Some of the biggest names in the gymnastics world like Suni Lee, Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles are taking their talents to the XL Center in Hartford for the Core Hydration Classic.
The meet serves as a final chance to qualify for the U.S. Gymnastics Championships, a step toward the Paris Olympics this summer. All the star power has Hartford in the spotlight for the weekend.
“It's huge, it can't be understated how important stuff like this is for downtown,” Erin Sweeney with Vaughns Public House on Pratt Street said.
This type of event at the XL Center is huge for Pratt Street and surrounding area businesses, according to those that work in the area.
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“We get people that aren’t our normal frequent fliers,” Sweeney said.
The senior women’s category is set to kick off Saturday, with a lineup that includes Biles, Lee and Douglas. Those names alone are enough to get area businesses buzzing.
“It’s just exciting, it’s great, we are staffed up for it, it’ll be a big weekend,” Sweeney said.
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Experts say it isn’t just restaurants or bars, but all businesses along the street, because of the foot traffic and fresh eyes on what downtown is becoming.
“Great for the restaurants and retail establishments to have people walking through the doors, seeing maybe for the first time what Pratt street is really becoming,” David Griggs with the Metro Hartford Alliance said.
Just next to Vaughns at the Gentle Bull Shop, they, too, have just noticed an increase in traffic Friday.
“We have noticed a lot of people walking up and down the street,” Gabrielle Rodrigue, the shop's owner, said.
She said the XL Center has seen a few big events in a row that are bringing in people through the doors, like the recent Bad Bunny concert and the UConn Championship parade, to name a few.
“Whenever there is a big event at the XL center, we definitely see a lot more people,” Rodrigue said.
She said anytime there are attractions to the downtown, it’s always worth swinging open the doors.
“Depending on what it is, sometimes we see people return even when there isn’t something going on, but just because they want to come see us,” Rodrigue said.
