KANSAS CITY, MO. – At the end of the Big 12 tournament, the business owners think about what the week has meant for them.
For many, this means rejuvenation after the tournament was canceled last year. This was the first blow that would result in a year long delay in business that has not yet fully returned.
“I think everyone is working really hard to help us get there,” said Rachel Waller, director of marketing for the Power and Light district. “I hope that this time next year we will be back where we were and that people can get together in larger groups and hold fan parties with encouraging rallies.”
Hotels and restaurants usually depend on the Big 12 tournament for more revenue.
The Hampton Kansas City Crossroads Hotel said traffic had increased and they knew travelers would be staying for long periods especially for the tournament.
“Right now our bread and butter is youth sport, so Big 12, they have a HyVee arena in the West Bottoms,” said Daniel Lock of Hampton. “They have events that really boost the market for occupancy on the weekends.”
The business then moves to restaurants and bars.
“We should be very proud because here it comes and we will all enjoy ourselves,” said David Lopez, general manager of Manny’s Mexican restaurant. “We will enjoy this city. I don’t know, sometimes you think about these days and you think about the beginning of the end and where we’ll be in three months. “
Many restaurants have had to lay off employees, apply for federal aid, completely change their business processes, reduce working hours or even close.
“Just having some normality with a little boom in business and seeing people I may not have seen in a year is one of the things I look forward to most,” said Kyle Witherspoon, co-owner of Johnny’s Tavern .
The city, the sports commission and the T-Mobile Center will evaluate the economic impact of the tournament. They hope to open the tournament at full capacity next year.
