Coming off Toronto’s thrilling World Series run last year, baseball fans aren’t the only ones excited to see the Jays return to play.
Many businesses in the downtown core are eagerly anticipating the start of the baseball season and the foot traffic it brings to the area.
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“The Blue Jays home opener really does mark the start of one of the busiest and most important seasons for downtown Toronto,” says Dana Duncanson, managing director of the Toronto Downtown West BIA.
“Coming off of last year and that World Series run, there was a lot of excitement, fans were ready. And so we’re expecting strong crowds, like we did last year,” he said.
Duncanson said local businesses see a noticeable bump in customers when the Jays are playing.
“We know that game days consistently drive a surge in foot traffic across the downtown, especially in restaurants, patios and bars. So the entire neighborhood really feels the impact before, during and after games, and with Rogers Centre hosting 40,000-plus fans per game, that ripple effect is felt not only in our area, but across the downtown core,” he said.
Data compiled by payment processing company Moneris last year showed that while the Jays may not have won the World Series, the playoffs were a home run for downtown businesses.
Transaction volume and size increased at restaurants both before and after games during the playoff run, as compared to control days. The jump was noticeable even during away games.
At some points during the run, transaction volumes were up nearly 30 per cent.
For Game 7, transaction volume and size were up close to 10 per cent across the entire city.
“Even though the final score didn’t go Toronto’s way, the night was a clear win for local businesses,” Moneris VP Sean McCormick said in a statement at the time.
“Restaurant spending near the Rogers Centre increased 26 per cent during Game 7. The city rallied together, turning downtown dining spots into an extension of the ballpark’s electric energy.”
Destination Toronto also said Toronto hotels saw a bump in bookings during the playoffs.
With that in mind, Duncanson says, local businesses are gearing up in anticipation of the Jays’ return.
“Big events like the home opener for the Jays are incredibly important to us, because this is where our businesses have the opportunity to really sort of have their places full,” he says.
“So lots of businesses are preparing for this. They’re staffing up. They’ve got extended hours. They’re getting their patios ready, and so this really is the opportunity to support them as much as possible.”
He noted that as the season continues, a number of events and programs will amplify the impact of the Jays downtown.
“Cafe TO is back this year, so we’re expecting that as baseball season continues, a number of businesses are working with us as a BIA to be able to make sure that there’s a coordinated effort to being able to create more great outdoor experiences,” he said.
The BIA is also planning a number of activations, along with programming for the public realm that he says will complement the energy and excitement of the core.
That includes programming around the World Cup, as well as Doggie Fest at Roundhouse Park, summer movie nights in partnership with TIFF at David Pecaut Square, and a music series at Clarence Square Park.
The BIA will be putting out a full list of its programming later this summer. Those looking to find out what’s happening in the area can check out www.yourexperienceawaits.ca.
