2021 BNP Paribas Open one week away, how local businesses are preparing

After two pandemic-related postponements, the 2021 BNP Paribas Open is set to start in one week on Monday, October 4, and run until Sunday, October 17. Businesses surrounding the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, which is where the tournament will take place, will have the opportunity to make big money with the influx of visitors to the area.

“So far so good. I have everybody staffed and ready to go next week with the increased business coming in with the two weeks of the tennis tournament," said the owner of Louise's Pantry Jared Perry. "We're excited. We want to bring in that extra business and make up for that year we lost out on because of all the closures and re-openings and all that stuff."

Perry said he made sure to put supply orders in early so the restaurant has everything it will need. However, not all nearby businesses are doing as well. Just down the street from Louise's Pantry is Beer Hunter. The general manager there, Johanna Alarcon, said she's been struggling with staff and supply shortages.

"Knowing how high the demand is for that tennis tournament while they're out here is a little stressful because we know we're short-staffed," said Alarcon. "We just let people know as soon as they walk in the door it might be a little while for you to get your food, it might be a little while for you to get service."

She said before the pandemic, the restaurant had 75 employees, but now, it only has 25. She said her team is going to strive to give visitors their best service possible despite the challenges. 

We reported to you back in May 2021 how local businesses reacted to the tournament being played in October 2021. We learned many local businesses were excited about their sales increasing.

To give you an idea of how much money the tournament brings to the valley, the BNP Paribas open said in 2017 it generated more than $406 million in total gross economic impact on the Coachella Valley regional economy. The BNP said it was an increase of more than $32 million since 2014 when the last BNP Paribas Open economic impact study was conducted. The estimated total gross economic impact in 2014 was $373 million.

For this year's tournament, many businesses nearby said they are hopeful they will make up for the losses from the pandemic.