Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act of 2025
Transportation Assistance for Olympic and World Cup Cities Act of 2025 would create a new federal program under the Department of Transportation to help cities and regions hosting major international events (Olympics, Paralympics, Special Olympics, FIFA World Cup) with transportation planning and projects within 100 miles of event sites. The bill authorizes grants to eligible states, tribes, local governments, metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs), and certain other entities to improve movement of people and goods for the events, with specific funding caps and timeframes. It also directs the Department of Commerce to study and report on how hosting the Olympics (LA 2028) and the 2026 World Cup affects travel and tourism. Overall, the act aims to streamline planning, share resources (including buses and related equipment), and quantify tourism impacts tied to these events. Key aspects include the definition of “covered events,” the pool and limits for grant funding (including a $50 million per year authorization), allowable uses (planning and transportation projects within 100 miles that aid event-related movement, not temporary infrastructure), and a 5-year pre-event to 30-days post-event financing window with reimbursement provisions. The studies are to be publicly released and focus on changes in international/domestic travel, business revenues, and employment in travel/tourism.
Key Points
- 1Creation of a new 5502 provision in Chapter 55 of title 49 to provide transportation assistance for international sporting events, with defined purposes, terms, and eligible recipients.
- 2Covered events and eligible recipients: includes Olympic/Paralympic/Special Olympics events and FIFA World Cup events held in the United States; eligible entities include states, tribes, units of local government (including port authorities or transit agencies), certain MPOs within 100 miles of the event, entities eligible for 5339 grants within 100 miles, and nonprofit organizations established to execute a covered event.
- 3Grant allocation and caps: annually, funds are first allocated to host MPOs for the most imminent covered events (and any other events in the same year), with a cap of $10,000,000 per host MPO per single covered event. After that, remaining funds are distributed first to other eligible host MPOs for a covered event not described in the first tier, with the same $10,000,000 cap, and then equally among all eligible host MPOs once those caps are met.
- 4Use of funds: grants may be used to fund projects and planning activities within 100 miles of the event site that (a) are eligible transportation projects or planning activities, and (b) will aid movement of people and goods for the event. Projects must not be merely temporary infrastructure necessary for hosting the event.
- 5Planning and coordination: the act requires technical and planning assistance from the Secretary to eligible entities, including intermodal planning, pooling/sharing of buses and equipment for event duration, expedited review/comment on submissions, and coordination with private sector and governments as needed.
- 6Time windows and reimbursements: funding is available for activities from 5 years before the event to 30 days after the event ends; reimbursements are allowed within that window; unspent funds must be reallocated within the same framework after a set period.
- 7Funding authorization: authorizes $50,000,000 per fiscal year for this program, remaining available until expended.
- 8Studies on travel and tourism impact: the bill directs the Department of Commerce to study and report on the Olympics (2028 LA) and the 2026 World Cup, assessing changes in international and domestic travel, industry revenues, and employment. Results are to be shared with Congress and publicly available.
- 9Clerical amendment: a minor change to add 5502 to the index of the Transportation title.