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hdhcnsnd t1_jbl15h2 wrote

You’re definitely right about convention center visitors not exploring much beyond it…

I stopped by the flower show this weekend and a large group of visitors were asking an attendant how to get to the Chilis on 13th. One of the best food cities in the country and… you’re going to Chilis…

I know it’s anecdotal, but yeah whenever the convention center is swamped it’s usually only like the 3-blocks around it that are getting an influx. It feels to me like a lot of the visitors the convention center attracts just drive in and create a ton of congestion and pollution and don’t really patronize any local businesses outside of RTM, so I’m not sure it’s great for the local economy when you consider the alternatives that could fill that space.

And yeah, it’s usually empty which is why the underpasses and surrounding blocks are a bit seedier.

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urbantravelsPHL t1_jbljoiz wrote

You're thinking of events which draw in primarily locals, which are not the norm at the Convention Center. The Flower Show does bring in some people from outside the area who stay at hotels, but not that many compared to the really massive medical and scientific conferences that draw from all over the US and worldwide.

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TooManyDraculas t1_jboekx2 wrote

I run a place in South Philly. We tend to get a ton of people off events at the convention center. They tend to bar hopping or passing through, explicitly exploring. Post up at the bar and have a few, ask for recommendations. Or they'll be on a run through all the breweries, or all the cheese steak places or whatever in a given section.

Explicitly exploring.

The bulk of Americans are going to stick to the familiar. The kinda people looking for the Chili's are probably eating at the Chili;s at home. We're a nation of people that will go to Italy just to eat at Olive Garden.

But Philly is pretty compact, and it's pretty easy to pick a direction and explore. The people who can make the time and don't subsist off McDonald's are spreading around.

We actually get a ton of people on layovers from the Airport as well.

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Lower_Alternative770 t1_jbl4g6v wrote

A bit off topic. But, I once knew someone who went to Olive Garden in NYC. 🙄

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TooManyDraculas t1_jboew9b wrote

That is a particularly bad Olive Garden too.

Been dragged there more than once unfortunately.

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