDISE VENDING WE DID NOT BID ON WE ARE NOT PART OF AND THAT IS EXCLUSIVELY THE PURVIEW OF THE CITY.
UH, AS FAR AS THE MINORITY HIRING THERE. SO THAT'S SURE I DID NOT MEAN TO BE DISRESPECTFUL BY SAYING WHAT OUR THEY BUT THAT DOES CLARIFY IT WORKS AND I WOULD TURN TO THE CITY TO RESPOND TO
THE MINORITY OUTREACH FOR THE FOOD VENDING OUR CATERER WHICH IS A LARGE PART OF OUR EXPENDITURES, DOES HAVE AN AGREEMENT WITH COMMONWEALTH KITCHENS, UH, A VERY AGGRESSIVE ONE.
SO I THINK WE ARE DOING OUR VERY BEST TO EMBRACE THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE BOTH BLACK AND BROWN, UH, AND TO THE EXTENT OF FOOD VENDING IN OTHER LOCATIONS LICENSED BY THE CITY. I WOULD DEFER TO THE CITY, SIR.
OKAY. >> THANK YOU. COUNCIL COME UP. I'M GOING TO MOVE TO COUNCILOR WEBER IF YOU HAVE A SECOND ROUND, WE'LL GO AROUND. WELCOME ONE OF THE COUNCIL WEBER. COUNCIL WEBER, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND FIVE MINUTES. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. >> IS THAT A CULPEPER FIVE MINUTES.
IT'S A IT'S A I'VE BEEN I'VE GIVEN EVERYONE A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN FIVE. YEAH WE. >> HAVE. A LOT OF. QUESTIONS I'LL. I'LL BE. AS QUICK AS I CAN. UH THANK YOU VERY MUCH. YOU OKAY. >>? >> THIS IS JUST. THIS IS. >> A CONSTANT THING I I TO THOSE WHO ARE WATCHING THE
WEATHER IN CULPEPER TIME THE WHETHER YOU HAVE THE COUNCIL WHETHER YOU HAVE THE FLUFFING. LEFT OVER SO IT JUST IN TERMS OF FOLLOWING UP ON THAT UH IN DIVERSITY AND CONTRACTING AND
WBS I MEAN SO DO YOU HAVE GUIDELINES IN PLACE LIKE HOW ARE YOU MAKING SURE YOU KNOW THAT YOUR UH THAT YOU'RE ACHIEVING DIVERSITY IN YOUR CONTRACTING LIKE YOU KNOW, YEAH.
AND ESPECIALLY WITH THE SUMMER THE SUMMER'S EVENTS. AND AND I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO UM I KNOW JOHN BURROWS ALSO HE INFORMED MY TEAM THAT HE HAS A HARD STOP. SO IF YOU WANT TO JUST ANSWER THE QUESTION AND THEN IF YOU'RE YEAH. SO THE ANSWER IS YES WE DO HAVE
GUIDELINES IN PLACE. WE HAVE A TEAM AND I HAVE A CHIEF UH PROCUREMENT OFFICER WHO IS TRACKING ALL SPEND. SO WE HAVE GOALS IN PLACE. WE HAVE.
UM TRACKING AND OUR PROCUREMENT IS VERY CLEAR ON WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO GET TO. SO WHAT ARE THE. GUIDELINES TO OR AND THEN I DON'T KNOW ARE WE BECAUSE I I
MEAN I FEEL LIKE IN THIS THIS WORLD WE'RE LIVING IN YOU KNOW UH CAN WE SHOULD WE EVEN BE TALKING ABOUT THE GUIDELINES? YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT KINDS OF IMPACT CAN YOU ENFORCE THE GUIDELINES? HOW ENFORCEABLE ARE THEY?
UM OH. >> THEY'RE VERY ENFORCEMENT. WE WE TALK ABOUT UM, SPEND IN TERMS OF WOMEN. >> OWNED BUSINESSES, MINORITY OWNED BUSINESSES, SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES. VETERAN OWNED BUSINESSES. AND SO. >> THESE ARE THESE ARE GOALS THAT ARE CRITICAL. AND THEN WHAT WE TYPICALLY DO
IS WILL HAVE UM UH. GOALS IN AN RFP. PROCESS AND THEN THE PROPONENTS WILL COME IN AND TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY CAN DO. SOME PEOPLE CAN DO MORE. >> THAN OTHERS WILL SCORE IT. >> AND SO THERE'S A PROCESS THAT. >> WE RUN.
UM TO MAKE SURE WE'RE MAXIMIZING PARTICIPATION OKAY. JUST BECAUSE. >> YOUR FOLLOW UP ON THAT UH YEAH. YOU KNOW ARE THE GOALS YOU SOMETIMES YOU CAN SEE LIKE WELL YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TEN
CONTRACTS AND FIVE OF THEM ARE BS BUT THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE THE DOLLAR VALUE OF THOSE CONTRACTS THAT THERE'S A BIG UH HOW DO YOU MAKE SURE. YOU'RE YEAH FOR. US THE. GOALS ARE. >> ABOUT DOLLARS. BUT IT'S ONLY ABOUT DOLLAR SO PARTICIPATION SO IF THERE'S $1.
>> MILLION CONTRACT. AND THERE'S AN M UM MWBE THAT IS GETTING 200,000, THAT'S A 20%. UH, AND SO IT'S ONLY $2 UH, PARTICIPATION AND THEN WE ARE.
ALSO MAKING SURE. THEY'RE CERTIFIED. >> BY THE CITY CERTIFIED BY THE STATE. SO IT'S NOT. JUST SHOWING UP AND SAYING I AM A WOMAN OWNED BUSINESS. THEY HAVE TO GO THROUGH THE. CERTIFICATION WILL ONLY RECOGNIZE IT THROUGH. CERTIFICATION. >> UM, TO MAKE SURE THAT IN FACT WE'RE HITTING THE GOALS.
AND THEY'RE GOING TO THE RIGHT BUSINESSES. OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST GO ON THE LINE. FOR THE RECORD, COUNSELOR. UM, WE'RE VERY PROUD TO HAVE A. ON THE SHOW. BOSTON, UH, VICE CHAIR OF THE BOARD IS ADDRESSING REFEREE WHO
HAS WORKED WITH US FOR THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS AND MAKING SURE THAT OUR MINORITY OUTREACH IS IS INCLUSIVE, UH, AND AS FAR REACHING AS POSSIBLE AND ON A DAILY BASIS WE, UH, WORK WORK
WITH HER. WE ALSO OF COURSE HAVE IT POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE FOR OPPORTUNITIES. UM, AGAIN THOUGH I NEED TO STRESS THAT AS FAR AS THE FOOD VENDING WHICH I THINK IS A
LARGE OPPORTUNITY UM, I THINK UH THOSE PERSONS NEED TO BE DIRECTED THROUGH THE MASTER LICENSE HOLDER, WHICH IS A COMPANY THAT HAS BEEN BLESSED BY THE CITY AS FAR AS THEIR
FULFILLMENT. OKAY. >> THANK YOU COUNCIL. UM, SO I DON'T HAVE THE INFORMATION IN FRONT OF ME BUT HAPPY TO PROVIDE INFO. I KNOW WE MIRROR THE CITY'S, UH, EXECUTIVE ORDER AND THE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY STUFF THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON AND WE'VE
WORKED WITH UM, BOTH THE CITY AND STATE SUPPLIER DIVERSITY OFFICERS TO TO HAVE TO PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO COMPANIES THAT WOULD BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS THAT WE HAD. OKAY. >> COUNCIL, I JUST SAY BRIEFLY WE LOOK MORE LIKE WHEN WE
BOSTON IN THAT WE'RE NOT ISSUING CONTRACTS FOR FOR MUCH IN THE WAY OF VENDOR ASSISTANCE . WE END UP. FILLING THE. >> ROLE OF A VENDOR IN THE PRODUCTION OF EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES DOWNTOWN. UM, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T REALLY JUST HIRE FOR THE EVENT BUT WE
ARE SORT OF OURSELVES UM, BOOTS ON THE GROUND OF THE WORKFORCE THAT REFLECTS THE CITY. WE HAVE A MAJORITY MINORITY WORKFORCE IN OUR ORGANIZATION AND OUR BLENDED TEAM BETWEEN OUR AMBASSADOR STAFF AND THE DOWNTOWN UH, BID STAFF. OKAY.
>> UH AND THEN SO UM, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT JP UH THE HAVEN IS THE SCOTTISH UH PUB AND WE'VE GOT UH TO SCOTLAND'S POINT TWO GAMES HERE. UM, SO THAT IN TERMS
OF LICENSING LIKE SO THEY CAN SHOW THE GAMES AND WHAT DO I WHAT DO I TELL OTHER BUSINESSES WHO ARE INTERESTED IN DOING THINGS AROUND THE WORLD CUP LIKE WHAT ARE THINGS THAT SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT. OR THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
UM. AS FAR. >> AS THE THE HAVEN ITSELF. RIGHT. UM THE IF THEY HAVE ICE THEY HAVE TELEVISIONS, THEY SHOW UH SPORTS MATCHES REGULARLY.
THEY ALREADY HAVE THE THE LICENSE FOR THE EVENT IF WE'RE LICENSING REALLY COMES IN IS IF YOU ARE PUTTING UP A BIG SCREEN IN A PARK OR IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT IS FREE OR COMMERCIALIZED,
THAT'S WHEN FIFA REALLY PUTS ITS THUMB ON IT AND WANTS TO SEE WHAT IS HAPPENING. WHO IS UM WHAT COMPANIES ARE ACTIVATING THERE ARE THOSE COMPANIES IN COMPETITION WITH THEIR GLOBAL AFFILIATES. SO IF YOU'RE A BUSINESS THAT
ALREADY HAS THAT LICENSE LARGELY YOU'RE YOU'RE GOOD TO GO. UM AND THEN UM, AS FAR AS THOSE OTHER PIECES THOSE THOSE EXTERNAL EVENTS, THERE IS A
FIFA PORTAL WHERE YOU HAVE TO APPLY FOR UH WATCH UH VIEWING LICENSE UM AND PROVIDE THEM A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF INFORMATION ON WHAT WHAT THEY SEE AND. THERE'S ALSO MONEY INVOLVED. THERE IS A COST TO THOSE TO
THOSE EVENTS. WHAT'S THE BALLPARK? I MEAN. DEPENDING ON THE EVENT IT'S IT'S UM ANYWHERE FROM UH A FEW THOUSAND TO UM, TEN PLUS. OKAY DEPENDING ON THE EVENT.
UM, OKAY. AND THEN UH, YOU KNOW, IN TERMS OF LIKE THE THE THE FAN MARCHES FOR FIFA, I DON'T KNOW IF THE PANELISTS CAN TALK ABOUT THEM.
YOU KNOW, UM, I GUESS UH. YOU KNOW. >> THAT THIS IS FOR EVERY HOME GAME EVERY GAME THAT'S GOING TO BE AT BOSTON STADIUM. UH, AND THERE'S A MARCH TO THE
UM TO THE TRAIN STATION. UM, I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT LIKE THE ,2,024 THIS IS THIS BECAME A BIG THING AND PEOPLE WOULD GATHER AND DANCE AND SING, YOU KNOW, UH, BEFORE THE GAME.
UH, SO WE'RE EXPECTING SIMILAR NUMBERS. IS THAT SO? I THINK SOMETHING TO BE COGNIZANT OF IS FAN MARCHES OR A FAN WALKS ARE UM RUN BY THE
THE FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION FAN ORGANIZATION AND SOME ARE FAR MORE INTERESTED THAN OTHERS LIKE THE DUTCH ARE THE WORLD'S MOST KNOWN UM FOR THIS THERE'S VIDEOS FROM THE EUROS
OF 100,000 DEEP ROLLING UH THROUGH MUNICH. UM BUT THAT'S NOT TO SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THE TARTAN ARMY FROM SCOTLAND WHO WHO WENT TO THE EUROS IN MUNICH WITH 50,000
YOU KNOW SUPPORTERS NONE MANY OF WHICH DID NOT HAVE TICKETS TO THE MET TO THE GAMES THEY JUST GO TO SUPPORT THEIR TEAMS. RIGHT. AND WE THAT'S WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING HERE AS WELL.
SO SCOTLAND UM ENGLAND FRANCE IS GOING TO BE BASING HERE LIKE THERE THERE WILL BE SOME SIGNIFICANTLY MASSIVE FAN GROUPS FROM ABROAD BUT ALSO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT THE TEAMS
WE HAVE WITH HAITI WITH UM GHANA NORWAY YEAH. AND THERE'S SO MANY THAT HAVE BUILT IN OR UM JUST RESIDENTS THAT LIVE HERE LIKE BRAZIL, FRAMINGHAM HAS THE LARGEST
BRAZILIAN POPULATION IN THE US AND THEY'RE GOING TO COME TO BOSTON TO CELEBRATE AND BE TOGETHER AND SUPPORT IT EVEN THOUGH THE TEAM'S NOT HERE, THEY'RE GOING TO WANT TO TO ACTIVATE. AND HOW WE MANAGE THOSE FOLKS
IS IS GOING TO BE SUCH A LARGE UM, PIECE OF WORK THAT WE'RE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE THE COORDINATION WITH THE STATE FEDERAL AND LOCAL POLICE AND FIRE AND EMS SERVICES. BUT UM, THE GOAL OF FAN MARCHES
IS TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY. WE DON'T WE'RE NOT SURE THAT EVERY TEAM IS GOING TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT, BUT SOME WILL AND WE JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THE GROUP. >> WELL IN TERMS OF SCOTLAND AND UM YOU KNOW, I JUST HAVE TO
DISCLOSE AS MY MY GRANDFATHER BIOLOGICALLY A LITHUANIAN JEW WAS BORN. IN SCOTLAND AND SO THAT WE HAVE SOME CONNECTION THERE. BUT UH, YOU KNOW, IF THE TARTAN ARMY IS GOING TO BE MARCHING,
YOU KNOW, OR AT LEAST GATHERING IN IS THERE SOME I MEAN I YOU KNOW, CAN WE COORDINATE WITH MAIN STREETS OR SOMETHING TO TO HAVE YOU KNOW, UH BECAUSE I YOU KNOW, I THINK IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A BROADER IMPACT ON THE
NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, AND BE ABLE TO HAVE PEOPLE PLUG INTO. YOU KNOW. RIGHT. ABSOLUTELY. AND I THINK I THINK THE PLAY THERE IS TO WORK THROUGH THE SCOTTISH PMMA UM, WHICH IS THE THE FAN GROUP UM WHO HAVE
REACHED OUT TO THE HAVEN AND THAT'S THE CONNECTION RIGHT? THESE ORGANIZATIONS ARE WELL PUT TOGETHER. THEY HAVE CLEAR COMMUNICATION CHANNELS. SO IF YOU WERE TO SAY HEY THE
HAVEN ONLY HAS X CAPACITY BUT HERE'S FOUR OTHER SPOTS IN JP THAT MAKES SENSE. WE CAN ALL BE TOGETHER UM AND HOW DO WE WORK THROUGH MAIN STREETS WITH THE CITY AND STATE
TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S UM THE PERMITS AND THINGS NEEDED TO TO MAKE THIS A CELEBRATORY EVENT IN SPACES THAT WOULD ALLOW IT. RIGHT? YEAH. >> I MEAN I THINK HONESTLY THE THE VIDEOS OF THE NETHERLANDS FANS I MEAN THEY'RE IT'S LIKE
THEY'RE SINGING AND THEY'RE DANCING AND THEY'RE IT'S UH IT LOOKS LIKE FUN. UM AND UH I WILL SAY YOU KNOW WHERE THE HAVEN IS. YOU KNOW, SCOTLAND PLAYS HAITI .
UH, THE HULA CAFE IS RIGHT NEXT DOOR UH, OWNED OWNED HAITIAN OWNED BUSINESS. UH, BE UH, GREAT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND IT'S THE BREWERY COMPLEX. UH. EXACTLY FOR. >> FOR THAT GAME ANYWAY. SORRY. YEAH.
THANK YOU. ANYTHING ELSE ON FAN MARCHES TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION IF NOT IN THEN UH. I JUST SAY, YOU KNOW. ANY ANY LARGE FORMAT GATHERING THAT. IS THAT IS SAFE. AND WELCOMING TO PEOPLE THAT THAT WILL EITHER. >> BE.
GATHERING HERE BECAUSE THEY LIVE NEARBY OR BECAUSE THEY'RE TRAVELING TO OUR CITY, UM PROVIDES AN AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR. CULTURAL CONNECTION FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY THERE IS A HALO EFFECT. SO I THINK THE FACT THAT THAT PERHAPS TWO OF THESE UH.
OF THE POTENTIAL THREE ROUTES THAT ARE ARE SLATED FOR DOWNTOWN WE WELCOME IT. I MEAN WE SEE WE SEE A SPILLOVER EFFECT OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. UM, AS LONG AS THEY'RE THEY'RE WELL-RUN AND WE BELIEVE IT WILL
BE FROM WHAT WE UNDERSTAND FROM THE CITY, UM, IT PROVIDES A REALLY AMAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR ADJACENT. BUSINESSES TO. PLAN FOR AND WELCOME, UH, THOSE POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS, UH, INTO THE DOWNTOWN ENVIRONMENT.
I JUST ONE QUICK FOLLOW UP QUESTION UH, AS I ENTERED CULPEPER TIME UH UH BUT IT'S JUST SO IN TERMS OF LIKE ARE THERE GOING TO BE POLICE DETAILS? UH, WHO PAYS FOR THAT?
UM UH, YOU KNOW, I DON'T KNOW HAS THERE BEEN BEEN A DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT? SO AS I MENTIONED UM WE WE THERE IS FUNDING FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT'S BEING USED FOR SOME OF THESE OFFICIAL
EVENTS. UM, IT'S GOING TO DEPEND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE AND HOW THE HOST COMMITTEE YOU KNOW, THERE'S JUST HOW OFFICIAL IT IS SO THAT THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE HAPPENING AT THE THE WORKING
SECURITY WORKING GROUP LEVEL TO FIGURE OUT, UM, HOW WE MANAGE SOME OF THOSE PIECES. THANK YOU NEAL. THANK YOU. THEN THE CITY UM PANEL IS NEXT AND MIGHT BE ABLE TO ANSWER SOME MORE OF THOSE QUESTIONS. COUNCIL WEBER. ALL RIGHT I DON'T I HAVE
QUESTIONS I'M NOT GOING TO ASK THEM BECAUSE I WANT US TO GET TO THE CITY PANEL. I WILL JUST SAY OUR RUNNING THEME THAT I HEARD AND THAT I WANTED TO UPLIFT IS THAT WE'RE EXCITED OVER $1 BILLION A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY. WHAT ARE WHAT ARE WE GOING TO
SAY SUCCESSFUL? WHAT IS THE METRIC THAT WE'RE GOING TO USE IS UH TO SAY THAT WE'VE SUCCEEDED ONCE THIS IS DONE AND MAKING SURE THAT WE'VE. INCLUDED OUR SMALL. BUSINESSES OR BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES, OUR VETERAN. OWNED BUSINESSES.
OUR WOMEN. OWNED BUSINESSES AND ACTIVATIONS DO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, UH, DO OUR COMMUNITIES WHO ARE HERE OUR HAITIAN COMMUNITY, OUR CAPE VERDEAN COMMUNITY, MOROCCAN COMMUNITY BECAUSE THERE IS A
MOROCCAN POPULATION IN EAST BOSTON, DO THEY FEEL LIKE THIS WAS AN EVENT FOR THEM? AND I THINK WE GOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THOSE METRICS ARE LIKE LAST TIME UM MY THE COMMITTEE WILL PUT FORWARD SOME
THOUGHTS AND SOME AND SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR UM THE PANELISTS AND FOR THE CITY IF ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE VERY BRIEF QUESTIONS THAT THEY WOULD LIKE TO ASK THIS PANEL, UM, TRY TO KEEP IT TO TWO MINUTES SO
THAT WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE CITY PANEL. COUNCILOR FLYNN, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS PANEL? COUNCILOR CULPEPER, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THIS PANEL? YEAH. >> WELL NO BECAUSE I ASKED THE QUESTION EARLIER BUT I'D JUST LIKE FOR YOU TO FINISH YOUR ANSWER WITH REGARD TO YOUR PLANS.
>> TO ENSURE. THAT BLACK. AND BROWN BUSINESSES ARE GOING TO BE PART OF THE CONTRACTING. I KNOW THAT'S A YOU SAID THAT YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH AN RFP TO OPERATE THE
VENDOR PROGRAM, BUT I THINK THAT IS PART OF THE SMALL THE SALE BOXING EVENT FROM WHAT I'M LOOKING AT HERE AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE
INCLUDE BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES AND THE DIFFERENT. UM. >> CONTRACTS WHETHER IT'S THROUGH YOUR ORGANIZATION, THROUGH THE CITY TO MAKE SURE AND ENSURE THAT THEY'RE PART
OF THE CONTRACTING AND DOLLARS FLOWS INTO THE COMMUNITY AS THERE IS A $1.1. >> BILLION I THINK. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR AGAIN WORKING WITH LINDA, UH, AND MAKING SURE THAT
WE EVERY STEP OF THE WAY THAT WE ARE COGNIZANT OF THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY WE JUST COMPLETED A NUMBER OF PROJECTS WORKING WITH NICOLE SO WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO HER AND SHE'LL
KEEP US IN LINE IF WE GET OUT OF LINE. THANK YOU SIR. MADAM CHAIR, I WON'T BE HERE FOR THE CITY'S UH, PORTION I KNOW NOW THEY'RE SMILING. LOOK AT THEM.
UH, BUT I'LL BE IN TOUCH WITH THEM INDIVIDUALLY. I HAVE TO RUN TO ANOTHER MEETING. BUT THANK YOU ALL FOR. THE INFORMATION. LET'S FOLLOW UP A LITTLE BIT MORE SO WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT
THE BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITY FEELS LIKE THEY'RE PART OF ALL OF THIS GOOD STUFF HAPPENING IN BOSTON. AND THANK YOU TO THE CITY UH, PRESENTERS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING DOWN. I'LL FOLLOW UP WITH YOU
INDIVIDUALLY. OKAY. >> THANK YOU THANK YOU COUNCIL GO UP AND THIS WILL REMAIN IN COMMITTEE AND WE'LL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE ADDITIONAL CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT AS WELL. SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTIONS AND I'LL MAKE SURE I UPLIFT THEM AND THEY'RE HERE. AND SO YOU ALL KNOW THE
QUESTIONS THAT HE WANTS TO ASK AND THAT MAKE SURE THAT WE ANSWER THEM WHEN THE. TIME COMES COMFORTABLY AND YOU HAVE A QUESTION OH YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES UH, SO THAT WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE NEXT PANEL. MADAM CHAIR, MAY I ASK. A QUESTION. TO YOU? UM. >> AND THE.
PANEL DOESN'T HAVE TO ANSWER NOW, BUT MAYBE AT SOME POINT THEY COULD. PROVIDE THE INFORMATION TO ME. SURE. >> OKAY. UM, I'D LIKE TO KNOW WHAT CONTRACTS HAVE BEEN ALREADY GIVEN. TO. >> UH, VETERAN. OWNED COMPANIES. AND WHAT THE.
PLAN IS. SPECIFICALLY TO. SUPPORT VETERAN OWNED COMPANIES IN BOSTON. UH, TO BE FULLY ENGAGED IN THIS PROCESS. THANK YOU. >> WHEN WE WE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD THIS HEARING, UH, WE FOLLOWED UP WITH SOME
RECOMMENDATIONS AND QUESTIONS AND WE'LL DO THE SAME THING AGAIN AND WE'LL GET THE ANSWERS FROM THEM AND SHARE IT OUT. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH TO THIS PANEL . UM, IF YOU CAN'T TELL I'M REALLY EXCITED UM LEARNING HOW TO PLAY SOCCER JUST FOR THIS
SUMMER BUT I THINK UM WE DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY. RIGHT? LIKE AS AS EXCITED AS I AM, I'M ANXIOUS TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS FEEL INCLUDED AND THAT WE ARE MAKING SURE THAT THE WEALTH THAT COMES
THROUGH IS REALLY SHARED AND IN A VERY INTENTIONAL WAY. AND SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. I KNOW THAT THESE CONVERSATIONS ARE ONGOING AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY CHALLENGES ALONG THE WAY. UM, IF YOU ARE ABLE TO STAY FOR AND LISTEN TO THE CITY AND TO
ADDITIONAL PUBLIC TESTIMONY, THAT WILL BE GREAT. UM, BUT I THINK YOU AND WE'LL CONTINUE THIS WORKING CONVERSATION. THANK YOU THANK YOU, THANK YOU. COUNCIL THANK. YOU VERY THANK YOU. UM, IF THE CITY PANEL CAN COME
DOWN I KNOW THAT WE HAVE IN THE AUDIENCE TEN UM FROM THE HIGH PARK MAIN STREETS WHILE THE CITY IS COMING DOWN TO AND IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO OFFER PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT WOULD BE GREAT. UM, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND TWO
MINUTES. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, CAN YOU HEAR ME? PLEASE? >> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. UM, I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT MY NAME IS, UH, TINA SIMPSON.
I AM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HIGH PARK MAIN STREETS. AND IN TERMS OF ACTIVATION WITHIN THE MAIN STREET COMMUNITY THERE'S BEEN TALK ABOUT IT BUT NOTHING REALLY
CONCRETE. I THINK THE ISSUE THAT WE'RE HAVING IS, UM, THE LACK OF RESOURCES THAT ARE COMING INTO OUR MAIN STREET. I HAVE UM, REACHED OUT TO
MEMBERS OF THE MATTAPAN MAIN STREET BOARD TO SEE IF WE CAN DO SOME KIND OF COLLABORATION FOR THE UH, HAITI VERSUS SCOTLAND EVENT AND UH, WE'RE IN
THE EARLY TALKING STAGES BUT THE BIGGEST CONCERN IS HOW DO WE FUND A COMMUNITY WIDE EVENT? UH, IT MIGHT HAVE TO BE SCALED DOWN RIGHT NOW I'M CURRENTLY
TALKING TO OUR LOCAL YMCA OF HAVING A FAMILY A FOR FAMILY DAY BASICALLY, UH, HIGHLIGHTING THE CULTURAL UM THE THE CULTURE
OF SCOTLAND AND THE CULTURE OF HAITI DOING ACTIVITIES THAT REFLECT THAT POSSIBLY UM, YOU KNOW, GETTING SOME BUSINESSES TO PROVIDE UH, CULTURALLY UM
IDENTIFIABLE FOOD THAT REPRESENT THE COUNTRIES AND UM DO SOME SPORT RELATED ACTIVITIES. BUT LIKE I SAID, I THINK THE THE PROBLEM WE'RE HAVING IS RESOURCES AND IN SOME WAYS WE
ARE HAVING BANDWIDTH ISSUE BECAUSE THEY ALREADY HAVE THEIR PROGRAMING IN PLACE FOR THE WHOLE YEAR AND TO ADD ON SOMETHING ELSE TO THEIR PLATE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL RESOURCES IS IS A STRUGGLE FOR THE MAIN
STREETS. UM, IN TERMS OF THE BOSTON 250 WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS SINCE UH LATE LAST YEAR ABOUT HAVING UM HIGH PARK EQUITY
TOURS YOU KNOW, THE UM THE ROBERT SHAW MEMORIAL IS VERY FAMOUS. AND HOW DO WE TIED THAT INTO BRINGING PEOPLE INTO A HIGH PARK AND SHOWCASE CAN'T MIX
WITH THE 54TH REGIMENT. UM, YOU KNOW, TRAINED AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THAT EQUITY TOUR AND THEN BACK TO THE WHOLE ISSUE OF HOW DO WE GET RESOURCES TO DO THIS EVENT.
WE WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BRING TOURISTS INTO HYDE PARK. DO WE ASK THEM TO TAKE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION? DO WE PROVIDE BUSSING? YOU KNOW, WE'LL BE SELLING TICKETS BUT UH, THIS A LOT
OF UH, YOU KNOW, UNCERTAINTY IN TERMS OF HOW DO WE PULL THIS OFF THIS SUMMER BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE RESOURCE ISSUE. SO EVERYTHING THAT WE WANT TO DO BIG PICTURE IS REALLY TONED DOWN TO A SMALLER SCALE JUST SO
WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN WHETHER WE GET RESOURCES OR NOT. YOU KNOW, WE'LL DO SOME FUNDRAISING, MAYBE USE SOME OF OUR OWN UM, PROGRAMING MONEY YOU KNOW, TAKING IT OUT OF ONE BUCKET TO TO HOST THESE THINGS.
BUT UM I JUST HOPE THAT IF THERE ARE RESOURCES FINANCIAL OR EVEN, YOU KNOW, TECHNICAL RESOURCES WE WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT SHARE WITH OUR UM, MAIN STREET DISTRICT.
AND ONE LAST THING REGARDING UM COMMUNICATION TO THE BUSINESSES . SO THERE IS A ONE PAGER THAT IS PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON TO EXPLAIN TO THE BUSINESS WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT DO IN TERMS
OF UM, HAVING WATCH PARTIES AND THAT WAS ACTUALLY SHARED WITH ME, UM WITH MY CITY FROM MY STATE REP ROB CONSALVO. SO I SHARED IT WITH ALL THE MAIN STREET DIRECTOR. I WAS LIKE GUYS HAVE YOU SEEN
THIS? AND THE ANSWER WAS NO, WE HAVEN'T SEEN THIS. SO YOU KNOW WE WANTED TO GET THAT WORD OUT SO THEY CAN SHARE WITH THEIR BUSINESS. I MYSELF WILL BE SENDING THAT
UM ONE PAGER TO ALL THE BUSINESSES AND BE IN CONTACT WITH THEM TO SEE WHAT ARE YOU DOING FOR THAT EVENT BECAUSE I WANT TO PROMOTE THEIR BUSINESS TOO. SO THAT'S YOU KNOW ON A LOCAL LEVEL THAT'S HOW WE'RE TRYING
TO REACH OUT TO THE BUSINESSES TO SEE HOW THEY CAN BE, YOU KNOW, AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN ALL OF THESE WONDERFUL, YOU KNOW, ACTIVITIES THAT'S HAPPENING THIS SUMMER. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TAN UM, AND THANK YOU
FOR THE ADVOCACY THAT YOU'RE DOING ON BEHALF OF THE HYDE PARK COMMUNITY AND MENTIONED A KEYWORD THAT I THINK IS IMPORTANT DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS COLLABORATION. UM, I WANT TO THANK THE ADMIN FOR THE ADMINISTRATION FOR BEING HERE AND FOR LISTENING TO
UM, UH THE FIRST PANEL BECAUSE I THINK IT'S INFORMATIVE IN SOME OF THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THAT WE HAVE. UH, THANK YOU TO DONALD. RIGHT. UH, INTERIM CHIEF OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY INCLUSION PHYLLIS AND DEPUTY
CHIEF OF STAFF OF EXECUTIVE OPERATIONS AND MAYOR'S OFFICE ALEX MEADOW DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS AND MAYOR'S OFFICE. WE HAVEN'T TALKED MUCH ABOUT CELEBRATE 50 BUT GRATEFUL TO HAVE YOU HERE TO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PLAN FOR THAT.
LUKE HINES, SPECIAL PROJECT MANAGER AND EAMONN SHELTON, A COMMISSIONER OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT. UM, I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW THAT WE ALSO HAVE PEOPLE UH A FEW PEOPLE HERE ON PUBLIC
TESTIMONY VIRTUALLY. WHAT WE'LL DO IS I'LL GIVE THIS PANEL OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT RIGHT AFTER THOSE PRESENTATIONS AND BEFORE WE GO INTO QUESTIONS FROM UH, MY COUNCIL COLLEAGUES, WE'LL TAKE THE I KNOW WE HAVE
TWO PEOPLE AT LEAST ON ZOOM WE'LL TAKE THOSE QUICKLY AND THEN WE'LL GO INTO COUNCIL QUESTIONS. UM AND THEN WE WILL ALSO I KNOW WE'VE HAD SOME IN PERSON PUBLIC TESTIMONY. WE'LL PUT THE SHEET BACK OVER THERE. IF ANYBODY IS HERE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND. >> WOULD LIKE. TO. >> UH.
>> TESTIFY PLEASE DO SO. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE COLLEEN REYNOLDS HERE. UM, ONE OF ONE, UH, STAFF ONE IN THE OFFICE OF NIGHTLIFE ECONOMY. I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR ALL OF THE WORK THAT YOU DO ON BEHALF OF OUR CITY AND OUR RESIDENTS TO MAKE
BOSTON A MORE VIBRANT, SAFE CITY. SO THANK YOU, CORINNE REYNOLDS. OKAY. UM, WHOEVER WANTS TO STOP FIRST, YOU CAN START FIRST. AWESOME. >> GOOD MORNING COUNCILOR AND GOOD MORNING CHAIRS. THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING THIS HEARING. UM. >> JUST WANT. >> TO. START BY. THANKING THE.
PANEL THAT CAME BEFORE US. UM, THOSE DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS. UH, IN SAY BOSTON. >> AND WORLD. >> CUP. SPECIFICALLY HAVE BEEN GREAT PARTNERS OF THE CITY. SO JUST APPRECIATE THE COLLABORATION EFFORT OVER THE LAST MANY MONTHS WITH THOSE UH, DIFFERENT GROUPS. BUT AGAIN, GOOD MORNING, CHAIR
AND COUNCILORS, THANK YOU FOR HOSTING THIS VERY IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. ON HOW THE CITY IS WORKING TO ENSURE THAT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE MAJOR EVENTS THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN OUR CITY THIS SUMMER, UH, REACH ALL BUSINESSES ACROSS THE
NEIGHBORHOODS AND WE'RE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE MANY BENEFITS FROM THE INCREASED VISITORS AND ENERGY THESE EVENTS WILL BRING TO OUR CITY. I'M JOINED HERE TODAY BY SEVERAL OF MY COLLEAGUES INCLUDING PHYLLIS SAINT HUBERT,
DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO THE MAYOR RAYMOND SHELTON, COMMISSIONER OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT ALEX MEADOW, DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE. AND DONALD RAY, INTERIM CHIEF OF THE OFFICE OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. AND SIMILAR TO THE GOALS THAT
YOU SHARED EARLY ON, MADAM CHAIR, FROM THE BEGINNING THE MAYOR HAS MADE A CLEAR COMMITMENT TO ENSURE THAT THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF THIS SUMMER REACH EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND AT THE CELEBRATION OF THE ACTIVATIONS TIED TO THESE
EVENTS EXTEND WELL BEYOND DOWNTOWN AND INTO THE COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE CITY. IN A FEW MOMENTS WE'LL SHARE MORE ABOUT THE PLANS THAT WE HAVE IN PLACE TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS AND HIGHLIGHT THE UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES FOR
LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS TO PARTICIPATE AND BENEFIT FROM THESE EVENTS. I WANT TO START QUICKLY BY GOING OVER THE AGENDA FOR TODAY'S HEARING IN THIS PRESENTATION. SO ON THE NEXT SLIDE WE'LL WALK
THROUGH A QUICK TIMELINE OF THE MAJOR EVENTS TAKING PLACE IN THE CITY THIS SUMMER. FROM THERE WE'LL DIVE DEEPER INTO THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS AND ACTIVATIONS THAT WE'RE PLANNING THROUGHOUT THE CITY THIS SUMMER. AND THEN WE'LL TURN IT OVER TO
CHIEF RAY TO TALK A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW THE CITY IS WORKING TO MAXIMIZE THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT THESE EVENTS, UH, PRESENT TO OUR RESIDENTS, PARTICULARLY FOR OUR. LOCAL BUSINESSES.
THIS SLIDE SHOWS UM, THE MAJOR EVENTS AND OBVIOUSLY A VERY BUSY, UH, AND EXCITING SUMMER THAT WE HAVE HERE IN BOSTON. I WANT TO QUICKLY WALK WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE THREE MAJOR MILESTONES THAT WE'LL HAVE HERE
UH, BETWEEN JUNE AND JULY. SO AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE'RE IN THE MIDST OF CELEBRATING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED STATES AND IN A MOMENT ALEX WILL WALK US THROUGH SOME OF THE DETAILS AROUND THE EVENTS THAT WE'RE HOSTING AS
PART OF THAT CELEBRATION. BUT WE START OUR CELEBRATION IN JUNE, UH, WITH THE FIFA WORLD CUP KICKING OFF ON JUNE 11TH AND THE BLACK CIRCLES ON THIS SLIDE INDICATE THE MATCHES THAT WILL BE PLAYED AT GILLETTE
STADIUM OR BOSTON STADIUM AS IT'S BEING NAMED. >> FOR. THIS SUMMER. IN TOTAL THERE WILL BE UH SEVEN MATCHES THAT WILL TAKE PLACE AT BOSTON STADIUM AND FOLLOWING THE WORLD CUP GROUP STAGE MATCHES WE WILL HAVE A LARGER
4TH OF JULY CELEBRATION. UH, IN HONOR OF THE TWO 50TH CELEBRATIONS THIS SUMMER AFTER THE 50TH AND 4TH OF JULY, WE WILL BE EXCITED TO WELCOME TALL SHIPS TO OUR HARBOR WITH THE
EVENT AS DUSTY MENTIONED TAKING PLACE ON THE 10TH WITH THE LARGE PARADE OF SAIL BEING ON JULY 11TH AND THE SHIPS DEPARTING ON THE 16TH AND THEN WE'LL CONCLUDE THE BUSY ACTIVATION WITH THE END OF THE
WORLD CUP. FINAL ON JULY 19TH. WITH THAT I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO. ALEX TO TALK US THROUGH A LITTLE BIT ABOUT. >> THE 250 CELEBRATION. THANK YOU LUKE.
UH THANK YOU. >> MADAME CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNCILORS. UH, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE TODAY. UH, AGAIN I'M. ALEX MEADOW. DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS IN. >> THE. MAYOR'S OFFICE. UH, AND I HAVE BEEN SORT
OF HELPING TO COORDINATE ACROSS THE CITY AND WITH OUR EXTERNAL PARTNERS. UH, AN INITIATIVE. CALLED BOSTON. 250 WHICH. >> HAS BEEN. UM, THE CITY'S APPROACH. >> TO. CELEBRATING THE 250TH. ANNIVERSARY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION HERE.
>> IN BOSTON. UM, I ALSO WANT TO JUST THANK OUR PREVIOUS PANEL. UM, MANY OF WHOM HAVE. BEEN GREAT COLLABORATORS ON EVERYTHING BUT INCLUDING UM. ON THE TWO 50TH.
SO JUST TO SAY BRIEFLY. BEFORE GOING INTO BOSTON 250 AND IT'S GOING TO BE A QUICK OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE'VE COME FROM AND WHERE WE'RE GOING. UM, THIS HAS. >> BEEN A. PARTNERSHIP APPROACH FROM THE BEGINNING. AND SO.
EVERYTHING YOU SEE HERE IS. AROUND THE CITY'S EFFORT TO PARTNER WITH WE HAVE A ROBUST CIVIC AND HISTORICAL COMMUNITY ,NEIGHBORHOOD COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT THE CITY THAT HAS BEEN THINKING ABOUT AND PLANNING FOR. >> THE TO 50TH FOR. SOME UP. >> TO TEN, 15.
20 YEARS. AND SO WE HAVE DONE OUR BEST TO. UH ADD OUR. INPUT AND PRESENCE WHERE POSSIBLE BUT ALSO UPLIFT THINGS THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN IN MOTION FOR MANY YEARS AND LIFT UP, UH, SOME OF THE EFFORTS
THAT FOLKS HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS UM, REAL QUICK ON MISSION. SO WHEN WE HAD A CHANCE TO CONNECT WITH THE MAYOR ON BOSTON TO 50 UH, SHE WAS VERY CLEAR AROUND THREE GOALS UM.
EXPAND BOSTON'S LEGACY, UH, SURPRISE AND DELIGHT WITH STORYTELLING AND CREATE MEMORABLE COMMUNITY EXPERIENCES VERY BRIEFLY UM, EXPAND ON BOSTON'S LEGACY. UH, ONE OF THE PUBLIC
COMMENTERS I THINK MR JOHN LEWIS. MENTIONED THAT. >> UM, HE HAD. UH, TALK TO FOLKS IN ATLANTA ABOUT THE LONG AND HISTORIC PRESENCE OF BLACK FOLKS HERE IN BOSTON. UM, WE THINK THAT'S INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT TO DO AS. PART OF THE TWO 50TH IS TO TELL THE. COMPLETE STORY OF BOSTON. WE KNOW THERE ARE STEREOTYPES AND NARRATIVES OUTSIDE OF BOSTON. WHEN FOLKS COME HERE THEY THINK
IT'S ALL ABOUT LOBSTER LOBSTER ROLLS AND FANEUIL HALL AND WE WANT TO USE THE. 250 F AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF WHEN THEY THINK OF BOSTON'S REVOLUTIONARY PAST AND PRESENT. UM, SECOND SURPRISE AND
DELIGHT. SO UM, WE KNOW THAT THE BICENTENNIAL IS THOUGHT OF TO BE A SORT OF MAJOR MILESTONE AND A SUCCESS FROM 1976.
UM AND PART OF THAT WAS REALLY ON THE NOSE UH. QUEEN OF. >> ENGLAND VISITING BOSTON UM, A LOT OF AMERICAN FLAGS DOWNTOWN. WHAT WE WANT TO DO. >> IS SOME. >> OF THAT BUT ALSO EXPAND THE STORY A LITTLE BIT. SO THAT'S WHY YOU SAW SOME
OF YOU WERE ABLE TO JOIN A DRONE SHOW OVER BOSTON HARBOR TELLING UH, THE STORY OF PAUL REVERE'S RIDE. AND A. >> NEW AND MORE EXCITING WAY THAT WAS AN EFFORT TO ENGAGE MAYBE SOME OF OUR YOUNGER RESIDENTS, SOME FOLKS THAT
MAYBE WOULDN'T SHOW UP UH, TO JUST SEE PAUL REVERE RIDING ON HORSEBACK. BUT WHEN YOU HAVE PAUL REVERE ON HORSEBACK AND A DRONE SHOW, UM, IT SORT OF CHANGES THE VALUE PROPOSITION OF LEARNING ABOUT OUR HISTORY. AND THEN LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
THE MAYOR WAS VERY CLEAR WITH US THAT THIS NEEDS TO BE AS MUCH ABOUT OUR RESIDENTS AS IT IS ABOUT OUR TOURISTS. AND SO HOPEFULLY YOU WILL SEE THESE THREE VALUES THROUGHOUT WHAT I'M ABOUT TO SHARE.
UM, WE'VE ALREADY DONE SOME I THINK THINGS WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF. MANY OF YOU WERE ABLE TO JOIN US FOR THE LAUNCH OF BOSTON 250 LAST APRIL FOR THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF OF BEERS RIDE.
UH, THESE EVENTS SPANNED THROUGHOUT THE NORTH END AND CHARLESTOWN. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOS WHICH IS THE VIEW OF THE DRONE SHOW OVER THE HARBOR FROM THE MONUMENT IN CHARLESTOWN.
UM THOUSANDS OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS WERE ABLE TO ENJOY THE PROGRAMING AND LAUNCH THIS EFFORT IN BOSTON. UH, WE THEN FOLLOWED THAT UP. UH, I DON'T HAVE A PHOTO OF IT BUT BUNKER HILL 250 AND WORKING
WITH MANY LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO REALLY MAXIMIZE THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL. UM, JUST TWO WEEKS AGO WE WERE IN ROXBURY PARTNERING WITH MULTIPLE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS
THERE TO UH, CELEBRATE THE FINAL STOP OF HENRY KNOX AND HIS NOBLE CANNON TRAIN BEFORE THEY GOT TO DORCHESTER HEIGHTS . UH, AND WE USE. THIS OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST TO
RECOGNIZE KNOX BUT ALSO TO RECOGNIZE THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF BLACK. >> AND INDIGENOUS PATRIOTS. >> WHO SERVED IN THE REVOLUTION . UM, AND SORT OF THE LEGACY OF. THAT IN ROXBURY. SO THIS IS JUST ONE. IMAGE FROM WHAT WAS A GREAT
EVENT. IN ROXBURY TWO WEEKS AGO. AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST OF COURSE JUST THIS PAST WEEKEND, UM, CELEBRATING THE 250TH EVACUATION DAY AT DORCHESTER HEIGHTS AND MANY
ASSOCIATED EVENTS AROUND THAT. UM AND SO THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE SO FAR AND I THINK LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER UH, A FEW KEY. THINGS TO HIGHLIGHT. SO ONE.
IS CAMPAIGN GETTING OUT THE WORD ABOUT WHAT WE AND MY COLLEAGUES AND ALL OF THE PARTNERS ARE DOING. WE WILL HAVE A BOSTON 250 BRAND CAMPAIGN LANDING PAGE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ME BOSTON UM
AND SOME ONLINE DIGITAL STORYTELLING CONTENT CELEBRATING THE EVERYDAY REVOLUTIONS OF EVERYDAY REVOLUTIONARIES OF BOSTON'S PAST AND PRESENT. UM SECOND OF ALL, YOU SAW THAT WE HAVE AN EXPERIENTIAL AND
EVENTS BASED ELEMENT. SO WE HAVE ALREADY EXECUTED A NUMBER OF THE MAJOR EVENTS, BUT WE ARE ALSO GOING TO WORK WITH THIS GROUP HERE TO MAKE SURE THERE ARE NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTIES AS PART OF THE MAYOR'S
BLOCK PARTIES PROGRAM THAT UM HAVE AN ANGLE TOWARDS THE 250 AND ALSO SOCCER THIS SUMMER AS WELL AS EXPANDING THE FILMS IN THE PARKS PROGRAM TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A UM
REVOLUTIONARY BENT TO SOME OF THE FILMS AND UH, HISTORICAL FILMS SO THAT PEOPLE ARE UM EXPERIENCING THE 250 THROUGH EXISTING PROGRAMING. LAST BUT NOT LEAST THE 4TH
OF JULY. UM, AS MANY PEOPLE HERE KNOW UM, THE CONCERT FOR THE BOSTON POPS AND THE FIREWORKS ON THE ESPLANADE IS THE SIGNATURE
EVENT ON THE 4TH OF JULY. UM, THAT IS UH, DCR AND STATE EVENT IN WHICH THE CITY IS A CLOSE IN PARTNER. SO WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE STATE AND PARTNERS AND THE
BSO ON WHAT IS UH, GOING TO BE A WE HOPE THE LARGEST AND MOST SUCCESSFUL UH, FIREWORKS AND CONCERT ON THE ESPLANADE. UH, BUT FROM THE CITY SIDE WE
ALSO HAVE OUR ANNUAL UH 4TH OF JULY PARADE, THE READING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE FROM THE OLD STATEHOUSE BALCONY AND THE FANEUIL HALL ORATION. AND SO WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH PARTNERS AND THE STATE TO
ENSURE THAT THE 4TH OF JULY, UM, IS REALLY ADDITIVE AMONG ALL OF THE OTHER PIECES GOING ON THIS SUMMER. THE LAST BUT NOT LEAST PIECE IS OUR MARKERS PROGRAM, UH, WHICH WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT AND
I THINK SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO THE PURPOSE OF THIS HEARING TODAY, UM, WE HAD AN ANALYSIS WITH PARTNERS THAT THERE ARE SOME OUTSTANDING MARKERS AND MONUMENTS HERE IN THE CITY
AROUND OUR HISTORY. UNFORTUNATELY MANY OF THEM ARE. VERY HYPER FOCUSED. DOWNTOWN AND UM, FRANKLY 18TH CENTURY WHITE MEN WHO PLAYED A ROLE IN THE REVOLUTION OR THE
NATION'S FOUNDING. AND WE SEE THIS. NEW PROGRAM AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND THE PURVIEW OF HISTORIC MARKERS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. UH, I WANT TO THANK
COUNCILOR FLYNN, WHO IS A COMMISSIONER ON THE BROWN FUND, UM, WHO HELPED TO SORT OF MOVE FORWARD ELEMENTS OF THIS MARKERS PROGRAM. SO WE NOW HAVE A COMMUNITY GRANTS PORTAL OPEN ON THE BROWN
FUND WEBSITE AND ON THE BOSTON 250 WEBSITE WHERE COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY CAN APPLY TO RECEIVE FUNDS, UH, TO DO RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AROUND WHAT SHOULD BE MARKED IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES. UH, AND THEN WE HAVE ANOTHER ALLOCATION THAT WAS APPROVED BY COUNCILOR FLYNN AND THE BROWN FUND COMMISSION, UH, TO ACTUALLY FABRICATE AND PLACE NEW MARKERS ACROSS THE CITY, SOME OF WHICH WILL GET DONE IN
TIME FOR, UH, THE JULY INFLUX OF TOURISTS. AND SO, UH, THAT'S WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT TO SEE FROM BOSTON TO 50 OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS. AND I APPRECIATE THE TIME AND I WILL, UM, PASS IT.
BACK TO LUKE. AWESOME. >> THANK YOU ALEX AND THANKS FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING ON THE TWO 50TH. UM, SO JUST GOING BACK TO SOME OF THE DIFFERENT WORLD CUP ACTIVATIONS UH, AND WE TOUCHED UPON THIS BRIEFLY IN THE
PREVIOUS PANEL BUT UM, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, THE OFFICIAL FIFA FAN FESTIVAL HOSTED BY BOSTON 26 WILL TAKE PLACE HERE ON CITY HALL PLAZA. UM, THIS FIFA FAN FESTIVAL WILL
BE FREE, PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE EVENT OPEN TO BOTH RESIDENTS AND MANY VISITORS THAT ARE COMING TO THE CITY AND WILL SERVE AS THE MAIN DOWNTOWN ACTIVATION ZONE DURING THE WORLD CUP EVENT. IT WILL BE A PLACE WHERE FANS
CAN GATHER, WATCH WORLD CUP MATCHES ON LARGE SCREENS, PARTICIPATE IN PROGRAMING AND CULTURAL ACTIVATIONS AND ENJOY FOOD AND BEVERAGE OFFERINGS. THE EVENT IS DESIGNED TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS AND VISITORS
HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPERIENCE AND PARTICIPATE IN THE WORLD CUP ACTIVITIES, EVEN IF THEY'RE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND MATCHES AT BOSTON STADIUM CURRENTLY, WE ANTICIPATE THAT THE FAN FESTIVAL WILL BE OPEN
FOR 17 DAYS OF ACTIVATION FROM JUNE 11TH THROUGH JUNE 29TH AND THE CITY AND BOSTON 26 ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH SEVERAL LOGISTICAL DETAILS SUCH AS THE HOURS OF OPERATION AND SPECIFIC
ACTIVATION DAYS WHICH WE EXPECT TO ANNOUNCE IN THE COMING WEEKS AFTER WE FINALIZE THE LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH. BOSTON 26. SIMILARLY, AS WE TALKED ABOUT, ONE OF THE MAJOR GOALS IS TO ENSURE THAT THE ACTIVATION FOR
THE WORLD CUP. >> ISN'T. JUST HERE IN DOWNTOWN BUT ALSO THROUGHOUT THE CITY IN MANY OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO WHAT YOU SEE ON THIS SLIDE HERE IS OUR UM, YOU KNOW, PROPOSAL TO DO JUST THAT. THE CITY IS UM, CREATING AN
EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT THE CELEBRATION EXTENDS BEYOND DOWNTOWN AND INTO NEIGHBORHOODS ACROSS THE CITY. AND WE'RE PLANNING SIX NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PARTIES DURING THE WORLD CUP. THESE WATCH PARTIES WILL BE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
JUST LIKE FAN FEST AND WILL TAKE PLACE IN PARKS ACROSS THE CITY. WE'VE WORKED WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION PERSONNEL TO ALIGN ON THESE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN, AND THESE
EVENTS WILL CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL VENDORS, FOOD TRUCKS AND ALSO GIVING FAMILIES, RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO BRING A BLANKET, GATHER TOGETHER AND ENJOY THE MATCH IN A COMMUNITY SETTING.
AS YOU CAN SEE ON THE SLIDE, A FEW OF THESE GAMES HAVE NOT YET BEEN FINALIZED AS THE FULL LIST OF TEAMS FOR THE TOURNAMENT HAS NOT BEEN SOLIDIFIED AFTER THOSE TEAMS PLAY THEIR FINAL QUALIFYING MATCH LATER THIS MONTH, WE'LL HAVE A BETTER
SENSE OF WHICH. TEAMS WILL BE QUALIFYING. FOR THE TOURNAMENT. AND UM. SOLIDIFY THE LIST OF TEAMS THAT WILL. SHOW THE. WATCH PARTIES FOR. THE GAMES HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW ON THE SCREEN REPRESENT THE MATCHES THAT WE'VE ALREADY
CONFIRMED THE CITY WILL HOST A WATCH PARTY FOR AND THE TEAMS WITH THE ASTERISKS NEXT TO THEIR NAMES ARE STILL THE TEAMS THAT NEED TO QUALIFY TO DEVELOP THIS INITIAL LIST OF TEAMS. WE LOOKED AT THE TEAMS THAT
HAVE ALREADY QUALIFIED OR LIKELY TO QUALIFY AND CONSIDERED AND CONSIDERED THE LARGE COMMUNITIES AND DIASPORAS REPRESENTED HERE IN BOSTON WITH THE GOAL OF CREATING WATCH PARTIES THAT REFLECT AND CELEBRATE THOSE COMMUNITIES.
THE THREE REMAINING WATCH PARTIES AS I MENTIONED WILL BE FINALIZED ONCE ADDITIONAL TEAMS QUALIFY, BUT THE CITY IS COMMITTED TO HOSTING AT LEAST SIX OF THESE EVENTS AND ENSURING THAT LOCAL VENDORS AND BUSINESSES HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CELEBRATION. SIMILARLY, IN ANOTHER EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT RESIDENTS HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THE EXCITEMENT OF THIS SUMMER, THE CITY IS EXPANDING FUNDING
FOR TWO EXISTING GRANT PROGRAMS BOTH THE BLOCK PARTY GRANT PROGRAM TO THE OFFICE OF CIVIC ORGANIZING AND THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS GRANT PROGRAM THROUGH THE OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE WILL RECEIVE ADDITIONAL FUNDING THIS YEAR TO SUPPORT
NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVATIONS. ACROSS THE CITY. THESE PROGRAMS WILL PROVIDE MICRO GRANT OPTIONS, WHICH WILL ALLOWS THE CITY TO DISTRIBUTE FUNDING TO AS MANY COMMUNITIES AND NEIGHBORHOODS EVENTS AS POSSIBLE THROUGHOUT THE SUMMER
. THIS YEAR THE GRANT GUIDELINES WILL BE EXTENDED TO INCLUDE LANGUAGE THAT ALLOWS FOR FUNDING TO SUPPORT ACTIVITIES CONNECTED TO THE WORLD CUP 250 CELEBRATIONS AND SAIL BOSTON
TALL SHIPS EVENTS. WHILE THE GRANT APPLICATIONS ARE STILL NOT YET TO BE OPEN, WE ANTICIPATE POSTING THESE OPPORTUNITIES IN THE COMING WEEKS AND WILL MAKE SURE THAT RESIDENTS AND THIS COUNCIL KNOWS ABOUT. THOSE OPPORTUNITIES WHEN THEY'RE AVAILABLE.
I WOULD NOW LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO CHIEF DONALD WRIGHT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT HOW WE'RE ENSURING WE TAKE ADVANTAGE AND PREPARE FOR THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THIS SUMMER PREVENTS DONALD OVERDUE. THANKS, LUKE.
>> GOOD MORNING, MADAM CHAIR. COUNCILOR FLYNN. AND COUNCILOR WEBER. MY NAME IS DONALD WRIGHT. I'M THE INTERIM CHIEF OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY AND INCLUSION. I WANT TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS TO
EXPLAIN A BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT OUR CABINET IS DOING TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE CAPITALIZING ON THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE EVENTS TAKING PLACE THIS SUMMER PRESENTS FOR THE CITY AND OUR
LOCAL BUSINESSES. I WANT I WANT TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS. YOU KNOW WHAT? EXCUSE ME? IN ORDER TO SOLICIT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT WHICH BUSINESSES ARE INTERESTED IN
PARTICIPATING AND OR HOSTING ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THE WORLD CUP, WE LAUNCHED THE SMALL BUSINESS SURVEY AND EXCITED ABOUT THE RESULTS WE HAD OVER 200 BUSINESSES RESPONDED TO THE
SURVEY. ONE THIRD OF THOSE BUSINESSES WERE RESTAURANTS. MORE THAN 66 BUSINESSES SAID THAT THEY ARE PLANNING TO SHOW AT LEAST ONE WORLD CUP MATCH.
THE CITY IS USING THESE RESPONSES TO HELP IDENTIFY PROGRAMS THAT COULD HELP SUPPORT THESE BUSINESSES AND ENSURE THAT THEY ARE PREPARED FOR THE INFLUX OF VISITORS THIS SUMMER.
ONE CONCEPT WE'RE EXPLORING IS THE CREATION OF A SMALL BUSINESS GUIDE AND WHICH HIGHLIGHTS RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES ACROSS BOSTON THAT VISITORS SHOULD TRY PARTICULARLY THOSE HOSTING UH,
PROGRAMING DURING THE WORLD CUP. THE GOAL OF THIS GUIDE IS TO ENSURE VISITORS WHO MAY BE STAYING DOWNTOWN TO EXPLORE BUSINESSES AND NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
ANOTHER IDEA WE'RE CONSIDERING IS THE POTENTIAL LEGISLATION CHANGES LEGISLATIVE CHANGES SUCH AS TEMPORARY EXTENSION OF ENTERTAINMENT HOURS AND THE CREATION OF SOCIAL DISTRICTS TO
HELP BUSINESSES ACTIVATE THEIR SPACES AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE INCREASING ACTIVITY IN THE CITY. ULTIMATELY ULTIMATELY, THESE PROGRAMS ARE DESIGNED TO ENSURE BUSINESSES ARE PREPARED FOR THE
INFLUX OF VISITORS AND THAT THE CITY FULLY CAPTURES THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES THIS SUMMER, ADVANCING THE MAYOR'S GOAL OF DELIVERING BENEFITS FOR BUSINESSES ACROSS BOSTON'S NEIGHBORHOOD.
ANOTHER WAY WE ARE WORKING TO CAPTURE THE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY CREATED BY THE SUMMER EVENTS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES IS THROUGH A VENDOR PROGRAM SELL BOSTON. YOU HEARD THE MENTION A BIT
ABOUT THAT PROGRAM UH, AS WELL UM, AS LUKE MENTIONED EARLIER ABOUT TALL SHIPS UH THAT WILL BE IN A PORT JULY 10TH THROUGH THE 16TH UH, WHICH THE PARADE
OF SALE IS TAKING PLACE ON JULY 11TH UM, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO BE THE LARGEST EVENT DAY THE SUPPORTED EVENT THE CITY RELEASED AN RFP FOR VENDOR PARTICIPATION.
I'M SORRY, JUST WHAT WAS IT WHAT WAS THAT DATE AGAIN? THE LAST. EVENT DE. UM UH, JULY 11TH WHICH IS THE YEAH PARADE A SALE THAT UH TOE SO TO SUPPORT THE EVENT THE CITY RELEASED AN RFP FOR VENDOR
FOR ID VENDING PROGRAM. THE PROGRAM IS STRUCTURED SO THAT THE SELECTED VENDOR WILL MANAGE AND SUBCONTRACT VENDING OPPORTUNITIES IN OTHER UH BUSINESSES, INCLUDING BOTH FOOD AND MERCHANDISE VENDORS.
WE'RE EXCITED TO ANNOUNCE THAT THE SOCIAL BUTTERFLIES AND MINORITY UH, WOMEN OWNED BUSINESS WAS AWARDED THE CONTRACT AND IS CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF IDENTIFYING UH VENDORS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE
PROGRAM. BUSINESSES THAT ARE INTERESTED IN PARTICIPATING SHOULD BE CONTACTING PAGE AT INFO UH TBS EVENTS FOR MORE INFORMATION. SO WE'RE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE. IS THAT THE COMPLETE PRESENTATION OKAY THANK YOU, THANK YOU. UM UH. INTERIM CHIEF THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU'RE DOING ESPECIALLY STEPPING UP IN THIS MOMENT.
WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU AND THANK YOU. LOOKS AT PRESENTATION. UM, I'M GOING TO, UH, GIVE MYSELF I SAID THAT WE WERE GOING TO GO TO THE THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE. VIRTUALLY FOR PUBLIC.
TESTIMONY SO LET'S HEAR THEM EACH FOR TWO MINUTES APIECE AND THEN WE'LL GO TO QUESTIONS FROM UM MY COLLEAGUES AND I CALLED TO ME UM OKAY.
UM FIRST UP WE HAVE WHEN COONEY SENT YOU HAVE THE FLOOR FOR TWO MINUTES OF PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
HI. >> THANK YOU CONSTANTLY. THIS IS WHEN COONEY, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I CAN HEAR YOU. ASK FOR THE FLOOR IN TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, MY NAME IS ONE COONEY SHEEHAN. AS I STATED, I'M THE CEO AND
CO-FOUNDER OF AN ORGANIZATION CALLED POLITICKING. WE'RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED AS EVERYONE HAS MENTIONED ABOUT THE WORLD CUP SERIES, PARTICULARLY SURROUNDING HAITI
,WHICH WE KNOW IS GOING TO BE A LANDMARK MULTICULTURAL ACTIVATION MARKING HAITI SECOND EVER APPEARANCE IN THE WORLD CUP. WE'RE PARTICULARLY EXCITED WITH BOSTON'S INVOLVEMENT IN THIS.
AS WE KNOW BOSTON HAS ONE OF THE LARGEST HAITIAN POPULATIONS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES AND THAT A LARGE PORTION OF THE CONGLOMERATE OF THE DIASPORA IS
FOCUSED THERE. WE'RE WORKING ALONGSIDE THE HAITIAN GOVERNMENT. TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DIASPORA POWER BUILDING, ENSURE THAT THIS IS
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HISTORICAL AND ARCHIVAL PRESERVATION FOR THE HAITI WORLD CUP AND TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR CIVIC AND NATIONAL RECONNECTION WITH HAITIAN AMERICAN ENGAGEMENT
ALONGSIDE HAITIAN CIVIC IDENTITY. AND SO WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR COLLABORATE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERS THROUGH THE CITY OF BOSTON TO ENSURE THAT WE CAN MAKE THIS HAPPEN. UM, I HAD THE PLEASURE
OF SPEAKING WITH THE COUNSELOR YESTERDAY, UM, AND REALLY TRYING TO WORK ON PLANNING ON HOW WE CAN HISTORICALLY ARCHIVE THIS PARTICULAR APPEARANCE IN THE WORLD CUP FOR HAITI.
UM, HAITI HAS APPEARED ONCE BEFORE BUT AS YOU PROBABLY HAVE SEEN, THERE'S NOT BEEN A GOOD HISTORICAL ARCHIVE OF. WHAT THAT. ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE BACK IN THE 1970S WHEN HAITI FIRST APPEARED
. AND SO WHILE WE'RE SUPER EXCITED THAT THE CITY OF BOSTON IS PLANNING TO HOST SO MANY OF THESE EVENTS, WE THINK IT'S EQUALLY IF NOT MORE IMPORTANT THAT WE ARCHIVE AND PRESERVE
THAT THESE EVENTS ARE HAPPENING . WE WANT TO DO THAT THROUGH ORAL HISTORY OF THE PLAYERS THEMSELVES AS WELL AS THE COMMUNITY CHANGEMAKERS THAT ARE PUTTING ON THESE EVENTS. WE WANT TO WORK SIDE ALONGSIDE
THE HAITIAN GOVERNMENT AND DIGNITARIES AS WELL AS THE CITY OFFICIALS FROM BOSTON TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS A DREAM THAT'S BROUGHT TO REALITY. SO UM, WE WANT TO LEAVE OUR
EMAIL HERE. THAT'S WHEN HYPHEN Q AND I AT POLITICKING APP.COM IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH US
ON NOT ONLY THROWING EVENTS BUT ARCHIVING THE HISTORICAL COMPONENT OF THE UM WORLD CUP PARTICULARLY FOR HAITI, WE'D LOVE TO TALK TO FURTHER PARTNERS IN THAT.
SO THANK YOU AND I YIELD THE TIME. THANK YOU. AND COONEY, THANK YOU FOR JOINING US AND THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR UM, IDEAS AND HARD WORK AND SUPPORT OF UH UH, HAITI IN THE WORLD CUP.
UH, WE HAVE WE HAD ANOTHER PERSON ON FOR ZOOM TESTIMONY THEY DO NOT APPEAR TO BE ON. AT THE MOMENT. AND SO IF THEY JOIN WE WILL ADD THEM OKAY.
BUT WE WILL NOW MOVE ON TO UH TO COUNCIL QUESTIONS. I'M GOING TO GIVE UH FIVE MINUTES AGAIN AND I'M GOING TO SAY THANK YOU TO UH THE
ADMINISTRATION FOR UM WHAT YOU STATED AND WHAT YOU'VE OFFERED. UH, WHAT. DO WE HAVE LIKE WHAT RIGHT NOW ONE. PORTAL WHERE PEOPLE. >> CAN GO AND FIND OUT INFORMATION ABOUT THESE THREE
MAJOR EVENTS AND HOW AS BUSINESSES THEY CAN ACCESS AND IF SO CAN YOU UPLIFT WHAT THAT IS. HAPPY JUST HAPPY. >> TO. START AND. >> PASS IT OVER TO PHYLLIS. SO UM THANKS FOR THE QUESTION COUNSELOR. SO YEAH, WE ARE STANDING UP A
SUMMER EVENTS WEBSITE WHICH WILL KIND OF BE THE HOME OF INFORMATION BEGINNING. UP BUT SO IT'S NOT STOOD UP YET BUT IT WILL BE STOOD UP. IT SHOULD BE SORT OF BY THE END OF THE DAY TODAY UM OUR GOAL WAS TO HAVE IT UP BY THE END OF THIS WEEK.
UM, AND THE PLAN FOR THAT IS TO BE A PORTAL OF UH INFORMATION FOR ALL OF THE MAJOR EVENTS HAPPENING IN THE CITY. IT WILL BE A LANDING PAGE. YOU'LL BE ABLE TO ACCESS DIFFERENT INFORMATION RELATED TO THE WORLD CUP TALL SHIPS, UH ,AND ALSO INFORMATION ABOUT
HOW TO GET INVOLVED. UM, THAT WILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, DIRECT ACCESS TO THE SMALL BUSINESS PORTAL, UH, IN THE SURVEY TO CONTINUE TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CITY ON ALL OF THESE DIFFERENT EVENTS. THANK YOU.
UM, AS DONNA I CHIEF WRIGHT, I KNOW YOU TALKED ABOUT FOR EXAMPLE THE THAT TSB THE SOCIAL BUTTERFLIES BEING THE ONES MANAGING FOR UH UH SALE BOSTON
WHAT ABOUT WITH FIFA SPECIFICALLY? I THINK THAT ALSO PRESENTS THAT THERE ALSO GREAT OPPORTUNITIES WE TALKED ABOUT THE LAST YEAR I KNOW YOU WERE NOT HERE IT WAS YOUR YOUR PREDECESSOR. WE TALKED ABOUT LAUNCHING A
TEMPORARY BUSINESS SUPPORT PROGRAM THAT WE CAN YOU WE USED FOR OTHER MAJOR EVENTS. I DON'T KNOW IF ANYTHING LIKE THAT HAS BEEN THINKING ABOUT. SO WE'RE WE'RE DEFINITELY TALKING ABOUT HOW WE CAN ENGAGE
FIFA MORE SPECIFICALLY UH WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM. SO MOST RECENTLY WE UH, GATHERED ALL OF THE FOOD TRUCK FOOD CART VENDORS APPROVED IN THE CITY AND PROVIDED THAT INFORMATION OVER TO THE FOLKS
THERE. BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO ENGAGE AND SEE HOW WE CAN FIND THOSE OPPORTUNITIES. I KNOW THAT, UM, FIFA HAS CONTROL OF OF THE PLAZA AREA IN OF HIMSELF UH, THROUGH THAT
LICENSE AGREEMENT. BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT THAT SPECIFIC OPPORTUNITY AS WELL AS PARTNERING WITH SOME OF THE DOWNTOWN EFFORTS AS WELL. SO WITH MICHAEL AND HIS TEAM OKAY. I'LL LOOK I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU ABOUT THE CITY GRANTS.
YOU KNOW, A PART OF ME WANT TO UM IS IT THE THERE'S A BLOCK PARTY GRANTS UH, THERE'S A CULTURAL CELEBRATION GRANT. SO IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S NOTHING CARVED OUT SPECIFICALLY FOR THE, UM, EVENTS OF SUMMER
BUT PEOPLE WHO WANT TO HELP LET'S SAY IF IT'S THE MAIN STREETS. RIGHT? I'VE HEARD FROM HYDE PARK, MATTAPAN FIELDS CORNER MAIN STREETS ALL HAVE REALLY GREAT IDEAS AND THINGS THAT THEY WANT TO DO AND ACTIVATE THE
COMMUNITIES THEY WOULD HAVE TO APPLY TO ONE OF THESE GRANTS. SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A SPECIFIC FEE FOR GRANT THAT YOU'RE PLANNING. IT WOULD BE ONE OF THESE GRANTS. WHAT HAVE BEEN THE AMOUNTS THAT WE'VE GIVEN OUT FOR THESE
GRANTS IN THE PAST? SO DEPENDS ON UM EACH YEAR. SO FOR BLOCK PARTIES $750 UP TO A THOUSAND FOR THE CULTURAL AFFAIRS THEY GOES UP TO $5,000.
SO WE'RE TRYING TO INCREASE WITH OUR BUDGET CONSTRAINTS THIS YEAR SO THAT WE CAN EITHER HAVE MORE PEOPLE GET MORE GRANTS OR THAT THERE'S MORE MONEY IN THE GRANTS THAT ARE UH ,AWARDED.
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE LINE ITEM AMOUNT FOR THESE GRANTS WILL BE FOR THIS YEAR? NOT YET. OKAY. UH, JUST ADD YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN IN MY OFFICE, UH, OBVIOUSLY AND WE'VE HEARD THE ADVOCACY WE'VE HEARD THE ADVOCACY FROM TESTIMONY THAT
THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST HERE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE BRINGING THIS TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THERE'S A LOT OF INTEREST IN THAT ON THE COUNCIL AS WELL IN SUPPORT OF, UM, ROBUST LINE ITEMS THAT CAN HELP US BRING THE WORLD CUP.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, TOWNSHIPS TO COMMUNITY. UH, JUST YOU TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT SHE WAS DOING. SO I JUST WANTED TO EMPHASIZE THAT, UM, UH, YOU KNOW, PARTICULARLY AROUND FAN FEST
THAT'S GOING TO BE HERE AT CITY HALL. UH, WHAT WORK HAVE WE DONE TO ENSURE THAT FAN FEST IS ALSO GOING TO BE REFLECTIVE OF THE THE CULTURES THAT ARE PLAYING HERE AND THE PEOPLE WHO WILL BE
IN ENJOYING A FAN FEST? SOME INITIAL CONVERSATIONS THAT I'VE HAD AROUND FAN FEST MAKES IT SEEM AS THOUGH IT'S GOING TO BE A PRETTY SORT OF BLUNT ROBOTIC EVENT AND I WANT TO
MAKE SURE THAT IT IS INFUSED EITHER WITH FOOD OR CULTURE. UH, OTHER ELEMENTS FROM THE GROUPS THAT TEAMS THAT WILL BE PLAYING HERE AND THE GROUPS THAT ARE REPRESENTED HERE WHO LIKE CAPE VERDE FOR EXAMPLE,
WHO WON'T BE PLAYING HERE BUT HAS A LARGE COMMUNITY HERE I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT FAN FEST IS REFLECTIVE OF ALL OF THEM. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILOR. AND WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS UM, HELPING TO COMPILE A LIST OF DIFFERENT PROGRAMING
OPPORTUNITIES WHETHER THAT BE UM DIFFERENT CITY CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS OR LOCAL TALENT THAT WE HAVE. UM AND WE'RE WORKING WITH BOSTON 26 TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT LIST OF DIFFERENT FOLKS SO THAT THEY CAN UH, HELP ENSURE
THAT THE DIFFERENT UM, CITY GROUPS THAT WE HAVE AND THE DIFFERENT UM, CELEBRITIES WE HAVE HERE IN OUR CITY ARE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE AND PERFORM AT THE FAN FEST ITSELF. SO WORKING TO COMPILE THAT LIST WITH UM DIFFERENT CITY
DEPARTMENTS UM THROUGH THE LEADERSHIP OF CHIEF KENNY MASCARA FROM THE ARTS OFFICE OF ARTS AND CULTURE AND WE'LL PASS THAT LIST ALONG TO BOSTON 26 TO INCORPORATE INTO THE FESTIVAL. THANK YOU. >> AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, PHILADELPHIA'S INTENTION USING THE WORLD CUP PLANNING TO
HIGHLIGHT AND PROMOTE BLACK AND BROWN BUSINESSES SPECIFICALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT OVER $1 BILLION TO OUR COMMUNITY. THIS IS MY LAST QUESTION. I'LL MOVE ON TO MY COLLEAGUES. UM, WHAT IS THE INTENTIONALITY
THAT WE ARE DOING SPECIFICALLY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE UPLIFTING BUSINESSES THAT ARE USUALLY MARGINALIZED? UH, IN TERMS OF OUTREACH? UM, AND I YOU KNOW, MY CABINET IS BROAD AND SO WE HAVE SMALL
BUSINESS BUT I LIKE TO TOUCH ON A LITTLE BIT OF THE WORK THAT OUR LICENSING TEAM. IS DOING. SO THEY'VE BEEN PROACTIVELY REACHING OUT TO SMALL BUSINESSES GIVING THEM SORT OF A ROADMAP SO THEY CHOOSE TO HOST AN EVENT OR ACTIVITIES.
WE HAVE UH VIRTUAL OFFICE HOURS EVERY OTHER WEDNESDAY FOR SOME OF THE BUSINESSES AS WELL. AND WE'RE ALSO CONDUCTING UH, PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING WITH UH THE UH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, IN NEIGHBORHOOD AND
DOWNTOWN CORRIDORS. OKAY. >> ANYONE ELSE BEFORE I MOVE ON TO MY COLLEAGUES. ALL RIGHT. UM, THERE WILL BE A SECOND ROUND. I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO MY, UH ,COLLEAGUES. UH, COUNCILOR FLYNN, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND FIVE MINUTES.
THANK YOU. >> I ALSO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALEX FOR MENTIONING THE HISTORIC MARCUS, UH, PROJECT THAT I WAS WORKING ON IN. MY MAIN FOCUS ON THAT WAS TO ENSURE THAT, UH, PERSONS WITH
DISABILITIES AND VETERANS ARE ALSO INCLUDED, UM, IN THIS PROUD HISTORY IN BOSTON PEOPLE OF COLOR AS WELL. SO, UM, THANK YOU FOR WORKING WITH WITH ME ON THAT.
UM, SECOND POINT FAN MARCHES THROUGHOUT THE NEIGHBORHOODS UH ,HAVEN'T BEEN NOTIFIED ABOUT THEM. RUMOR HAS IT THERE'S ONE THAT'S TAKING PLACE AT MEDAL OF HONOR PARK IN SOUTH BOSTON.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT PARTICULAR MARCH, PLEASE. YEAH. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE QUESTION, COUNCILOR. SO, UM, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH THAT WE PROPOSED THREE DIFFERENT FAN ,UH, MARCHES THERE ARE NO CONCRETE PLANS OR SOLIDIFIED
ROUTES UH, IN PLACE YET. UM, THESE ARE ONLY PROPOSED ROUTES AND WE'RE STILL VETTING THESE DIFFERENT ROUTES WITH CITY AND STATE PUBLIC SAFETY AND TRANSPORTATION AGENCIES, UH, AND GETTING IN CONTACT AS NEIL MENTIONED EARLIER WITH THE
DIFFERENT FAN ORGANIZATIONS IN THE PMA TO BETTER UNDERSTAND. IS THAT IS THAT ONE OF THESE SITES THAT IS GOING TO BE CONSIDERED. SO IT'S ONE OF THE PROPOSED ROUTES. BUT AGAIN AS I MENTIONED THEY'RE NOT SOLIDIFIED.
WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE ENGAGING ALL THEIR APPROPRIATE STAKEHOLDERS BEFORE DOING. THAT I CAN SPEAK FOR MY RESIDENTS MY NEIGHBORS IN SOUTH BOSTON WE DON'T WANT THE SITE AT METAL HAVE ON A PARK. WE JUST PUT MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
INTO THE PARK TO FIX IT UP. UM, MAYOR MAYOR WALSH AND MAYOR WILL UM I DON'T WANT TO SEE A MARCH START OUT THERE.
WE ALSO CAN'T CLOSE DOWN FIRST STREET SUMMER STREET, WHICH IS A MAJOR TRACK ROAD, UH, FOR THE CONNOLLY TERMINAL, UM, WHERE WE UNLOAD SHIPS, UM, CARGO INTO
BOSTON AND INTO ONE GOING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. UM, I THINK IT'S A PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. I DON'T WANT TO SEE THE FLYNN CRUISE TERMINAL CLOSED DOWN EITHER BECAUSE OF THAT.
COULD YOU TAKE THAT THAT SITE OFF THE BOOKS PLEASE? YEAH, WE'LL DEFINITELY TAKE INTO THIS FEEDBACK INTO CONSIDERATION WHILE WORKING WITH THOSE OTHER STAKEHOLDER GROUPS FOR SURE. NO NO MY POINT IS I DON'T WANT TO SEE US USE THAT SITE.
OKAY WE UNDERSTAND. OKAY WHERE ELSE IN DISTRICT TWO ARE YOU LOOKING TO START START MATCHES. SO THE OTHER TWO PROPOSED UH MARCH LOCATIONS ONE STARTS AT UM BOSTON COMMON. ONE WOULD START FROM CITY HALL
PLAZA AND AS NEIL MENTIONED ALL OF THOSE ROUTES WOULD END AT SOUTH STATION. BUT AGAIN THOSE ROUTES STILL ARE UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND WE HAVE PROPOSED ROUTES BUT WANT TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE FAN ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL MARCH AND WORK WITH OUR PUBLIC SAFETY
AND TRANSPORTATION PERSONNEL AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ROUTES ARE APPROPRIATE BEFORE SOLIDIFYING . COUNSELOR, DO YOU. >> PLAN TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY? YEAH. >> BEFORE ANY ROUTE THAT GETS TAKEN PLACE WE'LL MAKE SURE TO NOTIFY COMMUNITY MEMBERS OF ALL
THE IMPACTS. YEAH, I WANT US TO WORK WITH THE COMMUNITY BEFORE THAT TAKES PLACE. I WANT US TO WORK WITH THE ELECTED OFFICIALS BEFORE THAT BEFORE THOSE CONVERSATIONS TAKE PLACE.
WE HAVEN'T DONE THAT YET. UM, IT SEEMS LIKE WE'RE A LITTLE LATE DOING THAT. I THINK WE'VE BEEN DOING UM, MEETINGS WITH I THINK YOURS MAY BE SCHEDULED FOR NEXT WEEK. WE'VE BEEN DOING ONE ON ONE WITH CITY COUNCILORS.
WE'VE ALREADY DONE THE STATE LEGISLATURE SO NOT AGAIN NOTHING HAS BEEN SOLIDIFIED. YOU'VE DONE YOU'VE DONE THESE WITH CITY COUNCILS. WE ARE YEAH ALL OF THEM ARE SHOULD BE SCHEDULED BY NOW AND I THINK YOURS MIGHT BE NEXT WEEK.
OKAY WHAT'S MONDAY. WHAT CITY COUNCILS HAVE YOU MET WITH? UM I DON'T HAVE THE FULL LIST BUT OH. JUST JUST TELL ME ONE PERSON. UM, COUNCILOR PEPPER WEBER WE'VE DONE.
>> ABOUT THE MARCHES. YES, ALL THE ALL OF US. SO ANYTHING. THE ONLY CHALLENGES OF THESE ARE HAPPENING IN MY DISTRICT AND I HAVEN'T BEEN PART OF THE CONVERSATION THEN. YES. >> SO WE WILL WE HAVE THAT FOR
MONDAY. OKAY. >> I'M DISAPPOINTED THAT I HAVEN'T BEEN INCLUDED IN MY NEIGHBORS HAVEN'T BEEN INCLUDED IN THESE DISCUSSIONS. YEAH WE ARE WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY WE ARE SCHEDULING. NOTHING HAS BEEN SOLIDIFIED.
UM I KNOW THERE'S ALSO A PUBLIC SAFETY HEARING THE COUNCILOR FITZ'S UM CHAIRING NEXT WEEK AND SO ALL OF THAT IS STILL EVERYTHING STILL. WELL WHEN SOMEONE MARCH WHEN
WHEN THEY GO TO A PARTICULAR SITE SAY MEDAL OF HONOR PARK HOW WILL THEY GET THERE? SO AGAIN, COUNCILOR, THE REASON THAT THESE ROUTES HAVEN'T BEEN SOLIDIFIED YET IS WE ARE STILL WORKING THROUGH ALL OF THOSE
OPERATIONAL DETAILS. SO ONCE THE ROUTES ARE SOLIDIFIED WE WOULD HAVE THOSE EXACT LOGISTICS. >> I UNDERSTAND BUT THAT'S ONE OF THREE SITES IF SO PEOPLE GOING TO MEDAL OF HONOR PARK UM HOW WILL THEY PHYSICALLY GET TO
THE PARK? WILL IT BE THROUGH UBER AND LYFT AGAIN? COUNCILOR SO WE HAVEN'T SOLIDIFIED ALL THE EXACT DETAILS AROUND THESE ROUTES, WHICH IS WHY THEY HAVEN'T BEEN FULLY SOLIDIFIED YET. WILL THERE BE ALCOHOL UM, AS
PART OF THESE MARCHES. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FOR UM BOSTON 26 BUT ACCORDING TO YOU KNOW, THESE THESE MARCHES WILL FOLLOW ALL SPECIAL EVENT GUIDELINES AND ALSO CITY
ORDINANCES AS WELL CITY RULES AND REGULATIONS. SO THAT MEANS THERE WOULD BE NO ALCOHOL SERVICE THAT OCCURRED. THERE WON'T BE ANY ALCOHOL SERVICE. ANYONE THAT'S THERE WILL BE ANYONE PROVIDING ALCOHOL IF
THAT WAS THE QUESTION OKAY. >> SO THERE WILL BE WHEN PEOPLE ARE MARCHING THEY WON'T BE MARCHING WITH ALCOHOL. WE CAN'T CONTROL WHAT PEOPLE DO BUT THE CITY WILL BE PROVIDING. THAT I HAVE. >> BUT I HAVE AN OBLIGATION AS THE DISTRICT CITY COUNCILOR TO PROVIDE A SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR
MY CONSTITUENTS. I DON'T WANT TO SEE PEOPLE MARCHING THROUGH MY NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, DRINKING ALCOHOL AND ENGAGED IN ANY OTHER TYPE OF ACTIVITY. I'M CONSISTENT ON THIS.
I CALL OUT MY OWN NEIGHBORS IN SOUTH BOSTON DURING THE SAINT PATRICK'S DAY PARADE. I DON'T LIKE IT. I DON'T WANT TO SEE IT. I DON'T WANT IT AT MENTAL HEALTH ON A PARK I'VE ADVOCATED
TO HARD TO GET MONEY FOR THESE BASEBALL PARKS. THEY LOOK GOOD AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT RUINING A PARK BASED ON HAVING HAVING A PARTY THAT. APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK.
>> MY MY FINAL QUESTION IS I'M ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT HUMAN TRAFFICKING TAKING PLACE DURING DURING THIS PERIOD OF TIME. MANY OF THEM MANY OF THE HOTELS
IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA THAT THAT I REPRESENT ALSO UM WHAT ARE WE DOING ON HUMAN TRAFFICKING? WHAT ARE WE DOING ON DRINK SPIKING? HAVE WE ENGAGED HOTELS ALREADY ?
HAVE WE HAD A PLAN IN TERMS OF DRINK SPIKING AND HAVE WE BEEN EDUCATING RESTAURANTS AND BARS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS ON DRINK SPIKING AND HAVE WE GIVEN
OUT THE COVERS SO PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO PROTECT THEIR DRINKS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS? DONALD GOOD AFTERNOON. UH, COUNCILOR. UM SO LET ME JUST TOUCH ON KIND
OF THE PROACTIVE MEASURES I DID LIST OUT SOME OF THAT UM, EARLIER AND WHAT OUR LICENSING UH, TEAM IS DOING. THEY'RE CONDUCTING PUBLIC SAFETY. TRAINING. >> UH, WITH THE POLICE RIGHT NOW.
UM, THIS IS AN EFFORT BEING PROACTIVE SO THAT ALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE SERVING ALCOHOL KNOW WHAT TO DO, KNOW HOW TO HANDLE THOSE SITUATIONS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
SO WE HAVE BEEN UH PROACTIVE AND WE'RE DOING TAKING ADDITIONAL STEPS TO GET THOSE DOING COVERS THAT YOU REFERRED TO OUT AND IN COMMUNITY. COULD DONALD, COULD I GET A LIST OF UM, BARS THAT YOU HAVE
GIVEN THOSE OUT OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS PLEASE? I THINK THAT WILL BE HELPFUL TO ME KNOWING THE PRIORITY THAT
YOU PUT INTO THIS INITIATIVE ALREADY OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. IT'LL GIVE ME AN IDEA HOW SERIOUS YOU ARE ABOUT THIS ISSUE MOVING FORWARD. UH THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. HAPPY TO ANSWER COUNCILOR FLYNN'S FIRST
QUESTION AS WELL ABOUT THE PUBLIC SAFETY CONCERNS HERE. SO UM, WE'RE ALSO WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH BPD AND UM, OTHER STATE AND FEDERAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS ON THE HUMAN TRAFFICKING PIECE OF THIS AS WELL. SO UM, OBVIOUSLY AREN'T ABLE TO
PROVIDE EXACT INFORMATION HERE ,BUT OUR PUBLIC SAFETY TEAMS ARE WORKING VERY CLOSELY ON THAT ISSUE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE PREPARED FOR THE SUMMER AND THE INFLUX OF RESIDENTS AND VISITORS HERE. THOSE THOSE ARE GREAT TALKING POINTS, BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE
WE'RE DOING THE WORK. UM I WANT TO SEE THE RESULTS FROM THE WORK. ARE WE MAKING ARRESTS? ARE WE BREAKING DOWN, UH, THESE HUMAN TRAFFICKING SITES THAT, UH, CONTINUE TO OPERATE IN OUR CITY?
I KNOW THE FBI HAS BEEN MAKING ARRESTS ON THIS, BUT I WANT US TO I WANT US JUST WANT TO SEE THE RESULTS, NOT JUST THE TALKING POINTS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. >> UM, AND I WANT TO I THANK
YOU FOR THOSE QUESTIONS, FLYNN. AND I KNOW WE HAD A HEARING LAST WEEK WHERE A LOT OF THESE QUESTIONS CAME UP SPECIFICALLY AROUND UM, UH, THE AVERAGE THAT COUNCILOR CLETA ZAPATA HAS MADE
ALONGSIDE UH, DIRECTOR REYNOLDS REGARDING UH, DRINK SPIKING AND UH, HOW DO WE KNOW WITH THESE LARGE EVENTS WE OFTEN SEE AN INCREASE IN UNFORTUNATELY DOMESTIC INCIDENTS IN HUMAN
TRAFFICKING. I THINK NEXT WEEK WHEN WE HAVE THE HEARING ON SECURITY UM, IT WOULD BE ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TALK SPECIFICALLY ABOUT THAT. BUT I JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE THIS IS A CONVERSATION THAT WE HAD A BIT LAST WEEK AND
THAT WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE UH YEP YEP YOU MAY. THROUGH THE CHAIR UM MAY I GET A LIST OF ALL THE RESTAURANTS AND BARS OVER THE LAST TWO
YEARS WHERE WE TRAINED UH, BARS AND RESTAURANTS BUT ALSO WHERE WE PROVIDED THE COVERS TO PREVENT DRINK SPIKING OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I BELIEVE THAT. CHAIR SANTANA, AS THE CHAIR
OF THE COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC SAFETY IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE LAST WEEK THOSE QUESTIONS WERE REQUESTED JUST SO THAT WE'RE NOT DUPLICATING EFFORTS, I'M GOING TO CHECK IN WITH HIM TO MAKE SURE THAT HE ASKED THOSE QUESTIONS IF HE DID NOT, I'M HAPPY EVEN THOUGH THIS IS A BIT
OUTSIDE OF THE SCOPE OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE. I'M HAPPY TO REQUEST THOSE QUESTIONS AS WELL. ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS I'M SURE THE ADMINISTRATION WILL PROVIDE THEM. OKAY. NOW MOVING ON TO COUNCILOR WEBER COUNCIL WEBER YOU HAVE THE FLOOR AND FIVE MINUTES.
OKAY. >> UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, I JUST I FEEL LIKE LUKE IS LIKE THE SWISS ARMY KNIFE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS, UH, YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT'S WHITE STADIUM OR RED, YOU
KNOW, UH, RODENT CONTROL OR. THIS THAT HE SEEMED TO. FIT YOU IN THERE, SO I. THIS IS, UH, SO LIKE IN, YOU KNOW, 6 OR 7 YEARS FROM NOW WHEN YOU TURN 21. UH.
>> UM, YOU KNOW, WHAT DO WE WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT IT, DOES ANYBODY HAVE ESTIMATES OF THE ECONOMIC THE REVENUE IMPACT OF THE WORLD CUP LIKE YOU KNOW, MAYBE THAT'S FOR FOR UH, YOU
KNOW, SOMEBODY SLIGHTLY MORE SENIOR BUT UH, YOU JUST YOU KNOW I KNOW THERE'S REVENUE BUT ALSO CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE COST? RIGHT, COUNSELOR? WE'RE WORKING ON THAT RIGHT NOW LIKE LITERALLY HAD OUR FIRST
MEETINGS ABOUT DOING UH ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY. SO ONCE WE CONDUCT THAT STUDY WE WILL BE ABLE TO SPEAK TO, UM TO THE RESULTS. I MEAN, DO WE THINK IT'S GOING
TO LIKE THE IN THE END IT'LL BE LIKE WELL THEY'LL BE MAKING REVENUE FOR THE CITY BECAUSE WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT YOU KNOW, PAYING FOR POLICE OVERTIME AND OTHER COSTS LIKE THAT I MEAN THERE'S GOING TO BE COSTS, RIGHT?
BUT I THINK SOME OF THOSE DETAILS ARE STILL BEING WORKED OUT TO TO BE ON A FIXED NUMBER. I THINK WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THOUGH IS IN SOME CASES HYPOTHETICAL NUMBERS. RIGHT. AND SO TO DRILL DOWN WE'RE
PUTTING IN SYSTEMS SO THAT WE CAN REALLY QUANTIFY WHO'S COMING IN THE CITY. SO WHEN WHEN WHEN DO WE THINK WE'LL WE'LL SORT OF HAVE SOME GUESSTIMATES. UH I CAN GET BACK TO YOU ON OKAY WHEN WE MAY HAVE SOME DATA
READY. OKAY. >> UM AND THEN SO OKAY SO IN TERMS OF LIKE THE FAN FEST AND UH, OTHER THINGS LIKE WHAT OUR CITY CONTRACTS ARE WHAT KINDS OF CONTRACTS ARE WE ENTERING
INTO, WHAT KINDS OF CONTRACTS ARE WE GOING TO SEE THAT ARE OR ARE THERE CONTRACTS INVOLVED WITH LIKE THE FAN FEST FOR EXAMPLE, THAT AREN'T CITY CONTRACTS THAT ARE BEING ADMINISTERED BY SOMEONE ELSE AND SORT OF ASKING ABOUT
SUPPLIER DIVERSITY LIKE WHEN DO THOSE RULES, YOU KNOW, HAVE EFFECT BECAUSE WE'RE THE CONTRACTOR. . >> I'LL START. THANK YOU COUNCILOR UH AND AGAIN MY NAME IS DAMIAN SHELTON, COMMISSIONER OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT.
UH, WE HAVE CARE IN CUSTODY OF CITY HALL AND CITY HALL PLAZA. UM, THE VEHICLE FOR OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH UM BOSTON 26 FOR THE FAN FEST ON CITY HALL PLAZA WILL ACTUALLY BE A
LICENSE AGREEMENT. SO IT'S NOT, UM, NECESSARILY A CONTRACT OR DIRECT CONTRACT WHERE WE ARE CONTRACTING FOR, FOOD VENDORS OR UM, UH, TRASH VENDORS THAT SORT OF THING.
THEY WOULD BE DOING THAT DIRECTLY. SO THE. >> THE ANSWER IS. THAT BOSTON 26 GAVE OUR OUR SORT OF THE ANSWERS TO THAT SPECIFIC QUESTION FOR FAN FEST HERE AT CITY HALL PLAZA. UM, I THINK WHERE THE CITY HAS OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE OF THAT
WORK THAT YOU'VE. JUST ASKED ABOUT IS REALLY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, FAN ACTIVATIONS AND I'LL PASS IT OFF TO ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES OR EITHER OF MY COLLEAGUES TO SORT OF SPEAK MORE TO THAT. YEAH.
>> AND I WOULD SAY FOR THE WATCH PARTIES ANY OF THE WATCH PARTIES THAT WE ARE HOSTING WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH LOCAL VENDORS AND BUSINESSES. UM, THERE ARE TEAMS. SO YEAH I'M SORRY.
ALSO OUTSIDE OF THE FANFEST, ARE THERE GOING TO BE CITY CONTRACTS AROUND THE WORLD CUP ? YEAH. >> SO TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION DIRECTLY KIND OF LEAGUE. SO SOMETHING ELSE. >> TO SAY. SO NO SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH PARTY SPECIFICALLY ARE KIND
OF THE VEHICLE AS UM EAMON MENTIONED FOR WHERE WE CAN KIND OF AWARD CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES. OUR GOAL IS TO HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES FILLED BY LOCAL BUSINESSES AND VENDORS. SO FOR EXAMPLE UM WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE A BUNCH
OF FOOD TRUCKS FROM THE RESPECTIVE NEIGHBORHOOD AT THESE PARKS WHERE WE'RE SHOWING THE MATCHES ALSO WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR MAIN STREET ORGANIZATIONS WHEN WE SOLIDIFY THOSE LISTS OF EXACT UM, LOCATIONS FOR THE WATCH PARTIES
SO THAT THEY CAN LET THOSE LOCAL BUSINESSES KNOW ABOUT THE CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE EVENT. AND WE'RE HAVING THESE CONVERSATIONS NOW ALSO WITH OUR PARTNERS, OUR BSO PARTNERS AROUND UH, SUPPORTING THESE
EVENTS AS WELL SO THAT THERE ARE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR OUR SMALL BUSINESSES. AND JUST FINALLY COUNCIL IF I CAN ON THE FAN FEST PIECE ALTHOUGH THESE AREN'T OUR CONTRACTS YOU KNOW. WE'RE NOT. >> UM, AWARDING THE CONTRACTS WE'RE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH
BOSTON 26 TO LET THEM KNOW OF THE CERTIFIED BUSINESSES WE HAVE IN OUR DIRECTORY. SO IF THERE ARE CONTRACTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRASH UH, REMOVAL ETC. UM, THEY HAVE A LIST OF MINORITY LOCAL WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES UM THAT THEY
CAN TAP INTO. AND IF I CAN ADD TO THAT AS WELL COUNCILOR AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING. THAT UP. >> TENNIS MATCH. YES. >> OH YEAH THAT'S ALL WE DO. SO WE ACTUALLY STARTED COMMUNICATING WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM LAST YEAR AS ONE OF OUR MAIN STREET
DIRECTORS MENTIONED, THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WE COULD GIVE THEM AT THAT POINT. BUT WHAT WE COULD DO IS TELL THEM BE A REGISTERED VENDOR WITH THE CITY IF YOU ARE ALREADY A REGISTERED VENDOR, LET'S GET YOU CERTIFIED.
SO WE'VE BEEN SPENDING. TIME DOING THAT. OFFERING OFFICE HOURS OF FOLKS IF THEY DIDN'T COME IN AND HAVE THOSE QUESTIONS ANSWERED SO THAT THEY WOULD BE READY FOR EVENTS LIKE THIS OKAY.
AND THEN SO I JUST SORT OF LOOKING AT RECENT EVENTS IN FOXBOROUGH AND SECURITY AND STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU KNOW ARE WE ARE THERE GOING TO BE POLICE DETAILS INVOLVED?
DO WE ARE WE ADVOCATING THAT WE NOT PAY FOR YOU KNOW, UH, YOU KNOW, UH SECURITY UH WHERE SOMEONE ELSE SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE? HOW ARE THOSE DISCUSSIONS GOING ? YEAH.
>> SO THERE IS UM WORKING WITH FEDERAL AND STATE. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A FEMA GRANT THAT WE'RE WAITING TO SEE HOW MUCH THE CITY WE APPLIED FOR UM, THE STATE HAD UM PUT
OUT THE OUR TOURISM GRANT THAT WE ALSO APPLIED FOR. SO WE'RE TRYING TO SEE WHAT KIND OF GAPS WE'RE WORKING WITH THE BUDGET TEAM AND WORKING WITH UM OUR STATE AND FEDERAL PARTNERS TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN COVER. OKAY. >> AND THAT WOULD INVOLVE LIKE
BOSTON POLICE OFFICERS. FOR POLICE SECURITY AND DETAIL AND ALSO MUNICIPAL POLICE HERE AT CITY HALL. I GUESS JUST WHAT'S THE WHEN WE HAVE A BETTER SENSE OF I MEAN I YOU KNOW, I THINK
COUNCILOR FLYNN WAS LIKE YOU KNOW, THE TIMELINE HERE. UH, I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EARLY OR LATE OR WHATEVER, BUT WHEN WHEN SHOULD ALL THESE KIND OF PLANS COALESCE? >> YEAH, WE'RE WORKING CLOSELY WITH BOSTON 26.
UM, THE FEMA GRANT THEY SAID IT WENT OUT THIS WEEK. MARK GRANT HAS NOT BEEN OUT. SO ONCE WE CAN GET THOSE SOLIDIFIED DETAILS THEN WE'LL HAVE A BETTER SENSE. OKAY WELL YEAH BUT WE DON'T KNOW WHEN. WE DON'T.
>> KNOW OKAY THANK YOU THANK YOU JIM. THANK YOU. UM. I'M I'M JUST OKAY I'M GOING TO ALLOW FOR A SECOND ROUND OF QUESTIONS. DO ANY OF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE A SECOND ROUND?
UM, I HAVE A FEW QUESTIONS. JUST WANT TO GET INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT JUST ANOTHER FOUR MINUTES, UM, ABOUT THESE GRANTS.
SO FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD BLOCK PARTY KIT CULTURAL CELEBRATION GRANT WHO CAN APPLY TO THEM? IS IT A 523 IS IT MAIN STREETS ? CAN BUSINESSES APPLY? WE ARE GETTING A LOT OF OUTREACH FROM BUSINESSES WHO
WANT TO SUPPORT AND PUTTING ON EVENTS. SO YEAH YEAH I THINK ANYONE CAN APPLY INDIVIDUALS BUSINESSES SO WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR FOR ALL OF US.
AND AND ANYBODY ELSE. NO I WOULD JUST ADD TO PHYLLIS JUST POINT THAT UM AS YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THERE'S NO DIRECT GRANT SPECIFICALLY FOR WORLD CUP BUT WE'RE USING TWO EXISTING GRANT PROGRAMS AND WE'RE ADJUSTING THE LANGUAGE
OF THOSE GRANTS TO ALLOW FOR CELEBRATIONS FOR WORLD CUP TALL SHIPS. 250 SO FOLKS WHO ARE SUBMITTING GRANT APPLICATIONS UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF DOING A NEIGHBORHOOD CELEBRATION OR A WATCH PARTY WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR THOSE FUNDING.
AND WHAT'S THE TIMELINE WHEN ARE THOSE GOING TO OPEN? SO WE ARE HOPING BY NEXT MONTH WE WILL HAVE THOSE READY. >> TO GO. SO TODAY IS MARCH 20TH SO THE. >> NEXT TWO. WEEKS AND THE NEXT TWO WEEKS SO
BEGINNING OF APRIL JUST BECAUSE OF THE TIMELINE YOU KNOW WE'RE BEHIND I JUST WE'RE WE'RE BEHIND YOU KNOW ON A NUMBER OF THESE ISSUES AND I KNOW THAT FUNDING HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE UM BUT IT'S YOU KNOW WE ARE YEAH
I'M SURE YOU'RE GETTING A LOT OF INQUIRIES. WE GET A LOT OF INCREASE. AND WE'RE SORT OF TELLING. PEOPLE TO HOLD AND SO WE JUST WANTED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH A SENSE OF WHEN ARE WE GOING TO BE ABLE TO HIT PLAY HERE? YEAH I THINK BY EARLY APRIL WE'LL BE ABLE TO LET FOLKS KNOW
WE WERE GOING TO HOST UM, COMMUNITY ZOOMS AND WEBINARS JUST FOR FOLKS THAT THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT APPLYING AND WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT ALL THE COUNCILORS ELECTED SOME COMMUNITY KNOW. THANK YOU. >> AND I WANT TO UPLIFT COUNSELOR CULPEPER, YOU KNOW,
REPEATED UH, FREQUENTLY THAT WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WHEN IT COMES TO BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES THAT THEY'RE GETTING THESE CONTRACTS. I LOOK I'M LOOKING AT YOU YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM. I THINK THERE IS A YOU KNOW.
HOPEFULLY THEY ALL TALKED ABOUT HOW GREAT THE CITY HAS BEEN, HOW GREAT WE'VE BEEN AS PARTNERS, WHETHER THERE'S TALL SHIPS, WHETHER IT'S MEET BOSTON, WHETHER IT'S UH FOR THE LOCAL HOST COMMITTEE HERE.
UM BUT I THINK IT'S FAIR FOR US TO PUT DEMANDS ON THEM IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH US AND WORKING AND YOU KNOW, GREAT RESULT FROM SHIP. UM, WHAT ELSE WHAT CAN WE DO MORE TO ENSURE THAT OUR MODELS THAT THEY'RE USING OUR MODELS
WHEN IT COMES TO ENSURING THAT EVERYONE THAT WE CAN SHARE IN THE PROSPERITY THAT'S GOING TO COME AS A RESULT OF THESE LARGE EVENTS. SO I WILL SAY COUNCIL IF I MAY SHARE SOME UH, RESPONSE UH,
DATA FROM OUR WORLD CUP SURVEY. UM, WE GOT ABOUT 220 RESPONSES TO DATE UH, REPRESENTING 22 NEIGHBORHOODS. UH THE MAJORITY OF RESPONDENTS WERE IN DORCHESTER, DOWNTOWN
SOUTH BOSTON, EAST BOSTON UM AND HYDE PARK. UM OF THOSE RESPONDENTS 30 A THIRD OR SO WERE RESTAURANTS UH OR FOOD ESTABLISHMENTS 11% ARE
ENTERTAINMENT ORIENTED UH AND 5.6% ARE SPAS OR OTHER RELAXATION TYPE BUSINESSES. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR BUSINESSES, UM, HAVE A CONNECTION BETWEEN EVERY
COUNTRY THAT HAS QUALIFIED UH FOR FIFA AND 26 ASIDE FROM THE UNITED STATES, THE MOST POPULAR RESPONSE IS TO COUNTRY CONNECTION OR AFFILIATION WERE
HAITI AT 21% COLOMBIA AND 14 BRAZIL FRANCE IN THAT ORDER. I PROMISE I DID NOT FILL IT OUT. UH UM CAPE. VERDE ENGLAND PORTUGAL. SO THAT SHOWS YOU UH UM THE
RICH CULTURE OF OUR BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS AND OUR BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM. SO REALLY EXCITED TO GET A BIT MORE RESULTS. I COULD SHARE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE'VE HEARD FROM. >> SOME OF THE BUSINESSES. BUT THEY ARE LOOKING FOR SOME DIRECTION UM, IDENTIFYING
FUNDING BUT TO LOSE POINT THE WATCH PARTIES ARE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE AN IMPACT. I HAVE UH HAD A CONVERSATION WITH BACK ABOUT THAT AND HOW WE CAN PARTNER IN THAT EFFORT AS WELL. >> THE PARTIES THAT WE'VE OUTLINED HERE ABOUT THE THREE
THAT WE HAVE SOLIDIFIED IN THE THREE SOLIDIFIED IN THE THREE TENTATIVE. SO UM, I'D ALSO JUST LIKE TO UPLIFT I THINK COUNCIL COPA BUT I ALSO GAVE GREAT FEEDBACK UM
TO MARTHA UM BRENNAN AND I ALSO IT'S ALSO DIRECTED AT THE CITY UM YOU KNOW MONT HAD THE ONLINE FOR THE GRANT THERE WAS AN ONLINE WEBINAR ONLINE WEBINAR IT'S GREAT I THINK FOR A LOT
OF OUR FOLKS YOU GOT TO BRING IT TO THEM. YOU GOT TO BRING IT TO COMMUNITY. YOU GOT TO BE UP IN DORCHESTER AND MATTAPAN AND HYDE PARK. UH, I WANT TO THANK PHYLLIS BECAUSE YOU WE AGAIN WE HAD THE
MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO AND YOU CAME OUT AND ANSWERED QUESTIONS AND I KNOW PEOPLE ASKED ABOUT THIS HEARING AND I WAS LIKE THIS HEARING IF NOTHING ELSE AS AN INFORMATION SHARING SESSION BECAUSE PEOPLE COMING TO ME WITH QUESTIONS AND THIS IS
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO GET THE ANSWER TO THOSE QUESTIONS RIGHT. LIKE I DON'T THINK NEIL TALKED ABOUT THIS A LOT BUT YOU KNOW JUST TO HIGHLIGHT THEY DON'T WANT ANYONE GOING TO FOXBORO WHO DOESN'T HAVE A TICKET. YOU'RE NOT GETTING ON THE YOU'RE NOT GETTING ON THE COMMUTER RAIL IF YOU DON'T HAVE
A TICKET TO THE GAME. THEY'RE DISCOURAGING PEOPLE FROM DRIVING TO FOXBORO. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A TICKET TO THE GAME, THERE'S NO TAILGATING UNLESS YOU HAVE A TICKET TO THE GAME WHICH IS WHY THESE NEIGHBORHOOD ACTIVATIONS ARE
FAN FEST UM SUPPORTING LOCAL BUSINESSES TO PUT ON RIGHT. SO THE PUTTING ON FOR OUR CITY UH WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT AND IF WE WANT TO ENCOURAGE THAT WE ALSO HAVE TO SUPPORT THAT WITH MONEY AND INVESTMENTS.
SO UM JUST A JUST ANOTHER UPLIFT THAT WE GOT TO BRING THIS TO COMMUNITY AND SHARING THE INFORMATION EVEN ABOUT THESE GRANTS BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE IS GOING TO BE YOU KNOW, IT LOOKS LIKE OFFICE DOWN THERE. UH, CHIEF. RIGHT.
YOU'VE BEEN DOING GREAT WORK. UM, BUT WE DON'T WANT ANYONE TO BE ABLE TO SAY I DIDN'T HEAR ABOUT IT. I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT IT. AND I THINK WHAT YOU HEARD FROM UH, THE PREVIOUS PANEL ALSO IS IS IS OUTREACH.
UM, THEY'RE CONDUCTING QUITE A BIT OF OUTREACH. WE'RE CONDUCTING QUITE A BIT OF OUTREACH. UM, OUR SURVEY IN AND OF ITSELF HAS TOUCHED QUITE A FEW FOLKS. WE HAVE A CADENCE BY WHICH WE'RE GETTING THAT OUT THROUGH
OUR LISTSERV AS WELL AS UTILIZING SOCIAL MEDIA. AND SO WE HAVE THESE CAMPAIGNS THAT ARE SORT OF ALWAYS ONGOING, UH, TO REALLY PUSH THAT INFORMATION OUT. BUT WE'RE ALSO PROVIDING THOSE
CHECK INS SO THOSE BY BIWEEKLY SORT OF OFFICE HOURS OR WHAT HAVE YOU THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO TOUCH BASE WITH THAT BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM AS WELL. THANK YOU. >> CHIEF WRIGHT WILL BE FOLLOWING UP. UM I WANT TO I WANT TO THANK
EVERYONE, UM, FOR THE WORK THEY'VE BEEN DOING. COUNCILOR FLYNN, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I'LL GIVE YOU THE FLOOR IN FOUR MINUTES. WHAT WHAT IS THE STRATEGY THAT
YOU'RE WORKING ON AS IT RELATES TO THESE GIVING OUT THESE GRANTS TO, UH, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS. BUT WE ALSO GOING TO BE, UM, WORKING WITH THE BOSTON POLICE
TO PROVIDE ADDED SECURITY OR IS THIS ARE THESE ABLE TO BE DONE WITHOUT, UH, THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE BOSTON POLICE? SO COUNCIL CAN YOU JUST, UM, CLARIFY YOUR QUESTION A LITTLE BIT MORE?
SO ARE YOU SAYING THAT THE. BLOCK PARTY KICKS IN THE POLICE CAN YOU JUST CLARIFY THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO? YEAH. >> IF THERE IS A BLOCK PARTY AND IT'S SHUT DOWN, WILL THERE BE, UH, POLICE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN PROVIDING SECURITY?
OH, THANK YOU FOR THE QUESTION. SO YEAH, AS PART OF, YOU. KNOW, NORMAL. OPERATIONS OR EVEN LAST YEAR'S BLOCK PARTY KITS AND PROGRAM, UM, IF SOMEBODY WANTS TO HAVE A BLOCK PARTY, THEY WOULD HAVE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO THE SPECIAL EVENTS PROCESSING
PERMIT. UM, SIMILARLY THAT THEY HAVE TO DO TODAY AND THEY WOULD WORK WITH TODAY BAKER AND HER TEAM TO ENSURE THAT THE PROPER PUBLIC SAFETY PERSONNEL AND TRANSPORTATION MEASURES ARE IN PLACE TO UH, HAVE A SAFE AND SUCCESSFUL EVENT.
IS THIS POLICE OVERTIME? I CAN'T SPEAK FOR HOW POLICE DO THEIR UM WORK FOR THAT FOR THAT TYPE OF EVENT. WHO WOULD SPEAK FOR THAT. BOSTON POLICE. OKAY, BUT THEY'RE NOT HERE THOUGH. YES BECAUSE THERE'S A HEARING
NEXT WEEK. OKAY. >> UM ARE YOU CONCERNED AT ALL WITH WITH OVERTIME FOR THE BOSTON POLICE AND WITH, UM, CUTS TO THE SCHOOL BUDGET? UM, IS THIS APPROPRIATE TO BE
GIVING OUT, UH, FUNDING DURING DIFFICULT ECONOMIC TIMES? YEAH, I THINK WE ALL OF THAT IS TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION ESPECIALLY AS WE WERE LEADING UP TO BUDGET. NO ONE FROM HERE IS FROM BUDGET BUT. THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE
WORKING. CLOSELY WITH OUR FINANCE TEAM AND THE POLICE DEPARTMENT. UM I THINK AS WE'VE ALL HEARD THIS IS A MENTAL, YOU KNOW, A BIG MOMENT AND WE WANT TO MAKE
SURE THAT ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS AND NEIGHBORS ARE BENEFITING FROM THE SUMMER. IF I COULD HOW MUCH ARE WE GOING TO SPEND ON GRANTS? UH, WE ARE NOT SURE YET. GIVE ME A BALLPARK FIGURE.
UM, NOT ABLE TO I DON'T KNOW. LIKE A $100,000. UM DON'T KNOW. WE CAN FOLLOW UP. OKAY. >> THAT'S THAT. THAT WOULD BE AN IMPORTANT FIGURE BECAUSE I I WOULD WANT TO BALANCE THAT WHETHER I SUPPORT THAT KNOWING THAT WE'RE
CUTTING SPECIAL EDUCATION UM, AT SCHOOLS SO YOU KNOW, $100,000 THAT'S SOMETHING I CAN LIVE WITH. BUT UM, IF IT'S IF IT'S AN EXTENSIVE AMOUNT THAT'S ALSO PART OF THE DISCUSSION.
IF I COULD JUST ADD TO PHYLLIS'S POINT, COUNSELOR, YOU KNOW, WE'RE WORKING TO BE VERY ,UM, YOU KNOW, FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE ESPECIALLY IN THE FINANCIAL CLIMATE THAT WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW. AND SO, UM, AS PHYLLIS MENTIONED IN HER PREVIOUS
REMARKS, WE'VE APPLIED FOR FEDERAL AND STATE FUNDING FOR REIMBURSEMENT COSTS. UM, YOU KNOW, THE FEMA GRANT THAT WE APPLIED FOR IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY EXPENSES AND THE GRANT IS DIRECTLY RELATED TO CELEBRATION EXPENSES.
SO UM, AS PHYLLIS MENTIONED, OUR CFO AND BUDGET TEAM ARE HERE TO UH, ANSWER DIRECT LINE ITEM SPECIFIC NUMBERS FOR THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS. BUT WE'RE BEING VERY UM, FINANCIALLY COGNIZANT OF HOW
OUR MONEY IS BEING SPENT IN THE DIFFERENT UH, ABILITIES FOR US TO RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT TO SUPPORT THESE ACTIVITIES. IN YOUR PRELIMINARY UM, MEETINGS DO HAVE A RANGE OF HOW MUCH YOU'RE ABLE TO SPEND ON
THESE GRANTS. NO, AS PHYLLIS MENTIONED. >> WE DON'T KNOW WE CAN FOLLOW UP. YEAH, WE DON'T HAVE A BUDGET YET. UM, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE ALSO ASKED FOR THE LINE ITEM SO WE'LL. FOLLOW UP. >> OKAY. >> UM, WHEN WHEN WOULD YOU BE
ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT UM THAT. FIGURE UH, WE'LL CHECK WITH OUR BUDGET TEAM AND WE. CAN I'M NOT I'M NOT SURE WE'LL FOLLOW UP. OKAY. >> BUT THEY'RE PRETTY COMFORTABLE THAT WE DO HAVE FUNDING FOR THIS FOR THIS PROGRAM.
YES IN IN THAT WE HAVE FUNDING TO ADD BOSTON POLICE OVERTIME AS PART OF THIS OUTREACH AS WELL. THAT'S ALL PART OF IT. AND WE ARE HOPING THAT WE GET THE REIMBURSEMENTS FROM THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
DONALD, UM UH HAVE WE DONE ANY OUTREACH TO OUR VETERANS TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE INVOLVED IN THIS AS WELL? OUR OUTREACH ENCOMPASSES ALL SO
WOULD BE UM, NBC, WB VETERAN, BOSTON BASED WE DON'T EXCLUDE. ANYONE FROM NO, I KNOW, BUT HAVE WE DONE OUTREACH TO. VETERANS, SIR? OKAY. THANK YOU. >>, THANK YOU. >> UM. OKAY. UM, BECAUSE WHY WOULD YOU HAVE
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? GREAT. OKAY. UM, I HAVE JUST A FEW THINGS I WANTED TO FOLLOW UP WITH SO CAN FOR EXAMPLE THE GRANTS. DO YOU KNOW, I'M ENCOURAGING A LOT OF PEOPLE TO COLLABORATE AS MUCH COLLABORATION AS POSSIBLE
. CAN PEOPLE COLLABORATE ON A GRANT LIKE LET'S SAY THERE'S I WANT TO DO AN EVENT AT A PARK AND I'M A RESTAURANT AND THERE'S A NEIGHBORHOOD
ORGANIZATION AND THERE'S A CAN WE COLLABORATE WITH THAT INCREASE OR INDIVIDUALLY APPLY FOR A GRANT OR TO ENABLE TO TO GET MORE FROM THE GRANT? YEAH I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND. WE WILL TALK TO THE DEPARTMENTS
AND THE GRANTS TEAM. UM I THINK WE HAVE TO BE CREATIVE THIS SUMMER AND SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I WOULD KEEP IN MIND AND WE CAN. WRITE LET THEM KNOW AND I WILL SAY THAT THAT COLLABORATION COULD ALSO BE A REASON TO LIKE INCREASE THE FUNDING. RIGHT.
SO LIKE MAYBE IT WAS APPLYING A LOAN YOUR UH YOU WOULD GET $250 BUT APPLYING THAT MULTIPLIED TIMES THREE IF IT'S GOING TO BE AN EVENT THAT IS GOING TO BE A LARGE EVENT RIGHT?
MAYBE WE DON'T HAVE FIVE DIFFERENT EVENTS IN 1 IN 1 NEIGHBORHOOD SQUARE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COLLABORATING ON THAT ONE EVENT AND WHEN ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO COLLABORATE. YES. UM I ALSO JUST WANTED TO
UPLIFT, YOU KNOW, UH, EAST BOSTON AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S A LOT OF ENERGY. WE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE SOME TESTIMONY FROM THE EAST BANK. WELL, HEATHER WAS HERE AND I KNOW SHE'S FROM EAST BOSTON ORIGINALLY BUT IS UM, AN EAST
BOSTON CHAMPION NOW. BUT WE JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE YOU KNOW, OUR LATINO COMMUNITY AT THE TOWNSHIP SO THE TEAMS THAT ARE COMING HERE WE'RE ALSO UPLIFTING THEM AND SUPPORTING THEM IN THEIR WORK.
UM, WE HAVE TWO MORE PEOPLE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY ONE IN PERSON AND ONE ONLINE. I'M GOING TO START WITH OUR IN-PERSON PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
UM, AND THAT IS RAQUEL TOMATO. HIGH. RAQUEL, YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN TWO MINUTES. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE WITH US. THANK YOU, MADAME CHAIR.
UH, THANK YOU EVERYONE PRESENT HERE TODAY FOR HAVING THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN MIND. DO YOU THINK. YOU COULD SPEAK A LITTLE BIT MORE INTO THE MIC OR PULL IT UP TO YOU A BIT MORE? THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE HERE.
UM PRESENTED TO THE SO THANK YOU TO EVERYONE PRESENT HERE TODAY FOR HAVING THE SMALL BUSINESS IN MIND AND THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS. I REALLY HOPE THAT ALL THE THINGS THAT YOU ARE THAT YOU HAVE PLANNED WILL COME ACROSS THE RIGHT PEOPLE.
I AM UH I AM PRETTY INVOLVED WITH A COUPLE OF MAIN STREETS AND I WILL CONTACT THEM TO SEE HOW MY BUSINESS AND OTHER BUSINESSES BENEFIT FROM IT. I AM WORRIED ABOUT HOW WILL ALL
THIS INFORMATION GET TO THE SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND AS A MINORITY WOMAN SMALL BUSINESS OWNER I FEEL LIKE WE ARE NOT TAKEN AS SERIOUSLY. WE ARE SEEN AS VULNERABLE EASY
TO BE TAKEN OF SOMETIMES ADVANTAGE OF AND THAT SOMETIMES WE ARE FORGOTTEN. UH SO BIG THANK YOU TO COUNCIL CULPEPPER FOR, UH, RAISING SUCH HONORABLE QUESTIONS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE HEARD.
SO GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS CHRIS GAYLE SMITH. I AM A DORCHESTER BASED IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEUR AND THE FOUNDER OF REACH BOY CAFE, A PORTUGUESE AND CAPE VERDEAN RESTAURANT CURRENTLY IN
DEVELOPMENT IN ROXBURY. AS I WORK TOWARDS UH OPENING THE RESTAURANT I AM ALSO LAUNCHING CATERING SERVICES IN THE FOOD TRUCKS SO I CAN BEGIN OPERATING SOONER AND BE READY
TO PARTICIPATE IN THE UPCOMING WORLD CUP ACTIVITY IN BOSTON. FOR BUSINESSES LIKE MINE, THIS IS A MAJOR OPPORTUNITY NOT JUST JUST ECONOMICALLY BUT
CULTURALLY TO REPRESENT OUR COMMUNITIES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE ENERGY OF THE CITY DURING A GLOBAL EVENT. PORTUGAL AND CAPE VERDE ARE BOTH PARTICIPATING IN THE WORLD
CUP AND BOTH BOSTON HAS A STRONG PORTUGUESE AND CAPE VERDEAN COMMUNITY. THIS WILL NATURALLY BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND THOSE MOMENTS AND BUSINESSES LIKE MINE ARE A UNIQUE POSITION TO
HELP CREATE THOSE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, ESPECIALLY ON GAME DAYS. AT THE SAME TIME, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE IS THE ABILITY TO MOVE QUICKLY ENOUGH TO MEET THESE OPPORTUNITIES.
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE CLEAR CLEAR PATHWAYS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES TO PARTICIPATE FOR EXAMPLE A CENTRALIZED WAY TO APPLY TO BE VENDORS FOR THE WORLD CUP RELATED EVENTS AND EARLY COMMUNICATION ABOUT THOSE
OPPORTUNITIES. ACCESS TO FAST FLEXIBLE FUNDING WOULD ALSO MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE ALLOWING BUSINESSES LIKE MINE TO SCALE IN TIME WHETHER THROUGH EQUIPMENT, STAFFING OR PRODUCTION UH AND
CLEAR GUIDANCE AROUND LICENSING ESPECIALLY FOR FOOD TRUCKS AND TEMPORARY PERMITS WOULD HELP US PREPARE WITH CONFIDENCE. BOSTON HAS SUCH A STRONG AND DIVERSE COMMUNITY AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT IMMIGRANT OWNED
BUSINESSES CAN PLAY A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN HOW THE CITY SHOWS UP DURING THE WORLD CUP. UH, I AM VERY THANKFUL TO THE CITY OF BOSTON, UM FOR EVERYTHING LIKE ALL THE SUPPORT AND EVERYTHING THEY DO FOR
SMALL BUSINESSES. UM I REALLY CANNOT THANK THEM ENOUGH. I HAVE UH, TWO SUGGESTIONS. UM, IF THERE WAS LIKE A WORLD CUP GUIDE KIND OF THING AT THE AIRPORT WHERE THE PEOPLE COMING
IN COULD UH, HAVE A LIST OF DIFFERENT RESTAURANTS AND OTHER SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS MAYBE WITH A QR CODE THING THAT PEOPLE CAN SCAN AND HAVE QUICK ACCESS.
UH, IF THERE ARE TOURIST BUSSES GOING TO ALL DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS AND WORKING UH, WE COULD LIKE WE COULD YOU COULD WORK WITH THE MAIN STREETS, UM, TO PUT TOGETHER UH
,WHAT THE TOUR GUIDES WILL SAY ABOUT THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THOSE NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE TO OFFER. THANK YOU FOR CREATING THIS PASSION FOR CONSIDERING HOW BUSINESSES LIKE MINE CAN BE PART OF THIS MOMENT.
AND SORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR KYLE AND RAQUEL. UM, I'M JUST IF HOPEFULLY YOU CAN CONNECT WITH CHIEF WRIGHT AND ALSO WITH KARIN REYNOLDS. UM, I KNOW YOU'RE CONNECTED TO MY OFFICE, BUT JUST MAKE SURE
THAT YOU ALSO CONNECT WITH THEM. I THINK IT'S ALSO A GOOD REASON NOT TO SAY THAT WE SHOULD BE GOING TO COMMUNITIES, ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE LARGE POPULATIONS THAT ARE IN THE WORLD CUP AND DOING
THINGS IN THEIR HOME LANGUAGE THAT THEY ARE VERY MUCH BROUGHT IN AND MADE AWARE OF WHAT'S WHAT'S AVAILABLE. AND WE ARE WORKING ON THAT GUIDE RIGHT NOW. COUNCIL WONDERFUL. SO YES AND I WILL SAY FROM. A COMMUNICATIONS STANDPOINT
THAT THOSE THAT GUIDE ITSELF ONCE IT'S PRODUCED WILL GO OUT ON DIGITAL BOARDS BUT LIKE WE HAVE A ROBUST CAMPAIGN ASSOCIATED WITH THAT. THANK YOU THANK YOU. WE HAVE ONE. >> ON. ONE ONLINE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY.
UM JACKIE DEVINE THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF FIELDS WATER MAIN STREETS THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US JACKIE. YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN TWO MINUTES. HELLO, EVERYBODY. UM, THANK YOU AND THANK YOU FOR
HOSTING ME TODAY. UM, I WANTED TO JOIN, UM, TO SHARE WHAT WE HAVE BEEN UP TO IN FIELDS CORNER BECAUSE WE ARE SO EXCITED UM, ONE TO SHOWCASE
THE WONDERFUL WORK AND COMMUNITY THAT HAPPENS IN DORCHESTER BUT ALSO TO CELEBRATE THIS MOMENTOUS MOMENT FOR THE CAPE VERDE COMMUNITY. UM, RAQUEL, I HAVE GREAT
NEWS ON THAT. YOU ARE ON OUR SHORT LIST FOR VENDOR UM WE ARE PLANNING ON HOSTING A WATCH PARTY AND REALLY A LOT OF THAT HAS TO DO WITH. UH. >> WHO WE GET TO HIRE FOR VENDORS OF.
SCALE. >> UM, AND AND THE WORK WE GET FOR OUR FUNDING. UM, SO WHAT WE'RE ENVISIONING IS RIGHT AT THIS MOMENT WE HAVE
UM, ROUGHLY TEN COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT ARE MADE UP OF SMALL BUSINESSES, UM, AND
CAN UM, SMALL BUSINESSES UH, LIKE PERCENT UH PLUS UM ENTERTAINMENT. WHO'S IN THE ROOM WITH YOU ALL TODAY? UM PETERS THEY ARE UH UH, SOME
RESTAURANTS TAM LEE FROM WORK AND UM THEN WE HAVE UH SOME OF OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS FROM CHILDREN. UM, UM. EXCUSE ME. >> I'M SORRY.
JACKIE, YOU JUST WENT OUT. WE JUST LOST. WE CAN'T HEAR YOU, JACKIE. OH. >> AND JACQUELINE. >> SORRY, JACKIE I'M GOING TO ASK YOU A QUESTION WHICH IS AND DOESN'T REALLY HAPPEN, BUT DID YOU PUT DID YOU SAY A LOCATION
FOR WHERE YOUR EVENT IS YET AND A DATE? YES. >> SO WE HAVE IDENTIFIED UM, TWO POTENTIAL LOCATIONS. ONE IS AT THE DORCHESTER TIRE UM, WHICH IS AT 1160 DORCHESTER
AVENUE OR 65 BAY STREET WHICH IS BEHIND IT AND IT'S THE OLD SPIRE UH, PRINTMAKING FACTORY AND THOSE BOTH HAVE TO DO WITH HOW MUCH FUNDING WE'RE ABLE TO SECURE.
UM, THE DORCHESTER TIRE LOCATION IS OBVIOUSLY BETTER IN THAT IT YOU CAN SEE IT FROM DORCHESTER AVENUE, BUT THE SPIRE LOCATION IS ABLE TO HOST
MANY MORE PEOPLE INSIDE AND IT HAS A BEAUTIFUL LAWN. SO WE'RE JUST LOOKING AT UM, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE CAN REALLY TRY TO ATTRACT.
WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE CAPE VERDEAN POPULATION FROM THE SOUTH SHORE AND OF COURSE FROM ALL SIDES OF DORCHESTER. WE'RE ANTICIPATING BEING ABLE TO GET A TROLLEY TO COME DOWN
COLUMBIA AVE AND TAKE ADVANTAGE. BE RIGHT NEXT TO THE. SAVIN HILL TRAIN STATION. UM BEING ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF RESOURCES LIKE. >> THE BATHS. TO GET PEOPLE FROM UM FROM BROCKTON AND RANDOLPH.
TO TO COME TO DORCHESTER AND COME BACK SINCE THEY RELY ON ON ON OUR COMMUNITY ALREADY. UM AND THEN BECAUSE THIS IS SUCH A BIG EVENT THAT WE'RE PLANNING WE'RE THINKING WE WE
DECIDED TO BUILD IT OUT UM, TO SHOW THE TWO PRIOR GAMES. UM AND I'M SORRY I FORGOT TO SAY THIS IS FOR SUNDAY, JUNE 21ST, WHICH IS FATHER'S DAY. UM. >> SO THE EVENT THAT WE'RE
PROPOSING AND WE'RE WORKING ON IS FROM, UH, THE 12:00 GAME, THE 3 P.M. GAME AND THE 6:00 GAME WHICH IS CAPE COD AGAINST ERG WHICH WE BELIEVE WILL ALSO
HAVE A TREMENDOUS ATTRACTION FOR OUR UH, SOUTH AMERICAN AND CENTRAL AMERICAN NEIGHBORS. SO THERE'S A LOT THAT WE'RE WE'RE JUST REALLY EXCITED ABOUT.
UM, IT ALSO IT'S IT'S THEIR UM, BELGIUM GAME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY UM, WHICH ARE TWO FANTASTIC TEAMS AND IT STARTS WITH SPAIN VERSUS SAUDI ARABIA
UM, WHICH IS ARE THE TWO OTHER UM PEOPLE AND UH THE SAME SECTION IS CAPE VERDEAN AND AGAIN THAT THAT EACH SECTION IF YOU'VE BEEN FOLLOWING ALL THE
DETAILS OF THE WORLD CUP. I THAT'S A LOT OF INFORMATION. WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS SINCE OCTOBER SO IT'S HARD TO CONVEY INTO TO THREE MINUTES BUT UM I IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS I'D LOVE TO ANSWER THEM FOR YOU. AWESOME. >> UH WELL THANK YOU JACKI. WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE I KNOW WE'RE CONNECTED AND GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE CONNECTED TO UM, THE
THIS THE FOLKS HERE UH, TO THE MAYOR'S TEAM AND ALSO TO UM, THE HOST COMMITTEE TO SEE HOW THEY CAN SUPPORT THE WORK THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO DO AND SEE IF THERE'S, UM, WAYS THAT WE ALL
CAN COLLABORATE. YEAH, WE WE WOULD LOVE THAT. WE WE REALLY THIS IS ALL ABOUT PARTNERSHIP FOR US. UM, YOU KNOW, DORCHESTER IS OF COURSE WE ALL KNOW THE
LARGEST AND MOST DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOOD IN BOSTON AND WE TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY. UM, SO EVERYBODY IS HERE AND WELCOME TO THIS PARTY. UM, WE LOVE THE FACT THAT IT'S
UM, FATHER'S DAY AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS GOING TO ATTRACT THAT'S GOING TO BE FOR FAMILIES SOMETHING THAT HAS ENRICHMENT. UM, WE'RE ANTICIPATING ALSO HAVING A BEER GARDEN AND
BECAUSE UH I GUESS ANOTHER IMPORTANT NOTE, UM, IS THAT THE EVENT WE'RE PLANNING TO HOST IS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY AND SO WE'LL BE ABLE TO HAVE UM THIS
ALLOWS US TO HAVE THE FOOD VENDORS THAT ARE LOCAL TO OUR COMMUNITY WHO REFLECT THE COMMUNITY THAT WE WANT AND ALSO IT ALLOWS US TO HAVE UM AN ALCOHOL LICENSE THAT'S DAY
OF AND TO HAVE A MORE COHESIVE ENVIRONMENT THAT DOESN'T HAVE A BEER GARDEN THAT'S SEPARATE AND HAVE A FULL COHESIVE FAMILY FRIENDLY EVENT THAT IS
MONITORED AND SECURITY IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALREADY ON TOP OF GETTING QUOTES FOR AS WELL. OKAY GREAT. THANK YOU JACKI. WE'RE JUST GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE UM GET YOU CONNECTED AND TAPPED INTO THAT EVERYONE'S ON THE SAME PAGE AND CAN HELP
WORK OUT UM ANY CHALLENGES. THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU COUNCILOR AND THANK YOU FOR MALCOLM CABBAGE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. BYE BYE BYE. THANK YOU. UM, WE HAVE ONE MORE ONLINE FOR
PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL MASTERY. WILL YOU HAVE THE FLOOR IN TWO MINUTES ONCE WE GET YOU WANT SORRY I WILL SAY MASQUERADE. I HOPE I'M SAYING THAT RIGHT. IF I'M NOT YES. UM, WILL BE UPSET WITH ME.
OKAY. >> UH. >> MUCH I APPRECIATE THE MOMENT TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK. UM, YEAH. SO I'M JUST SPEAKING ON, UH ON THE BEHALF OF THE RECORD CO UH ,WE'RE A NONPROFIT BASED ON
916 MASSIVE UH, WE'RE A SPACE THAT IS DEDICATED TO PROVIDING AFFORDABLE RECORDING SPACES FOR ARTISTS ACROSS THE CITY OF BOSTON AND ESSENTIALLY, UM, I'VE BEEN LISTENING TO THIS TESTIMONY FOR THE PAST COUPLE
OF HOURS AND IT'S BEEN GREAT TO SEE THE INITIATIVES THAT THE CITY IS TAKING TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, DOCUMENT THIS SPECIAL MOMENT. SO, UH, AS SOMEONE THAT IS IN THE DOCUMENTATION BUSINESS
ESSENTIALLY UH, I WANTED TO PROVIDE THIS SPACE AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT CULTURES, ALL THE DIFFERENT SPACES UH, ALL THE DIFFERENT PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING IN TO KIND OF HISTORICALLY DOCUMENT EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING ON.
SO I JUST WANTED TO HOP ON AND RECOGNIZE THE RECORD CO AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ALL THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING TO UH, AND SPORTS FANS THAT ARE GOING TO BE COMING TO BOSTON THIS SUMMER UH, AS A SPACE FOR US TO BE
ABLE TO VERY INTENTIONALLY AS A CITY BE ABLE TO DOCUMENT THIS VERY SPECIAL MOMENT. WE DON'T KNOW THE NEXT TIME THE WORLD CUP IS GOING TO BE COMING TO THE UNITED STATES, LET ALONE MASSACHUSETTS. SO LET'S UTILIZE THE RESOURCES THAT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO, YOU
KNOW, UH, ENCAPSULATE THIS MOMENT AND BE ABLE TO PUSH THINGS FORWARD AND BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR WHAT THE FUTURE COULD LOOK LIKE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE TIME AND I'M EXCITED TO SEE WHAT THE SUMMER LOOKS LIKE. THANK YOU LISA I AM TO
APPRECIATE IT. UM IS THERE ANYONE ELSE HERE FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY? YES. IS ANYONE HAVE ANY PARTING WORDS ANY OTHER. I JUST. >> WANT TO ADD ONE THING AND THAT WAS MY LAST SLIDE COUNSELOR AND IT SPACES TO SIT.
EAT AND SOCIALIZE AND I JUST WANT TO BRING UH, THIS BACK UP THE. BOSTON BEER. >> GARDEN WILL BE REOPENING. UM, OUR LATE NIGHT FOOD TRUCK LOCATIONS WILL BE AVAILABLE DURING THIS TIME AS WELL. AND THERE'S ALSO SOME OUTDOOR
ACTIVATIONS HOSTED BY OTHER GROUPS THAT ARE HAPPENING SUCH AS TEMPLE PLACE, HIGH STREET PLACE UM AND AS WELL FANEUIL HALL. AWESOME. >> THANK YOU. NO WE JUST WANT. TO SAY THANK YOU EVERYBODY. THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.
THANK YOU COUNCILORS AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL THAT CAME BEFORE US. UM, WE'RE VERY EXCITED FOR THIS SUMMER AND UH, AS QUESTIONS COME UP, UM, YOU KNOW HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US. WE'RE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING PARTNERS AND COLLABORATING THIS SUMMER. THANK YOU. >> UM, ANYONE ANY OF MY OTHER
MY COLLEAGUES ARE GOOD. I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR BEING HERE. UM, AS IF YOU CAN'T TELL THERE IS TREMENDOUS ENERGY, UM, ABOUT THIS SUMMER AND THE POTENTIAL FOR THE $2 BILLION GOING INTO OUR CITY.
MY TWO CONCERNS HOW DO WE MAKE SURE WE'RE ACTIVATING EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD AND EVERYONE FEELS LIKE THEY'RE A PART OF IT? HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THAT BILLION DOLLARS OF REVENUE NUMBER ONE WILL BE GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY, BUT IT'S GOOD FOR OUR BUSINESSES, OUR SMALL BUSINESSES, OUR BLACK AND BROWN
BUSINESSES. WE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM LISBOA CAFE LISBOA CAFE. YOU'VE HEARD TESTIMONY FROM HYDE PARK MAIN STREETS, MATTAPAN SQUARE, MAIN STREETS, UM FIELDS CORNER MAIN STREETS THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT I
WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE UPLIFTING. I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF WORK THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN STILL IN GETTING US UP TO SPEED TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE IN COLLABORATING AND IN PUTTING OUT THE INFORMATION IN A IN A
DIGESTIBLE AND COHESIVE WAY FOR PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND AND TO ALSO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE GOING TO PEOPLE'S AND GOING TO OUR NEIGHBORHOODS UM, IN THE LANGUAGES THAT PEOPLE FEEL MOST COMFORTABLE WITH TO TELL THEM ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT
EXIST. SO UM, THERE'S TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY HERE AND I DON'T I KNOW THAT NONE OF US WANT IT TO GO TO WASTE WHETHER IT'S PEOPLE WORLD CUP, WHETHER IT'S TELLING OUR OWN STORY WITH CELEBRATE 250 AND BRINGING IN LIVE LIKE A
LOCAL AND MAKING SURE THAT PEOPLE ARE REALLY EXPERIENCING OUR NEIGHBORHOODS UM, AND UH, WHETHER IT'S TALL SHIPS AND THE EFFORTS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO MAKE TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYONE FEELS REPRESENTED, I THINK THIS IS I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR THE
CITY. I I'M I'M EXCITED TO WHERE HOW FAR WE'VE COME AS A CITY IN TERMS OF TELLING OUR DIVERSE STORY AND MAKING EVERYONE FEEL INCLUDED. WE WILL NOT SUCCEED IF AT THE
END OF THIS PEOPLE FEEL LIKE MY BUSINESS WASN'T ABLE TO REALLY PARTICIPATE, WE DIDN'T SEE ANY REVENUE INCREASE AS A RESULT. RIGHT. UM AND I THINK THAT WE HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN. SO THERE'S A LOT OF EXCITEMENT AND THERE'S A LOT
OF ANXIOUSNESS AND THERE'S A LOT OF URGENCY IN OUR ABILITY TO ANSWER THIS MOMENT. AND I KNOW YOU ALL FEEL THAT AND WE ALL CARRY IT UH, THE JOY AND THE WEIGHT OF MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE SHOWING UP FOR ALL OF OUR RESIDENTS. SO I THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING.
IF WE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER HEARING I WILL CALL ONE BECAUSE IT'S TREMENDOUSLY IMPORTANT THAT PEOPLE FEEL AND I GET THE CALLS AT 8 A.M. IN THE MORNING FROM BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE WHY HAVEN'T I NOT BEEN ABLE TO GET A CONTRACT? WHY HAVE I NOT BEEN ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE? WHY IS THIS SO SLOW? UM SO WE GOT TO PICK UP THE PACE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DOING WHAT WE ARE CALLED TO DO WHAT OUR RESIDENTS WANT US TO DO. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I HAVE FORMAL LANGUAGE THAT I NEED TO END THIS HEARING OUT
WITH AND IT IS THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 0186 AND 0412 IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.