Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Spread the Wealth - Eugene 08 and the ODB

What did you do the 10 days of Eugene ’08? Did you have tickets? Did you hang out in the festival area? Did you avoid downtown only to find it largely empty? My husband and I are in the latter group. Anticipating a huge pedestrian crowd, we were cringing the entire drive downtown knowing we’d have to fight our way in only after having to park a ½ mile a way. Much to our surprise, traffic – pedestrian and vehicle – was light. After walking the campus and deciding not to brave the festival crowds with two young children in tow, we went out to eat. The normally crowded 5th street restaurant was dead! In talking to our waitress, we heard that numbers were, in fact, down from normal during the trials and considerably lower than everyone anticipated for the Trials. The restaurant had increased staff for the Trials and instead had to send people home every night. We heard this same story repeated at yet another downtown restaurant later that week. What’s up with that?

Well, here’s the scoop . . .

Most of the tourists anticipated for the event (an estimated 10,000+) were just too well taken care of down on campus. Most of the athletes, families and such were housed on campus, were fed by the huge kitchen services there and even received food vouchers for the large food vendor set up inside the stadium. These people had no reason to leave the campus and a lot of incentives not to. Parking and transportation would be issues for all of them. A bit of a sorry thing for all of the restaurants and retail establishments anticipating that huge rush with no luck. Here at the ODB we noticed no change in numbers with a few Trial stragglers out and about in the country. I know Eugene is anticipating more competitions in the next few years; hopefully everyone in the area will be able figure out how to get all these people out and about so the rest of us can enjoy the spoils as well! Spread the Wealth next time why don't you?!

No comments:

Inside the life of a small business owner!

Food,wine, parents, brides, kids, and the daily grind!