DENVER — The Colorado Avalanche's Stanley Cup Finals win likely represents a multimillion windfall for Denver, according to city officials, and benefited local businesses selling everything from limited-edition beers to sports gear and hotel rooms.
A crowd that city officials estimated reached several hundred thousand gathered in downtown Denver on Thursday morning to rally and parade with the team to celebrate the championship win, the third in franchise history and first in more than 20 years.
The celebration capped a playoff season that already benefited downtown, a welcome boon for a city struggling to regain visitors that dramatically decreased in number during the pandemic.
Downtown Denver saw an influx of 275,000 people celebrating the first playoff game for the Avalanche, reported the Denver Economic Development & Opportunity office. And cities of similar size to Denver have reported an economic impact of $4 to $8 million per Stanley Cup game, according to Chelsea Rosty of DEDO, who expected Denver to report similar numbers.
DEDO told Denver Business Journal ahead of Thursday's parade that officials wouldn't be surprised to see over 300,000 people celebrating in downtown Denver. Last weekend's Pride Parade drew 125,000 people.
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