World Cup Teams Revealed for Kansas City
The World Cup draw dropped last week, and suddenly, Kansas City feels a lot closer to the center of the world than we’re used to. This draw shows the matchups in all twelve groups, each comprising four countries, along with the stadiums where they’ll play. It also gives each host city a glimpse of who might be traveling to our area from an international perspective. Arrowhead is hosting four group-stage matches, and the wait is over on which teams will be in KC. We’ll see Argentina vs. Algeria on June 16, Ecuador vs. Curaçao on June 20, Tunisia vs. the Netherlands on June 25, and Algeria vs. Austria on June 27. It’s a mix of soccer powerhouses and underdogs. But undoubtedly, some goals, fanfare, and local traditions will be brought by these traveling supporters. While downtown KC will be in the spotlight, the ripple effect will reach many surrounding communities like ours along I-35.
These matches signify more than just a few games; it’s really an international tour taking place just 45 minutes north of us. Fans will be moving between airports, hotels, watch parties, and every possible detour they can squeeze in. Some will stay in the metro, but others will be looking outside to eat, shop, and explore between match days. Our location on I-35 puts us directly on that path. I believe the World Cup will be the biggest cultural moment our region has ever hosted. Kansas City may have the stadium, but there’s plenty of room for Ottawa to be part of the story!
If you’re interested in finding some resources your business or organization can look into to be better prepared, check this out (info sheet here). If you want to watch our recent World Cup Community Conversation held here in town, you can view it here (view that here).
A Big Milestone for Grub & Chug on South Main
Tuesday evening, Chamber members gathered at local restaurant and bar, Grub and Chug (pictures here). Not only did we get to hear about all that Grub and Chug have going on, but they also fed us! You can hardly beat that. This downtown business is owned and operated by Wendy and Scott Schulz. Their family business took a big step this past month, as they are now the official owners of their building at 306 S Main Street! This takes place after four years of running their restaurant at this location. When they moved in in 2021, they undertook a significant remodel to prepare the space for hungry customers. Nine months later, the store was ready for its grand opening. Fast forward to today, and this investment in their business's future is now one that they can call their own.
When they're not spending time with their 10 grandkids, you’ll find the Schulz’s at 306 S Main Thursday-Sunday. With a robust menu, there are options for everyone (view their menu here). Some of their best sellers are their chicken-fried steak and their selection of burgers. They mentioned that all their burgers are never frozen and always cooked to order, every time! If you can’t choose from their many burger combos, they recommend one with their special ‘Grub Sauce’. This is an in-house recipe that has customers ordering it by the bottle. They shared on Tuesday evening that a customer all the way from Tennessee snagged themselves a bottle when coming through town. Congratulations to Wendy, Scott, and their team for four successful years with many more to come!
Ottawa Steps Into the Spotlight with New Relocation Program
This Wednesday was media day for the Chamber, where we discussed our participation in a new statewide relocation initiative. I started the morning with Brad Howard and KOFO, sharing info on the early-morning show. Then, in the afternoon, Oliva Acree from KSHB TV came down from KC to conduct an interview at the Chamber office (photos here). Both of these opportunities help us share the good news about this new program! Though my interview with Brad was live on KOFO, Olivia's interview won’t air until next week. I’ll make sure to get a copy you can view, or if I find out about when it airs in time, I’ll give you a heads-up! To learn more about this program, read on below.
This year, the Kansas State Treasurer’s Office rolled out a talent recruitment grant program designed to help communities like ours attract new households and boost economic vitality across the State. Communities were eligible to receive funding to design and launch creative relocation incentive programs, and I’m pleased to say we secured a significant grant award as part of this initiative! Along with Ottawa, only 11 other Kansas communities were chosen for this program. This is made possible through a partnership with MakeMyMove, a national online marketplace that connects potential movers to interested communities. MakeMyMove drives traffic to our online portal, and the Chamber’s role is to serve as a conduit for information about our great town (view our portal here). We help connect these households with local partners to secure employment and housing, and support their families as they make this major life decision. What makes this easier to sell is that, in addition to providing these households with a great place to live, work, and play, we are working with community partners to offer incentive packages for each participating household. We view these incentives as on-ramps for businesses and organizations to connect with new residents, creating new customers and, ideally, a positive experience.
The reason the Chamber has engaged in this program is that we know that growing our population means strengthening our workforce, expanding customer bases for local businesses, and spreading the property tax burden across new households. It’s also about inviting more families to discover what we already know: Ottawa isn’t just a great place to live, it’s a great place to belong! It’s a place where you can be part of something bigger and play an integral role in your community's future.
As we continue implementing this relocation initiative in 2026, I’ll make sure to provide updates along the way. If you have an interest in learning more, I’m happy to share! If you think you’d like to play a role in this program, there are a few ways you can help out. First, if your business or organization would like to offer an incentive to these new households, we would love to share the opportunity to connect with all ten of them. If you don’t have an incentive but like the idea of being a local cheerleader, I would love to have more folks on the welcome wagon. Whether that’s when households are considering moving or have already made the decision and are coming to town. If you’re an employer with talent from outside the state, this can be a helpful tool. Please reach out so I can share how these incentives can be offered to your applicants to give you a better shot at premium talent. Stay tuned for more info as we move into the new year!
City Commission Welcomes New Leadership and Prepares for Major City Hall Upgrades
This Wednesday evening's City Commission meeting had a few items I wanted to make sure everyone was aware of. First, congratulations to Commissioner Caylor and her many years of leadership. Sara has been a commissioner for 14 years, and this past Wednesday was her last day after a significant tenure. To fill the fifth seat on the dias, newly sworn-in commissioner Tim VanLieden experienced his first commission meeting. In addition to adding Tim to the commission, they also appointed leadership positions for the 2026 calendar year. Zach Clayton was elected Mayor, and Eric Crowley was elected Mayor Pro Tem. The Chamber appreciates all five sitting commissioners for their willingness to serve our community and all those who have come before!
Outside of this leadership change, Paul Sommer, IT Director, shared some upcoming changes to City Hall. Effective Monday, work on the HVAC system will get underway through the spring of 2026 with the help of BCI Mechanical. The project will proceed in phases to minimize disruption, but the first phase will affect the entire second floor for about six weeks. To ensure citizens can continue to access city services, several departments are being temporarily relocated. Neighborhood & Community Services will continue to handle permits, licensing, and application drop-offs on the first floor of City Hall. If you have zoning questions or other issues, those will be handled by appointment at the Ottawa Police Department. The City Clerk’s office will remain on the first floor of City Hall, along with IT. The City Manager’s Office and Utilities Administration are moving to the Utility Building Offices. Public Works Administration will operate out of the Street Barn at 320 S. Beech Street. Lastly, Human Resources will be at the Ottawa Memorial Auditorium. Plans to shuffle everyone around again will take place following this first phase, but hopefully everyone can still find their respective departments throughout the construction. For the next few months, it’s probably best to call ahead before stopping by! If you want to learn more about this porject, you can watch back Wednesday’s meeting here (view that here).
Join the Community in Reading This Year’s O-Town Reads Book
Everyone knows that when the Ottawa Library hosts a Chamber Coffee, don't eat breakfast in the morning (pictures here)! We always love visiting our friends at 105 S Hickory Street, not just for their food, but because of their passion for reading and how they find ways to engage the whole community in this lifelong activity. A program that engages people of all ages is their annual O-Town Reads. This entails the selection of THE annual reads book, which is as sacred as it is secret prior to this Chamber Coffee each year. Multiple library staff members make up the 'inner circle' that works through many books over several months to land a decisive winner each year. Once chosen, they swear to secrecy as they work to order at least 500 books, order shirts to match the theme, and plan programming around the story's concepts. This highly regarded program has now reached year 11, with a decade of community reading taking place at the Ottawa Library! What a powerful and successful initiative that attracts hundreds of library patrons, community members, and beyond.
If you were not able to make it this morning, I imagine you're on the edge of your seat! The 2026 O-Town Reads book is The Midnight Library by Matt Haig (picture here). This modern novel has made waves since its release a few years ago as a #1 New York Times Bestseller. This reason, along with many others, is why it rose to the top for the selection committee. Its size, the mediums in which it can be enjoyed, and its multigenerational content are all reasons it was chosen. The story follows Nora Seed, who finds herself in a mysterious library between life and death. Each book in that library offers a glimpse at a different version of what her life could have been. These stories force her to face regret, second chances, and the sometimes-messy business of being human. Ottawa Library staff shared that it’s an easy read, as you continue to lean into the mystical nature of Nora and her alternate realities in The Midnight Library. But it is one that, once completed, might give readers a fresh outlook on their own lives and leave them feeling moved as you find yourself tucked into these pages.
Copies of The Midnight Library are available now at the Ottawa Library. When you pick up your copy, you’ll find a sticker on the inside front cover with a QR code. Give it a quick scan to share where you’re reading from—whether that’s your living room here in Ottawa, a work trip layover, or a beach chair somewhere far warmer than Kansas. Once finished, pass it along! The Ottawa Library looks forward to the continued growth of this exciting annual program and see just how far the O-Town Reads spirit travels. Happy reading!
Final Day to Nominate Your Favorite Business or Community Leader
Nominations for the Chamber’s Annual Awards and Banquet end today. Don’t wait! Do you have a community leader, favorite business, or rising star that deserves recognition? Submit a nomination so they can be recognized for their hard work and dedication. Awards include Favorite Smile, Horizon Award, Entrepreneur of the Year, Community Builder, and the highest award, the Russel Crites. Anyone can submit a nomination, whether or not they are a Chamber member. The only stipulation is that the nominated individual must be a member of our Chamber. View the forms here, and submit them before it’s too late (access the forms here). We look forward to celebrating these individuals and all of 2025 at our celebration on January 29th. You can RSVP here or by calling our office at 785-242-1000 (link here to RSVP). We hope to see you there!
Ryland Miller
President/CEO
Ottawa Area Chamber of Commerce
ryland@ottawakansas.org
785-242-1000
