Free parking passes and permanent improvements to an InterIm CDA-operated lot helped Chinatown-International District small businesses keep employees moving during the FIFA World Cup and left behind a safer, more usable neighborhood resource.
Keeping the Neighborhood Working
For small businesses in the Chinatown-International District, welcoming thousands of World Cup visitors also meant making sure their own employees could still get to work.
Local businesses raised concerns about parking during the tournament, leading to a practical solution just a few blocks away. SeattleFWC26 sponsored 50 parking passes for employees of CID small businesses to use every day from June 15 through July 6.
The spaces were located in a parking lot InterIm CDA has operated beneath I-5 since 1972, when the organization negotiated with the Washington State Department of Transportation to turn unused space into parking for neighborhood customers, employees and residents.
A Safer Lot for the CID
The lot itself needed some attention.
Funding supported electrical and lighting repairs, repainting of parking lines and numbers, and improvements that allowed the entire lot to operate with better visibility.
Unlike the temporary parking passes, those repairs stayed behind. The result was a safer, more usable community resource for the businesses, workers and residents who relied on it long before the World Cup arrived.
Related Legacy Projects
See All Projects
Vital Spirit
Vital Spirit
Vital Spirit is a nine-foot bronze sculpture by Pacific Northwest artist Gerard Tsutakawa, unveiled at Seattle Stadium's North Plaza to commemorate the venue's role as a FIFA World Cup 2026 host site and to anchor the Seattle Unity Loop.
Juneteenth Match Day
Juneteenth Match Day
Seattle’s second FIFA World Cup 26 match fell on Juneteenth, bringing the U.S. Men’s National Team to Seattle on June 19 and creating a global stage to celebrate Black history, culture, artists, athletes and businesses.
Small Business Inclusion Training
Small Business Inclusion Training
140 businesses and community organizations participated in free LGBTQ+ inclusion training designed to help workplaces across Washington welcome employees, customers and visitors with greater understanding and confidence.