Anyone who works in restaurants knows there’s no such thing as a “guaranteed” season.

Even in a destination city like ours, winter is a tough stretch. There are fewer conventions, visitors and locals going out. Reservations thin. Owners and managers do everything possible to keep our teams whole.

San Diego relies on a visitor economy, which is taking a hit right now.

Roughly 1 in 8 jobs in our region are tied to tourism. When visitors travel here, they don’t just stay in hotels. They support working people across the city: servers, cooks, drivers, retailers and more. Encouraging tourism isn’t a groundbreaking concept. It’s how people pay rent and buy groceries.

That’s why activating downtown matters: not just in theory, but in practice.

Major events, like the San Diego rodeo being held Friday through Sunday at Petco Park, demonstrate this.

The event brings tens of thousands into the city during an otherwise slow time. That foot traffic keeps restaurants open and shifts filled.

As the owner of a downtown restaurant, I see that impact firsthand. When off-season events like the rodeo come to Petco Park, we don’t just see a bump in sales. We see full dining rooms and out-of-town guests discovering downtown restaurants for the first time. Most importantly, we see our team members gaining stability at a time when many are bracing for lean weeks.

That matters more than people realize.

Tourism and restaurant workers don’t have the luxury of waiting for “peak season” to get by. When downtown is active, stability spreads to the people who make our economy run.

My wife and I didn’t start as restaurant owners. Like many, we started waiting tables and bartending, learning the business from the ground up. It took years of long hours and real risk to bring an independent steakhouse to the East Village, at a time when the neighborhood was still finding its footing.

When we opened in 2008, the Great Recession hit. We survived largely because of the visitors the ballpark drew to downtown.

That experience isn’t unique. It’s true for many independent restaurants in downtown, especially those getting started. Without foot traffic and visitors, even the best restaurants and hardest-working teams struggle to stay afloat.

That’s why the tourism marketing district plays such an important role. Funded by fees paid by hotel operators, those dollars are reinvested into marketing events and experiences that can attract visitors. It’s not meant as a permanent subsidy, but a way to incubate potential.

The rodeo is a strong example of that success. In its first two years, the tourism marketing district support helped introduce the event to audiences. That investment paid off. Now in its third year, the rodeo has doubled its sponsors and demonstrated its value through strong, repeat attendance; in 2025, this resulted in more than 12,500 hotel room nights and a $3 million economic return. Because of this success, the rodeo did not apply for the tourism marketing district funding for 2026, an example of the program working.

Downtown San Diego needs this kind of activation right now. Rising costs and shifting travel patterns are costing jobs. Visitors are more selective about where they go, and cities across the country are investing in attracting them. If we want downtown to thrive, not just survive, we need reasons for people to come here in January, not just July. The rodeo is one of those reasons.

It brings people not just downtown, but across the region. They eat dinner, grab drinks and walk our neighborhoods. That ripple effect extends far beyond any single restaurant.

Sometimes economic activity gets framed as having a negative, corporate-driven connotation. But in hospitality, a busy restaurant means more shifts. A full hotel means more jobs. A vibrant downtown means more opportunity and stability for families.

Restaurants like mine don’t back events lightly. We care how they’re run and whether they align with our values. The San Diego Rodeo has shown it can operate professionally, attract visitors responsibly, and deliver tangible benefits to downtown and the people who keep it running.

This isn’t just another weekend on the calendar. For downtown restaurants and the people who work in them, that impact is real, measurable, and worth supporting.

Weber is the co-owner of Cowboy Star Restaurant & Butcher Shop in Downtown San Diego.