LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – Lubbock is preparing for an influx of visitors as football fans descend on the city for what’s expected to be one of the busiest weekends of the year.
Local businesses, from restaurants to hotels, are looking forward to the economic boost that comes with major game weekends.
John Osborne, president of the Lubbock Economic Development Alliance, says these events benefit the entire community.
“For many of them they have never been here before or haven’t been here in a long time,” Osborne said. “You have both future students who want to be here or alumni that want to come back to see what’s happened at the university.”
Lisa West owns Spanky’s restaurant, located directly across from campus. After 43 years in business, Spanky’s has weathered many big game weekends, including when College GameDay visited in 2008.
West says the atmosphere around this weekend feels different from previous years.
“It’s a lot more tension, Tech in general has grown so much from ’08 as you can imagine so long ago,” West said. “It’s just really exciting. It’s really fun for us as business owners to see that growth because people are so dedicated and loyal to all those local businesses and it means a lot to us.”
While established businesses like Spanky’s know what to expect, newer establishments are particularly excited about the potential revenue boost.
“The influx of income during this time is huge,” West said. “It makes or breaks a lot of the newer businesses that haven’t been here as long. It really is exciting to me.”
As visitors fill the city and red and black colors appear throughout Lubbock, business owners hope the weekend creates lasting impressions that bring people back long after the game ends.
The economic impact of major football weekends extends well beyond the immediate spending, creating opportunities for businesses to showcase what Lubbock has to offer to potential future visitors.
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