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The Pullman companies responded enthusiastically to Washington State University’s recent announcement that Martin Stadium will open at full capacity for Cougar football games this fall.
I was excited, Tom Handy, owner of Paradise Creek Brewery, said of hearing the news.
For many companies like Handys, Cougar football games attract crowds of people who stay, eat and shop at Pullman. These crowds were gone last fall when Washington’s COVID-19 restrictions led to empty seats at Martin Stadium, travel restrictions and limited capacity in companies.
Handy, who is also a commissioner for Whitman County, said his restaurant generates much of its revenue in the fall on those weekends. He said the restaurant usually starts to be busy on the Thursday before the game and stays busy until Saturday.
As soon as WSU announced Tuesday, Handy said Paradise Creek Brewery received a call from the WSU Opponents Alumni Association, which wanted to gather at the Breweries Trailside Taproom.
Handy said this news is crucial to the recovery of the local economy from COVID-19 as millions of dollars come to Pullman and surrounding towns over football weekends.
Belle Potter, who owns a 42-room Cougar Land motel with Greg Potter, has only been working at Pullman since October, but understands the impact of Cougar home games on local hotels.
I was very excited, he said about the upcoming football season.
Even before the WSU announcement, Potter said the hotel had already received reservations for football weekends. There are days when they are fully booked, which is far from last October.
Fall 2020 was gloomy, he said.
There were days when we wouldn’t get one person to come through the door, he said.
In addition to the small number of customers, Potters had to close the motel for a moment because they were sick of COVID-19.
Since then, he said, it’s been like night and day with the number of bookings and a sense of job security.
Jennifer Hackman, Pullmans ’head of economic development, said these games will ensure that dollars start flowing again to hotels, restaurants and retailers.
This announcement is needed for businesses, Hackman said in an email to the Daily News. The security it provides is a huge relief.
He continued to encourage the public to be patient as companies may see supply chain challenges and hiring issues. Handy said he was concerned about hiring enough staff to handle customer growth.
However, Hackman promised that the Pullman business community would return with a rather big bang.
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