by There aren’t many things in the country like high school hockey in Minnesota.
Whether it’s the iconic hairstyles, game-winning goals, or celebrations.
Fans from across the state flock to Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul to watch the state tournament, from state champion Moorhead to nearby suburbs.
And when fans come, so does business.
“When they get here, they’re looking for places to eat in between games, before games, after games,” said Jimmy Loyd, director of economic planning in St. Paul. “They’re looking at places to drink and hang out, and do things that really help the resurgence in the economy of downtown. “
This year’s tournament set a record with 140,846 attendees across the weekend.
That came at a crucial time. After Operation Metro Surge, small businesses in St. Paul, like Ruam Mit, lost $129 million.
“Back in August, two of our employees were detained and have now been sent back to Ecuador,” said Nia Rasvong, co-owner of Ruam Mit.
“With people working here in downtown, we still get foot traffic, but with that going on, we noticed a huge loss,” said Rasavong.
With Grand Casino Arena nearby, the hockey tournament is usually a big event for them.
“It usually does. This time around, I was hoping business would pick up. I don’t know if people aren’t eating out as much, but I didn’t notice a big difference.”
Loyd said the tournament helps, but there isn’t a set solution to the damage from Metro Surge.
“It’s not to the scale of COVID, but it has a similar impact, in that we didn’t have a response ready for that, and I think we’re learning now.”
The state tournament proved what the community can do, and that the only way to build out of metro surge is together.
“We need you,” said Rasavong. “Ruam Mit means together, togetherness, and gathering, and we really stand behind that. We invite people to come in and enjoy our comfort food.”
