Pullman businesses ready for some football

Pullman businesses reacted enthusiastically to Washington State University’s recent announcement that Martin Stadium will open at full capacity for Cougar football games this fall.

“I was elated,” Paradise Creek Brewery owner Tom Handy said about hearing the news.

For many businesses like Handy’s, Cougar football games draw crowds of people who stay, dine and shop in Pullman. Those crowds were absent last fall as the COVID-19 restrictions in Washington led to empty seats in Martin Stadium, travel restrictions and limited capacity at businesses.

Handy, who is also a Whitman County Commissioner, said his restaurant makes a large portion of its revenue in the fall during those weekends. He said the restaurant usually starts to get busy on the Thursday before the game and remains busy through Saturday.

As soon as WSU made its announcement Tuesday, Handy said Paradise Creek Brewery received a call from a WSU opponent’s alumni association that wanted to congregate at the brewery’s Trailside Taproom.

Handy said this news is crucial to the local economic recovery from COVID-19, as millions of dollars come into Pullman and surrounding towns during football weekends.

Belle Potter, who owns the 42-room Cougar Land Motel with Greg Potter, has only worked in Pullman since October, but understands the effect Cougar home games have on local hotels.

“We’re very excited,” she said about the coming football season.

Even before WSU’s announcement, Potter said, the hotel had already received reservations for football weekends. There are days when they are fully booked, which is a far cry from last October.

Fall 2020 was “bleak” she said.

“There were days we wouldn’t have a single person come through the door,” she said.

Not only were customers scarce, but the Potters had to shut down the motel for a time because they were sick with COVID-19.

Since then, she said, it has been like night and day with the number of reservations and a sense of job security.

Jennifer Hackman, Pullman’s economic development manager, said these games will ensure the dollars start flowing again for hotels, restaurants and retailers.

“This is the announcement businesses needed,” Hackman said in an email to the Daily News. “The certainty it brings is a huge relief.”

She still encouraged the public to be patient, because businesses may see supply chain challenges and hiring issues. Handy said he is worried about hiring enough staff to deal with the increase in customers.

Hackman promised, though, that the Pullman business community will be coming back “with a pretty big bang.”

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.