ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — For the next few weeks, the home of the Chiefs will be St. Joseph, Missouri on the campus of Missouri Western State University.
It’s the third year the Chiefs are holding training camp in St. Joseph, and businesses there say, they can’t wait for another three weeks of packed restaurants and stores.
On Thursday, welcome messages for the Chiefs and their fans dotted yards, marquees, and decks as residents prepared for a sea of red and gold to roll into town.
“Businesses put up on their marquees, welcome Chiefs fans, and then you go into a restaurant at lunch time, and you just see red everywhere, and that’s exciting,” said Kristi Rasmussen from the St. Joe Chamber of Commerce.
The Taproom is one restaurant expecting to see big business during training camp.
“We anticipate a good crowd,” said bartender Leslie Hanson.
It’s not just the added business they look forward to, though.
“It’s fun. It’s fun just, you know, meeting people from all over, and we get a few Chiefs in, and that’s really exciting,” Hanson said.
According to the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau, training camp generated about $20 million for the city in 2010, a bit less due to flooding in 2011, and this year, city officials hope to exceed $20 million. The money comes mainly from fans in town from Kansas City or other parts of the country.
Mike Decker, owner of Apple Market, says while his store sees some extra business, the grocery store doesn’t see the same crowds as restaurants and bars, but it doesn’t bother him.
“If it’s good for St. Joseph, then it’s good for us,” Decker said.
The Chamber of Commerce and business owners in St. Joseph today went to area businesses to train employees how to help people in town for training camp, giving them directions or times of events, etc.
Click here for more information about Chiefs training camp and St. Joseph from the St. Joseph Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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