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World Expos are the Olympic Games of the economic, scientific and industrial world. They occur every five years, attract huge exhibits from countries around the globe and bring as many as 70 million visitors. We want to host the World Expo on behalf of the United States in the global cradle of innovation, Silicon Valley.

About Expos

The World Exposition (Expo), also known as a World’s Fair, is one of the world’s oldest international events and is the largest gathering of people on the planet. Centered around a theme, a World Expo focuses global attention on an issue, and has the potential to transform the region that hosts it through improved infrastructure, new landmarks and a refreshed image. Securing hosting rights is therefore an economically significant prize for any community. They can also be a diplomatic boon to the host country. According to the Expo Museum, ever since the first world’s fair in London in 1851, the goals of World Expos have been both high-minded as well as commercial. They allow people to explore the world outside of their everyday experience – other cultures, new scientific advancements, and new inventions. As times change, World Expositions have changed to fit those times. They continue to reflect both the commercial needs of their times while presenting the ideals, hopes, and aspirations of people even as those evolve.

To learn more about Expos visit the Expo Museum: www.expomuseum.com
To learn about the U.S.-cofounded organization that governs Expos, visit: www.bie-paris.org

Benefits of a World Expo

World Expos are unprecedented in their ability to attract large masses of people to promote innovation and to improve the human condition. Hosting an Expo could have great benefits for the United States, including:

  • The biggest benefit in the current economy is jobs – tens of thousands of jobs – but an Expo also brings millions of new visitors, generates billions in economic benefit, and likely would leave Silicon Valley with an iconic landmark, like the Eiffel Tower, plus a University of California campus in Silicon Valley.
  • An opportunity to showcase our country’s leadership and innovation in entertainment, agriculture, the environment, high-tech, green-tech and bio-tech.
  • Expos are a one-of-a-kind diplomatic opportunity, especially when public diplomacy and international engagement has become a essential for leading countries. With the world coming to the United States, visitors can witness our founders’ vision for a nation and our American values.
  • In a globalized economy, showcasing American business know-how and the strength of free enterprise, especially in our innovation capital of Silicon Valley can help boost exports.

The organizers believe this event could be transformative for the region, the state and our country, bringing people together like few other opportunities can. A February, 2011 study by Beacon Economics found that holding a World Expo in the United States would bring:

  • An additional $6.1 billion to our economy
  • 25 million visitors
  • 8.3 million new airplane passengers
  • 45,700 new jobs
  • $0.5 billion in tax revenues

Why the United States?

By 2020, it will have been more than 35 years since the United States has hosted a World Expo. As the world’s largest economy, largest media market, third largest country by population, and one of the most ethnically diverse and multicultural nations on the planet, we humbly believe it is time for the United States to again host this transformative event.

Shanghai, China and the other recent hosts of the World Expo have significantly boosted the prestige and prominence of the Expo brand. We believe hosting the 2020 World Expo in Silicon Valley, USA can best continue the upward trajectory of this global forum.

While the theme of the Silicon Valley World Expo is still emerging, three characteristics seem inevitable, which are both universally appealing and locally relevant: innovation, space and sustainability.

  • Silicon Valley is the global cradle of innovation, a hub of the new connected world and a model of humanity’s relentless march to new frontiers.
  • The proposed Moffett Field site is owned by the U.S. space agency NASA and nestled in between Google, Yahoo, Facebook and the rest of the innovation world in Silicon Valley.
  • The site is served by three international airports, abundant public transit and other means of transportation.
  • A World Expo and its legacy facilities fit perfectly with the surrounding communities planned future.

The 2020 Expo Site

The proposed site for the 2020 Silicon Valley, USA World Expo is the NASA Ames airfield at Moffett Field. An Expo at the more than 1000-acre site would keep many buildings intact, rehabilitate others, build some new memorable permanent structures, and temporarily transform the runways into the main Expo grounds.

The site is served by three international airports, abundant public transit and other means of transportation including three freeways. Numerous already-planned public transit improvements – ferries, light rail, passenger rail, buses and experimental modes like Personal Rapid Transit pods – could accommodate global visitors to Moffett Field.

The legacy improvements to area necessary for the Expo correspond very well with the existing plans of the cities, companies and, indeed the region.

World Expos are about creating visions of the future and many of the companies, universities and research facilities that are fueling our connected globalized civilization are on the site, abut the site or can be seen with the naked eye from the proposed Expo site.

Download an artistic rendering of the site: pdf
Download a transportation overview of the site: pdf

Launching Opinion Editorial

Bring the World Expo to Silicon Valley in 2020 | pdf

Press Releases

Governor Schwarzenegger, Bay Area Council, Announce Bid for 2020 World Expo | pdf

World Expo in Silicon Valley Would Generate $5.6 Billion in Economic Activity for Bay Area, According to New Report | pdf

News Coverage Highlights

Silicon Valley Wants D.C. Backing for World Expo
Politico, May 11, 2011 | pdf

The Push for World Expo 2020 in Silicon Valley
Politico, May 2, 2011 | link

Bay Area bids for World Expo 2020
The Stanford Daily, April 28, 2011 | link

How Does Your Valley Grow
Crosscut, March 28, 2011 | link

Joint Venture joins World Expo push
San Jose Business Journal, March 11, 2011 | link

Mercury News Editorial: For Silicon Valley, U.S. should rejoin the world expo organization
San Jose Mercury News, 02/10/2011 | link

Report: World Expo would be economic boon to Calif
Businessweek – 02/07/2011 | link

Report: World Expo 2020 would drive $5.6 billion to Silicon Valley economy
San Jose Mercury News, 02/07/2011 | link

World’s fair 2020 pitch for Moffett Field
San Francisco Chronicle, 02/07/2011 | link

NASA backs bid for World Expo 2020 at Moffett Field
San Jose Mercury News, 9/13/2010 | pdf

Calif. expo advocates would use old Navy air base
Associated Press, 9/13/2010 | pdf

Silicon Valley in Bid for World Expo
Los Angeles Daily News, 09/12/2010 | link

Governor to Pitch Bay Area World Fair
San Francisco Chronicle, 9/8/2010 | pdf

Media

On September 12, 2010, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bay Area Council CEO Jim Wunderman announced Silicon Valley’s 2020 bid to a packed room of journalists. They explained that Silicon Valley isn’t just a place. It is a people and a philosophy that tie directly to the proud history of World Expos.

Media Contact: John Grubb SVP, Bay Area Council
001-415-946-8705, jgrubb@bayareacouncil.org

Submit Your Ideas or Join

Share your memories, paint a vision of the future, nominate an idea for inclusion in the Expo, or just keep us straight – we want to hear from you:

Bi-Partisan, Multi-Sector Support

Republican California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger partnered with a business group that represents many of the largest employers in the state and indeed the country, called the Bay Area Council, to propose holding a World Expo in Silicon Valley, USA in 2020. Newly-elected Democrat Governor Jerry Brown officially joined the effort when he came into office. Local elected and civic leaders – including Chambers of Commerce, foundations, labor groups and environmental groups have all signaled support. Likewise, several California newspapers have editorialized in support of the World Expo and rejoining the Bureau of International Expositions. In Congress, Senator Richard Lugar (R-Indiana) released a report on February 15, 2011, which stated “the U.S. should seek immediately to rejoin the Bureau of International Expositions in order to bid for the 2020 Expo.”

Help the U.S. Rejoin the BIE

We need your help.

To host an Expo, a region, via its national government, must secure the approval of the BIE, through a competitive process much like the Olympics. The BIE is a treaty organization with 157 member countries. It includes nearly every country on the planet, including the European countries, Russia, China, Japan, Canada, Mexico, even Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. The United States has participated in World Expos for 160 years and was a founding member of the BIE in 1928. About ten years ago, the United States stopped paying its relatively small annual dues to the BIE, and in 2002, because of unpaid dues, needed to drop out of the organization. The cost of rejoining the BIE is 24,000 Euros or about $33,000.

To help the United States rejoin the BIE, please send a letter (similar to this: word doc) to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Governor Jerry Brown’s Letter: pdf
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Letter: pdf

Please email (jgrubb@bayareacouncil.org) or fax (415-981-6408) a copy of your letter to the Bay Area Council for our records … and thank you!

If you are interested in getting involved with the 2020 World Expo Bid – we would love to hear from you! The bid will be supported by sponsorship, elected leaders, endorsers, several organizing committees, a professional staff and volunteers. To learn more, please
call the Bay Area Council at 415-981-6600.

Stay up to date on the 2020 World Expo drive’s accomplishments, requests for help and occasional “learning experiences.”

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