Eubanks said the idea started with a simple shift in perspective, asking, “What if a bid solicitation was treated like a job posting?” That small change opened the door to using EcoMap in a new way, one that makes the procurement process more accessible, especially for businesses that are new to government contracting.

Kansas is also looking to other cities for ideas. Eubanks credited places like Seattle and Philadelphia for their consistent outreach, clear posting practices, and focus on legacy. She pointed to Seattle’s 500-day countdown and playbook strategy, and Atlanta’s accelerator program for businesses along the BeltLine, as examples that helped shape Kansas’ own approach.

At the same time, she noted that each ecosystem must adapt those models to fit local conditions. Kansas City’s location straddles two states, which adds complexity to stakeholder coordination. Organizing committees, workforce boards, higher education institutions, and regional planning groups all need a shared source of truth.

That’s where centralization matters. Kansas has combined bid opportunities, business resources, ESOs, events, and capital access tools into one platform. Beginning this fall, businesses will also be able to assess their loan readiness directly through the site. The goal is to reduce friction, remove silos, and make sure every player in the ecosystem has access to the same information.

That kind of coordination takes time, but Eubanks was clear that urgency doesn’t have to come at the expense of long-term thinking.

“None of this is a one-off,” she said. “We’re using the World Cup to build systems that should’ve existed already, and that will keep making a difference after it’s gone.”

That includes clearer policies, stronger partnerships, and better tools for tracking the work. Kansas was introduced to EcoMap by the team at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, which had warned about the risk of “digital dust” or data that exists but never gets used. For Eubanks, the solution had to be something durable. She worked with her team to build a system that could power not just the World Cup response, but their entire ecosystem infrastructure going forward.

That mindset is shaping how Kansas approaches everything from small business outreach to statewide procurement. It’s also influencing how the state collaborates with other host cities. Instead of competing for attention, Eubanks sees the opportunity for shared learning.

“There’s a lot of value in just asking what’s working somewhere else,” she said. “Not every answer will fit. But we don’t have to solve these problems alone.”

Her advice to other cities preparing for major events, “Don’t forget the stakeholders.”

Entrepreneurs need guidance, but so do tourism boards, chambers of commerce, and economic development organizations. Kansas is developing tailored playbooks for each group, backed by predictive analytics that help forecast travel patterns and visitor volumes.

Kansas City may be the host, but the opportunity stretches statewide. Small businesses and support organizations across Kansas are preparing to meet the moment and to carry that momentum forward.

Eubanks’s final reflections were personal. She grew up in Kansas, raised by two entrepreneurs. Today, her son goes to the same Montessori school she once did.