TO: CITY COUNCIL FROM: Mayor Matt Mahan
Vice Mayor Pam Foley
Councilmember David Cohen
Councilmember George Casey
SUBJECT: SEE BELOW DATE: August 8, 2025
Approved:
SUBJECT: Actions Related to Travel to Atlanta, Georgia for the September 2025 San José Chamber of Commerce Annual Study Mission
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Accept staff recommendation (a) and (b), (1), (3), (4), (5), (6) which includes Mayor Mahan, Councilmember Tordillos, Councilmember Cohen, Councilmember Mulcahy, and Councilmember Doan.
BACKGROUND:
The San José Chamber of Commerce leads an annual study mission to bring home the best ideas, tools, and inspiration from cities across the country so we can translate them into action here in San José.
This year’s trip to Atlanta will explore the revitalization, regional investment, and civic collaboration that have led to their downtown recovery, through investment in arts, culture, sports, entertainment, and infrastructure. The attendees will study the development of The Battery and Truist Park as a national model for sports and entertainment districts and learn how Atlanta is preparing to host the FIFA World Cup. The focus will be on how placemaking strategies are activating neighborhoods, drawing investment, and creating lasting public value.
COUNCIL AGENDA: 8/12/2025
FILE: 25-792
ITEM: 3.3
CITY COUNCIL
August 8, 2025
Subject: Actions Related to Travel to Atlanta, Georgia for the September 2025 San José Chamber of Commerce Annual Study Mission
For city sponsored travel it is policy to not allow more than five councilmembers join any one trip or delegation. Due to the increased interest in this year’s study mission, we are outlining principles that should serves as a guide to attendance in the case that not all councilmembers can be accommodated. The first principle should be the content of the trip: in this case, economic development through sports and entertainment around a major city’s downtown necessitates the attendance of the two Councilmembers representing downtown. The second principle is to prioritize attendance based on seniority. These two principles are the reasoning behind the recommendations in this memorandum.
The signers of this memorandum have not had, and will not have, any private conversation with any other member of the City Council, or that member’s staff, concerning any action discussed in the memorandum, and that each signer’s staff members have not had, and have been instructed not to have, any such conversation with any other member of the City Council or that member's staff.