November 13, 2024 Breaking News, Latest News, and Videos

Santa Monica Business Revs Up for Rose Bowl:

One way that Kim Baker, Santa Monica Convention and Visitors Bureau’s director of marketing, is gauging whether hotels are at full occupancy at this time of year is if they decline to participate in an online marketing campaign.

And at the rate of decline, things are looking up, apparently. With the Rose Bowl crowd in town this week, “only a few hotels wanted to participate [and] that’s definitely a good sign,” Baker said.

Exactly how many people will pass through Santa Monica during these holidays and how much money hospitality and retail will generate for the city’s coffers remains to be seen. However, based on last year’s turn-out and the the planned pep rallies for the droves in town to support Wisconsin and Texas Christian University, stores like United Colors of Benetton on Third Street Promenade are meeting their sales goals. In fact, this year’s sales on Christmas matched last year’s at Benetton, which was one of seven stores open on the Promenade, said sales associate Vivian Shin.

Benetton is one of a number of stores that are benefiting from the Bureau’s “welcome strategy,” as Baker puts it. In addition to placards posted on the storefronts that feature TCU and Wisconsin logos, there is the iPhone app that allows its users to see special offers from some 40 local businesses, Baker said.

“What we did is focus on how fans could enjoy their time in Santa Monica,” Baker said. (For a full list of special offers, visit www.santamonica.com/deals. Santa Monica businesses can submit their offers for a free listing at www.santamonica.com/deals-form.)

There weren’t many Wisconsin or TCU fans on Third Street Promenade on Monday, but Jeannette Perez, Benetton store manager, said she noticed tourists who were stuck in southern California due to travel conditions back east often walked in.

“Majority are people who are stuck here, who are heading home … trying to fly out to Paris [among other cities],” she said.

The pep rally for Wisconsin fans, scheduled for Dec. 30 at Santa Monica Place, promises to be a draw as former Badger running back Ron Dayne, who won the Heisman Trophy and briefly played for the NFL’s New York Giants, was scheduled to make an appearance to sign memorabilia. It wasn’t known whether the TCU Horned Frogs would have a pep rally.

Last year, fans of the University of Oregon had a pep rally on Dec. 30, while the Ohio State University contingent rallied on Dec. 31.

“Wisconsin is traveling to California in droves,” Baker said, anticipating the crowd may swell to the reported 25,000-plus that came out in support of Ohio State last year. The Wisconsin alumni groups are “expecting [the crowd] as big as Ohio State last year,” she said.

in Sports
<>Related Posts

Former Angels Communications Director Eric Kay Sentenced to 22 Years in Tyler Skaggs Overdose Case

October 14, 2022

October 14, 2022

October sentencing comes over three years after 2019 overdose in Southlake, Texas Former Los Angeles Angels employee Eric Kay was...

Update: Santa Monica Girls Softball Team Fundraising for USA Softball National Championships

July 25, 2022

July 25, 2022

By Ashley Sloan The Santa Monica Girls U14 Softball Fastpitch team has advanced to the USA Softball National Championship in...

Super Bowl Pre-Game Show to Be Broadcast From Santa Monica Pier

February 10, 2022

February 10, 2022

The Santa Monica Pier will be the location for the Super Bowl Pre-Game show broadcast. Learn more in this video...

Santa Monica Youth Basketball Staying and Playing Strong

October 13, 2021

October 13, 2021

By Dr. Paul Drew Hello everyone, I’m Dr. Paul Drew.  It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to...

Local Hoopers Rejoice As Venice Basketball League Returns

September 6, 2021

September 6, 2021

The Venice Basketball League is officially back on the courts after nearly 2 years of closure. Nick Ansom joins us...

Westside Olympic Swimmer Shares Her Journey To The Games

August 31, 2021

August 31, 2021

Two time Olympian, Westside Local, and Medical Student Andi Murez has returned from the Tokyo games, hear about her journey...

Local Little League All-Star Team Wins More Than Just Championships

August 10, 2021

August 10, 2021

The Venice Baseball Academy’s little league team, the Tide, recently won the SoCal State Championships but it’s more than winning...

Crossroads Wins CIF and State Regionals

June 15, 2021

June 15, 2021

The Crossroads Varsity Boys Soccer Team had a stellar championship season starting with a true underdog story with CIF Division 6 Playoff...

Samohi Vikings Frosh-Soph Defeat Culver City Centaurs in Final Seconds

April 20, 2021

April 20, 2021

2020 was a tough year for Santa Monica High School football as Covid-19 restrictions forced all high school sports to...

Pali Riptide Baseball Club Tryouts

January 7, 2021

January 7, 2021

January 9th and 10th at Pali Rec Center The Pali Riptide Baseball Club is preparing for a spring season and...

Grand Jury Indicts Former Angel Employee in Tyler Skaggs’ Fatal Overdose

October 19, 2020

October 19, 2020

Fort Wayne grand jury indicts Eric Prescott Kay on drug distribution and drug conspiracy charges By Sam Catanzaro A federal...

Column: How to Play it Safe to Prevent Deadly Heat Exhaustion

August 24, 2020

August 24, 2020

By Shawn McCann  As the Southland region broils in a summer heatwave, the coronavirus pandemic has created additional concern for...

Former Angels Employee Charged in Tyler Skagg’s Fatal Fentanyl Overdose

August 7, 2020

August 7, 2020

Former Angels Communications Director Eric Prescott Kay faces up to 20 years in prison By Sam Catanzaro An ex-employee of...

LA Marathon to Exclude Santa Monica

July 24, 2020

July 24, 2020

Race organizers, citing “bigger footprint at the finish line”, choose Century City end point By Sam Catanzaro Santa Monica has...