^{Photo Courtesy of the San Jose Earthquakes}

 If you've been anywhere near Downtown San José lately, you've felt it. 

The cheers. The jerseys. The shoulder-to-shoulder crowds. Thousands of people celebrating together. 

This is what I like to call Big City Activity. 

The FIFA World Cup watch parties have quickly turned Downtown San José into the Bay Area's place to be. People are coming from across the region, and I've enjoyed meeting families from around the world who have chosen to spend their time right here in Downtown San José. 

And our businesses are feeling it too. 

June and July can be quieter months downtown. San José State is out, Sharks season is over, and many people are on vacation. The World Cup has provided an enormous boost at just the right time. Restaurants are packed, businesses are thriving, and we're hearing stories of beer, wine, and spirit deliveries arriving far more frequently than normal. I spent some time last night watching a game last night at El Cabron Kitchen & Cantina, and for a period of time, they ran out of certain beers and menu items. That's a good problem to have. 

By some estimates, tens of thousands of people are descending on downtown for certain watch parties. They certainly did so last night for the Mexico vs. South Korea. Fans packed the streets, with many watching from the Market/San Pedro Garage. Everywhere I looked there were flags, jerseys, and smiles. 

The excitement wasn't limited to San Pedro Square. Over in SoFA, another watch party came alive at Parque de los Pobladores. Together, these gatherings are creating something that's hard to quantify but impossible to miss: civic pride. 

Watching thousands of people from different backgrounds come together to cheer, celebrate, and simply enjoy being together reminds us what downtown can be at its best. 

Moments like these don't happen by accident. 

Years of work helped our sports tourism leaders make the pitch for FIFA to choose Levi’s Stadium and set the stage for the Bay Area. San Pedro Street became a permanent pedestrian mall. The Market/San Pedro Garage recently completed the first phase of a major facelift. The City and San José Downtown Association has continued investing in beautification, and the MOMENT Pop-Up Shops along San Pedro Street are back open. The San José Earthquakes have helped bring multiple screens to the district and spent an incredible amount of time on facilitating this opportunity for all of us to enjoy a free watch party experience. Countless businesses, community leaders, and partners have embraced a shared vision. 

Huge thanks are owed to John Poch and the San José Sports Authority, Tommy O'Hare and the City's Sports and Special Events team, the San José Earthquakes, the San José Downtown Association, the San José Police Department, and all of the businesses and community members who have made these watch parties possible. A special thanks is owed to all that sponsored SJ26 too. 

The economic impact of the FIFA World Cup is enormous, but the social impact may be even greater. People are going to remember this series of World Cup Watch Parties and share stories about this exact moment for years to come.  

The World Cup has reminded us that downtown is at its best when people come together around shared experiences. Every once in a while, you get to stand in the middle of a crowd of thousands of people, look around, and think: This is Downtown San José. This is Big City Stuff. So I hope you get a chance to sit back and enjoy the moment. 

In Community,
Michael Lomio