Many Edmonton businesses have scored during the Oilers‘ playoff run.
David Robertson runs a restaurant across the street from Rogers Place. He told Global News the sales have been “incredible.”
Smoke BBQ + Bar is preparing for life without masses of orange and blue in the core, including private events and offering catering, whenever the playoff run comes to an end.
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“I certainly think it’s wise to not put all your eggs in one basket with everything that happened in the past little while,” Robertson said.
The playoffs won’t last forever, but that doesn’t mean the fun has to die down, according to Puneeta McBryan, the Downtown Business Association’s executive director.
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She said non- game nights are also busy downtown as people in Edmonton fall back into the habit of spending a night out.
“Festivals are coming back, comedy shows, concerts… we aren’t going to lose these big draws that bring down thousands of people at a time,” McBryan said.
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She added that she hopes the love for the Edmonton Oilers translates into more attention for downtown Edmonton.
“I think everyone understands how important it is to get back to where we were for vibrancy and excitement downtown.”