Small Town Charm, Global Stage: 2026 State of the City Puts Spotlight on Manhattan Beach
May 02, 2026 03:23PM ● By Jeanne Fratello
(City leaders, l-r: Jill Lamkin, president and CEO of Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce; City Councilmember Amy Howorth; Mayor Pro Tem Joe Franklin; City Manager Talyn Mirzakhanian; Police Chief Rachel Johnson; Mayor David Lesser; City Councilmember Nina Tarnay; City Councilmember Steve Charelian.)
At this week's State of the City event sponsored by the Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce, leaders touted Manhattan Beach as a prosperous city and an attractive destination for visitors.
The 2026 State of the City event at Westdrift Hotel painted a picture of a community
successfully balancing its cherished small-town feel with the
high-stakes excitement of hosting the world, as thousands of visitors descend upon the greater L.A. area for this summer's FIFA World Cup games.
"Soccer Spoken Here": Manhattan Beach and the World Cup
The
upcoming 2026 World Cup was a central theme. John Thorrington, LAFC
Co-President, noted that the tournament represents an "inflection point"
for the region, connecting Manhattan Beach to a global event just 15
minutes away.
"This
is an amazing opportunity that we are hosting an event of global scale
that will take place 15 minutes from here," said Thorrington. "And if we embrace this moment as we host the world
here in LA and in Manhattan Beach, if we get that right, it is not just going to be the impact of this tournament
for the few weeks it's here, but the impact that it will have on
generations of people in the years that follow the tournament."
(Left to right: Alexi Lalas, John Thorrington, Jill Lamkin)Lamkin noted that the visitors attending the World Cup are expected to spend lavishly on dining and other experiences. "These folks are coming and paying a lot of
money for these tickets, and they are planning to spend about $2,500 per
person when they come to the United States," said Lamkin.
To
capitalize on this, the Chamber of Commerce is launching the "Soccer
Spoken Here" campaign, providing businesses with marketing assets to
welcome an estimated 150,000 visitors to the region. A new visitor
website, manhattanbeachexperience.com, is set to relaunch on May 15 to
help these international guests navigate the city. The Manhattan Beach Chamber of Commerce will also be producing a special "Soccer Golf" event on June 7 at Westdrift Hotel. Details are currently in development.
"I want to make sure we have as
open arms as possible, we are as welcoming as possible," said Alexi
Lalas, a former professional soccer star who is now an analyst for Fox
Sports. "Whether that goes for people that are going to the games at SoFi or whether that goes for people that are having a drink out here or a meal out here or just walking around and hanging out with people - the scores are all fine and well, winning or losing and all kind of stuff is fine and well - but the connections that you make , the experiences that you have, that's what lives in people's minds."
A Safe and Financially Sound Community
Regarding the state of the city, Mayor David Lesser and Police Chief Rachel Johnson described Manhattan Beach as a fiscally sound and safe community:
- Fiscal strength: Manhattan Beach maintains a AAA bond rating. The proposed budget for the upcoming year includes $199.7 million in revenue and $22.3 million dedicated to capital improvements.
- Crime is down: Crime decreased by 13.5% in 2024 and another 6% in 2025. Specifically, auto thefts were down 19% following community outreach, and burglaries dropped by nearly 29%.
- Cutting-edge safety: The city is launching a "Drone as a First Responder" program. Drones stationed on the police department roof can reach scenes in about two minutes, providing "eyes in the sky" before officers arrive.
Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board President Tina Shivpuri and Manhattan Beach Education Foundation executive director Hilary Mahan also spoke about the Manhattan Beach public schools as a district of choice. Despite having roughly 0.1% of the state's teaching force - and receiving less funding than most comparable districts - MBUSD significantly outperforms its peers in awards and achievements. The district, for instance, has captured a share of teaching honors that is 1000% greater than its size would suggest, producing more seven L.A. County winners, four statewide winners, and one national winner for Teacher of the Year.
Modernizing the "Heartbeat" of Business
Looking ahead at city plans, City Manager Talyn Mirzakhanian highlighted several initiatives under the theme of "Moving Business Forward":
- Project Pulse: A coordinated effort to reimagine downtown parcels, including the former U.S. Bank building and Parking Lot 3, focusing on mixed-use development and much-needed parking.
- Improved mobility: A microtransit pilot program operated by Circuit that will debut this summer, offering on-demand electric vehicle shuttles to connect downtown with the North End and Sepulveda corridors.
- Digital infrastructure: The MBATS (Manhattan Beach Advanced Traffic Signal System) is building a fiber-optic backbone that will not only synch traffic signals for better flow but also provide the high-speed internet necessary for modern e-commerce.
Navigating "Headwinds"
Lesser also addressed "headwinds" facing the city, including budgetary challenges as well as state housing mandates that have spurred local protests aimed at protecting the unique character of the city.
"We're
navigating a slow growth, high-cost fiscal environment," said Lesser, noting that the city's projected
revenue is moderate while insurance, pension, and operational expenses, and the need for capital improvements are growing. He invited community members to take part in upcoming budget discussions.
Regarding state housing mandates, Lesser noted that multi-tenant housing projects are coming to Manhattan Beach because of
state law intended to address the statewide housing crisis. "What this
means is that large projects will qualify for major concessions on their
height, their density, and their scale if they include a small
percentage of affordable units," he said. "These projects, if they meet the
criteria, are non-discretionary. That
means that our planning commission and city council, and for that
matter the public, have no role in entitling and approving these
projects. They must be approved as a matter of right by our city staff."
Lesser continued: "We're fulfilling our obligations and following the law, but we all have
concerns about these projects. We're
concerned about the impact they're going to have on the character of
our community. We're a small beach community that was not designed to
support such large structures, and let me just ask, how will our water,
sewer, and roadway systems support these large projects? It's not clear.
So we're not sitting by idly as a council.
These
laws, as is, are supported by bipartisan majorities in our state
legislature, but we are advocating for change, not just for ourselves,
but for other small cities that are challenged just like we are."
