KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Days before the World Cup month kicks off, Kansas City is preparing for team arrivals as the smallest host city set to welcome the most teams during the tournament.
Signs of those teams are starting to appear around the city, particularly on the Riverfront, where excitement and theories are taking over.
The Kansas City Current is the spotlight around the Riverfront in a partnership with the national team from the Netherlands. But next door, the Origin Hotel appears to be picking a favorite team for the tournament. It does not appear to be the Netherlands, and the hotel is locked down.
Riverfront hotel signs raise questions
Security fencing appeared around the hotel on the riverfront this week with some not-so-subtle messaging. “Vamos Argentina” appears on signs that have been installed on the fence and hotel doors, and reservations are not available until the end of the tournament. A tent going up in the back of the hotel appears to have workout equipment inside.
Madeline and Faustina Jackson have lived in Kansas City their whole lives. They work at a local hotel and said they hear rumblings around the hospitality industry.
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“I don’t necessarily know what I can say and what I can’t,” Faustina Jackson said. “But yeah, we’ve definitely had people already showing up for it.”
Hotel management for Origin Hotel did not respond to a request for comment.
“I think it’s really, really cool to think that someone like Messi could be here right now or very soon,” Madeline Jackson said. “I guess we won’t quite know for a little bit of time.”
Argentina jerseys flying off shelves
Argentina is a big name to get, and bringing star player Lionel Messi with it is the talk of the town around Kansas City.
“Argentina, the last champions of the World Cup, they got, like, the best player, best current player in their squad. Argentina always has demand,” said Barish Sener, who owns the Soccerium in Oak Park Mall.
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Sener said he cannot keep jerseys on the racks. It’s not just Argentina. Sener says customers have been targeting all four teams that are staying in Kansas City.
Though it’s not just jerseys flying off the racks.
“Anything, anything with the Kansas City on it is the most popular thing because it’s local,” Sener said. “So people want to have a piece of it.”
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