ORLANDO, Fla. – As fans made their way from all over the country to cheer on their favorite team at the Citrus Bowl on Monday, the impact on the local economy could be felt by business owners in Orlando’s downtown.
Peter Ghalam, the district manager for Church Street Entertainment, said the bowl games have really helped his restaurants and bars.
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“The out-of-towners come to Orlando and are looking for something to do on New Year’s Eve, so we see a tremendous boost,” he said.
At the time News 6 spoke with him, a table of ten people were enjoying food at one of his restaurants, Ember, located off of Central Boulevard.
The Cheez-It Citrus Bowl game kicked off Monday — a match up between the Purdue Boilermakers and the LSU Tigers. The Tigers won the match by a landslide, scoring 63-7.
Last Thursday’s Cheez-it bowl saw a crowd of over 61,000 people.
News 6 spoke with Steve Hogan, the CEO of Florida Citrus Sports.
He said they were expecting a crowd of more than 40,000 for Monday’s game, adding that they expected an economic impact of about $100 million in total.
Hogan said the games always draw fans to local businesses.
“They’re out exploring. You see them at Disney Springs, you know, you see them in downtown Orlando and I-Drive up and down the street, eating at restaurants,” Hogan said.
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