ST. LOUIS – When the puck drops Tuesday night for Game 1 of the second-round series against the Colorado Avalanche, Downtown St. Louis businesses will be prepared for crowds and watch parties.
Game 2 is Thursday, but it’s Games 3 and 4—Saturday and Monday, respectively—that will see a number of hockey fans downtown.
“Saturday being the first home game, it actually coincides nicely. We have Crawfish Fest making its return after not being here for a couple of years rolling into pre-game time for the Blues,” said Mike LaMartina, chief operating officer for Ballpark Village. “It’ll be a nice crossover for crowds, but we’ll be running our trolley back and forth for free.”
Game 3 is Saturday at 7 p.m. at Enterprise Center and Game 4 is Monday at 8:30 p.m., the same night as a Cardinals home game just down the street.
While safety and civic leaders prepare for the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs, one thing stands out as a hat trick for the team, city, and region: people coming downtown to spend their money.
“When it comes to economic impact, we’re talking $3 million for every home game the Blues play over at Enterprise and Downtown St. Louis,” said Brian Hall, chief marketing officer for Explore St. Louis. “This is good for self-esteem and civic pride, in addition from an economic standpoint. We infuse lots of direct expenditures into our community.”