RNC’s Impact on Downtown Business Light So Far

Shannon Nicole is a server at the First Watch in downtown Tampa, about a 10-minute walk from the site of the Republican National Convention this week.

With thousands of delegates and media members descending on Tampa, she hoped the influx of visitors to the downtown area would mean a week of strong sales. The New Tampa resident says that so far, business has been a lot slower than they expected. She hopes that Tropical Storm Isaac is to blame, but she's worried that the rest of the week will be much of the same.

"We were expecting to be a lot busier, but I'm concerned. So far it's been very quiet," Nicole said.

It's not that the downtown area isn't full of people, it's just that they haven't been as busy as normal since this past weekend.

"Traffic is busy, but foot traffic is sparse," she said.

Some businesses are depending on lots of business from the RNC, since they think many locals will stay home.

"Regulars told us that they weren't even going to be in town," Nicole said. "I'm curious to see how the rest of the week plays out.

Are you planning to brave downtown Tampa this week? Let us know in the comments section.