In a retail environment relying heavily on foot traffic, it's amazing to hear downtown Reno business owners complaining about traffic and parking issues caused by fans attending Reno Aces games — and even more amazing that they are questioning whether the team has had a positive impact on the city.
We were a little amazed to see a news report over the weekend where local business owners complained about the traffic generated by a new Reno Aces (Class AAA; Pacific Coast League) ballpark: a local casino says foot traffic is up by 50 percent on game nights, and one local establishment drastically increased operating hours to address demand. Because of that, the local newspaper called the ballpark a "mixed" success.
We are not sure what could have constituted a full success, under these criteria. The Aces are drawing well at 6,601 fans a game. They are bringing new people into downtown Reno, which can be a fairly depressing place at times. And everyone seems happy with how fans are treated at games.
So if that constitutes a "mixed" success, we're pretty sure most mayors and team owners would love to replicate the experience.
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