TOLEDO, Ohio — A big weekend for the city of Toledo is here, with Italy's version of the Super Bowl, Glass City native Jared Anderson's nationally-televised homecoming bout and the city's fireworks show all happening on Saturday.
WTOL 11 talked to Lucas County commissioners and representatives from Destination Toledo Friday, and they say this weekend will be a boon for local tourism and business.
Rustbelt Coffee's morning rush was bigger than usual at its downtown location Friday morning. Barista Kennedy Jones said she served customers from around the country and the globe.
"I had somebody from Denver, somebody from Washington D.C., somebody from Florida, and I think Australia," Jones said.
And they could be in Toledo for any number of reasons, with two highly anticipated sporting events on Saturday.
Destination Toledo CEO Lance Woodworth said it might be Toledo's biggest weekend for tourism all year.
"We're set, we're ready to roll out the red carpet and welcome all of those visitors to the town, and with that, they bring a lot of economic activity," Woodworth said.
The Italian Bowl has sold over 12,000 tickets, Anderson's fight has sold 8,000, and the city's fireworks are anticipated to bring 80,000-100,000 people downtown on Saturday night.
With tons of tourists expected to be roaming the streets, Woodworth said that means dollar signs for any business in the area.
"When they're in town, they're visiting our restaurants, our shops, everything you do when you travel right?" Woodworth said. "They bring in a lot of money, and tourism is big in Lucas County."
It's the latest in an upward trend for tourism over the past few years in Toledo, as other events like the Dana Open and the Solheim Cup help put the Glass City on the map.
It's also something that the city has bet on with taxpayer dollars, by putting money into renovating locations like the Glass City Center.
Pete Gerken, president of the Lucas County commissioners, sees it as proof that their investments are paying off.
"It must put a smile on taxpayers' faces when we use their money to create a place, create a downtown and create a spot where people can come from everywhere and have a great time, and that's what we've done and it's paying dividends," Gerken said.
Gerken said the amount of money brought in by the weekend won't be known until the dust settles, but he expects positive feedback. And with more events planned for the summer, like the Jeep Fest in August, both Gerken and Woodworth said it's safe to say this is the biggest era for tourism for Toledo in decades.
