Many eateries report an increase in revenue since arena's opening

Some restaurants offer special prices or late hours.
By KANTELE FRANKO
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The opening of the Chevrolet Centre on East Front Street has brought an influx of visitors to the city -- some with empty stomachs and no knowledge of where to eat downtown.
Many visitors seeking to take in dinner and a show have asked where to eat, but no printed information is available, said Claire Maluso, the city's director of the Federal Plaza.
To arm hungry guests with more options, downtown merchants are trying to produce a dining guide, Maluso said, adding that they'd like it distributed with tickets bought for arena events.
Maluso also hopes to put up a dining directory board inside the center, she said.
Some event attendees know their way around Youngstown's downtown eateries, and local restaurants are benefiting significantly.
"The merchants [downtown] in general are seeing a resurgence in business," Maluso said.
Promoters at the Downtown Draught House, 219 Federal Plaza West, have seen a noticeable boost in sales as the restaurant and bar overflows with people after SteelHounds games, night manager Brian Fry said. To return the favor, the Draught House purchased four first-row season tickets to SteelHounds games.
"Not only are we making money off of them, but they're making some money off of us," he said. "We want to do what we can to help their business and make sure it stays here and is successful."
Cedars Lounge & amp; Restaurant on North Hazel Street, several blocks northwest of the "Chevy," has seen good business despite being farther from the arena, co-owner Connie Berardino said.
Cedars was "packed" for the Nov. 20 Trans-Siberian Orchestra performances, and hockey games also provide sales, especially when the team stops by after a game, Berardino said.
At Buffalo Wild Wings on Federal Plaza, business doubles or triples on concert nights. "Overall, it's been nothing but a success for us," general manager Josh Benson said.
The restaurant also sees sales boosts on hockey game nights, especially those during the weekend, Benson said.
Visitors looking for a more upscale dining experience can try The Youngstown Club on East Commerce Street or Anthony's on the River on Oak Hill Ave. Those restaurants are expanding hours of operation to accommodate guests from some arena events -- even those on Sundays, when both restaurants typically are closed.
At the Club, "Your ticket to the concert is your ticket to a membership at the club" when it opens to the public, general manager Dan Rauzan said, adding that he sees business double by more than 50 percent on concert nights.
Anthony's owner Anthony Saadey said his dining room easily filled when he opened for performances by Tony Bennett and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, but noted that different performances will attract different crowds of folks who want varying types of food and service.
Saadey said his business also benefited from the shuttle service that transported patrons from the arena to restaurants and parking areas, an arrangement Maluso would like to continue with WRTA.
More options
The opening of the Chevrolet Centre highlights the need for more restaurants of different types throughout the city, Maluso said.
Having a larger variety of dining options would benefit not only visitors, but also area residents and people who work downtown, she said.
"I can remember the city of Youngstown when we were wall to wall, when every corner had [an eatery] on it -- we're just scratching the surface of what can happen," she said.
Maluso declined to specify any areas that would most benefit from more restaurants, saying that many empty locations across town could be renovated as dining facilities.
Saadey said he agrees that patrons would appreciate a larger variety as long as the local restaurant business remains competitive.
"Youngstown is starting to finally look like it's going into the 21st century," he said. "Anything that draws people downtown, I support."
BW3's Benson expressed similar sentiments. "We've been big supporters of the 'co-opertition' kind of thing," he said. "The more places that open up, the more traffic we'll see."
Getting there
For current and future restaurants located more than a few blocks from the Chevrolet Centre, arranging a shuttle service between eating venues and parking lots and the arena would be a key to boosting business further, Saadey said.
"It's not like downtown Cleveland or New York City" with well known public transportation to popular stops, he said.
Maluso said she hopes to work out an agreement between the city and a transportation service to regularly conduct shuttle routes during arena events to make it easier for guests to enjoy Youngstown.
"I think once they see it, they'll want to come back," she said. "We've come a long way in a short period of time."