Some Miami Businesses Booming With Heat In Finals
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Four hours before the Miami Heat take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Game 3 of the NBA Finals at the AmericanAirlines Arena, prices to park at the nearby Bayside Marketplace were on the rise.
"Yes, a lot a lot more," said Milton Gonzalez who was working the parking garage. "If the night keeps going like that we probably raise the price to $25."
Many vendors around the arena say the finals are 'slam dunk' for their businesses.
Inside the outdoor mall, sports related stores like Champs Sports are extremely busy.
"It cost $26 dollars you had to get it just moments before game, but you just had to have it," CBS4's Tiffani Helberg asked Ana Hernandez who had just picked up a new Heat jersey.
"Yeah definitely," said Hernandez.
In a word, Bayside was 'booming' Sunday night thanks to double whammy, the Heat game and it was Father's Day.
"Obviously it's a big increase, you know we have a great location here at Bayside and you know a lot of Heat fans they come in before and after the game," said Hooter's manager Bruce Earle. "Even when the games are away they still come in and watch parties, so it's a big benefit for us."
It's also a huge benefit to waitress Kimberly Atkinson.
"It's more than a boost," said Atkinson counting her tips. "They're almost double."
At the Mozzarella Grill in the food court extra employees were brought in to handle the dinner rush.
"We're getting a lot a lot of people coming especially for the Heat, local people and people from out of state also," Mozzarella Grill's John Filardi, "So for us it's great, business is great."
Business is expected to stay great for a while. The next two NBA Finals games will also be played in Miami.
