Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Rocco Termini doesn't need to read the tea leaves to voice his opinion on how to bring more people into Downtown Buffalo. All Termini has to do is look at this past weekend's receipts from his Tappo restaurant on Ellicott Street.
Thanks to a mix of special events, concerts and "The Outsiders" at Shea's Performing Arts Center, business at Tappo was good. Make that very good.
On Sept. 19, sales were up by more than $30,000 at Tappo, and for Sept. 21, what would normally be a $5,000 sales night, turned into a $12,000 night for the downtown eatery.
Reviving downtown with more special events and concerts has emerged as one of the major talking points in this year's mayoral race. State Sen. Sean Ryan has made it one of the centerpieces of his downtown revitalization game plan.
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There's already well-documented proof that concerts, special events and theatrical productions can be major economic engines for downtown. Shea's, for example, pegs its annual economic impact on the central business district as just north of $100 million.
"The formula, to me, is to give people a reason that they would want to come to downtown," Termini said.
A Labor Day Weekend jazz festival along Ellicott Street proved that point, Termini said.
Next year, a section of Ellicott Street - between Genesee and North Division streets - may be used to host a series of special events including flea markets, car shows, bocce tournaments and pickleball games.
"We need more events, plain and simple," Termini said.