Buffalo cashing in on Canadians
Posted Jan 5, 2011 03:36:54 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s a little too late to send a Christmas card but the city of Buffalo may want to consider sending a rather large “thank you” card north sometime in the next couple of weeks.
The card would be as thanks for the immediate, albeit temporary, boost Canadians have given the economy in the beleaguered border city.
“I knew it was going to be busy but it got so busy I had to hire more staff,” said Anthony Rodrigues, manager at the world famous Anchor Bar.
That’s the kind of two weeks it’s been in Buffalo.
Despite the fact Team USA was the defending champion of the World Junior Hockey Championship, it’s been Canadians that have been making the gate so great at the games, not to mention surrounding businesses.
Virtually the entire bar at The Anchor was filled by Canadians last night — hockey fans wearing Team Canada jerseys or others who were obvious by their accent or the topic of their conversation (how many people in Buffalo would be discussing the Edmonton Oilers woes over beer and wings on a Tuesday night in Buffalo?).
Rodrigues says throughout the two-week tournament, even on nights when Canada wasn’t playing, fans decked out in red and white dominated his bar. But he insists they’re all welcome here.
That’s backed up by Lance, who made the trip down from the GTA.
“We’ve seen so many other people wearing jerseys and they stop to talk to us. Even people without jerseys would stop us on the street and talk to us about the tournament,” Lance said.
While Lance’s trip from southern Ontario would not have taken more than two hours, others really went the distance for the tournament. Brothers Bill and Curtis came all the way from Sault Saint Marie and Sudbury, respectively.
“I don’t know what else to tell you other than that hockey just seems to be our thing,” Bill said in trying to explain his 9-hour trip and four days off work.
Curtis agreed, adding that this tournament was “the best live sporting event” he’s ever seen.
Kind of makes you wonder why more Americans haven’t caught on. For now, they’ll be content with watching us eat their chicken wings and drink their beer. Some, but not many, will turn out this afternoon to watch Team USA battle for bronze with Sweden.
Canada will compete with the Russians for the gold medal tonight and you can hear the game live on 570 News with Dan Dunleavy and Jack Miller. The broadcast starts at 7 PM.
