I would love to see this happen for two reasons: For one it would allow myself to experience the world premium sporting event in the world and two it would be great for the local Tampa economy. As the world cup would bring in dozens of people, and not to mention countless beautiful European girls to town for the event.
TAMPA - Farrukh Quraishi spends a great deal of time helping Americans envision just how big a deal the World Cup soccer games are and what the 2018 or 2022 Cup could do for a host U.S. city.
"Picture four Super Bowls happening in one city over the course of three weeks," said Quraishi, a former player with the Tampa Rowdies soccer team, overall soccer booster and now officially one of a dozen corporate leaders trying to make Tampa a World Cup host city.
Recent World Cup games drew more than 2 million international visitors to the host nation. Even if Tampa only hosts first-round matches, Quraishi said, the region could expect outdoor events at a half-dozen parks where matches would be shown on Jumbotrons plus several festivals akin to the NFL Experience during Tampa's last Super Bowl.
"These would be in places like Vinoy Park in St. Pete and Curtis Hixon Park in Tampa, so people could watch the game live for free," Quraishi said. "This would not be just one game inside a stadium for people who bought tickets."
On Wednesday, some of Tampa's top local executives and politicians publicly signed on to the project and will try to woo the governing body FIFA into bringing World Cup matches to the Bay area.
FIFA stands for Federation Internationale de Football Association, which is French for International Federation of Association Football.
"This is too big an opportunity for the area to pass up," said Charles Sykes, president and CEO of Sykes Enterprises, one of the world's largest outsource call center companies. Sykes is now the Tampa Bay Bid Committee chairman for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Hosting matches in 2018 or 2022 may sound far away, Quraishi says, but some key decisions already are being made. Tampa's role hinges on a series of decisions to be made between May and 2013, any one of which could expand the region's role to a major venue or leave it with nothing.
Tampa was among 38 U.S. cities that applied to be part of a U.S. bid for the cup. Now that list has been culled to 27 U.S. cities, Tampa included.
In November, Tampa's delegation will go to New York for what's called a city workshop but in effect will be the first chance to make the city stand out among others. In May, U.S. soccer officials will reduce the list to 18 cities and submit a formal "Bid Book" to FIFA.
FIFA then will send inspection teams to all cities that could host matches. On Dec. 2, 2010, FIFA will announce a host nation. The final selection of cities will be made five years in advance.
South Africa will have the next World Cup, in 2010, and Brazil will host in 2014.
When the cup comes to a nation, a dozen or more cities may host several first-round matches. Bigger stadiums host the later matches, including the semifinals and the final.
If the bid by the United States and Tampa prevails, people here can expect more than one match at Raymond James Stadium. Each venue would host four to six games over two to three weeks in June and July of the cup year.
For now, Tampa's bid largely is in the hands of Quraishi, Sykes and several other executives and local politicians. Quraishi was the chief manager of World Cup games held in Orlando in 1994 and is one of several people trying to revive soccer in Tampa.
Sykes adds international expertise; his company employs 34,000 people in 23 countries.
As with financial figures from the Super Bowl and the Olympics, estimates of economic impact - $6.4 billion for a host nation - are in the eye of the beholder. But Tampa committee members point out that U.S. television rights for the 2010 and 2014 World Cup sold for $425 million, a record price.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/oct/08/sp-tampa-shoots-for-world-cup/
