KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With the University of Kansas men's basketball team playing and St. Patrick's Day celebrations continuing Thursday night, it was a win-win for businesses in Kansas City, Missouri.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kansas City St. Patrick's Day Parade was canceled the last two years, and March Madness celebrations were also limited.
But on Thursday, some businesses saw their largest crowd in 24 months.
"Tonight we have the KU game for the first round of the tournament [and] we’re expecting a huge crowd," said Azad Nowzar, general manager at The Brooksider Sports Bar and Grill.
Nowzar predicts increased crowds will continue into the weekend.
“It should be absolutely the best weekend we’ve had in a few years," Nowzar said.
Ty Janes, the general manager at Taps on Main, was not only excited for a boost in business but a sense of normalcy.
“It’s not about profits now, it’s about getting back [to] what we used to do time and time again and go from there," Janes said.
