Holiday Bowl brings economic boost to San Diego

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. – The 2024 Holiday Bowl will bring tens of thousands of visitors and millions of dollars to San Diego’s economy as the annual college football event begins with pregame festivities in the Gaslamp Quarter.

The two-day event, which features Washington State University and Syracuse University, includes traditional activities such as the Battle of the Bands and the parade on Friday morning.

On Thursday night, crowds gathered at Fifth and Market in the Gaslamp for the Battle of the Bands, which pitted the purple and gray Washington State Cougars against the Syracuse Orange.

This event, along with the Friday morning parade and the bowl game itself, is expected to provide a significant boost to local businesses.

“We’re excited!” said Sarafina, an employee at the San Diego Trading Company, which has seen increasing sales due to the influx of out-of-town visitors. “We love the money – we are happy about the money!! Bring everything: we are ready for it!! And we’re here for the fun too!!”

Officials estimate the Holiday Bowl brings more than $20 million annually to the local economy. This includes revenue for hotels, shops, bars, restaurants and even parking.

Visitors are aware of the costs associated with attending the event.

“Oh yeah…we spend a lot of money while we’re here,” said Susie Osborne, visiting from Atlanta. “I think we paid $60 for four hours of parking. But (we) have been here before, so we expect it.”

Local businesses are preparing for the influx of customers.

Nina Delgado from The Field Irish Pub said: “We’re expecting a pretty good flow tomorrow and we’re pretty excited about it!”

The pub is increasing its staff to cope with the expected rush.

This year, the Holiday Bowl venue is changing from Petco Park to Snapdragon Stadium.

Despite this change, gaslamp companies continue to expect an increase in customers and sales.

“You have to drink afterwards, you have to celebrate, you have to cry!” added Sarafina of San Diego Trading Company. “We have this out here, so we’ll definitely be busy no matter where the game is.”

The Holiday Bowl Parade takes place Friday morning and can be viewed on the streaming channel CBS 8 Plus.