CLEVELAND, Ohio — Baseball is back, Cleveland!
"It's almost like Christmas Eve," Hanna Kassis Whistle & Keg Taproom owner says.
Downtown bars spent Thursday preparing for the Guardians' home opener.
"It's very exciting, especially with the run the Guardians had last year, the playoff run," Kassis noted. "It was awesome. People are so excited for this one."
Kassis says majority of his bar's clientele during big events are people from out of town, giving him the opportunity to showcase the city's charm.
"I think when people come here, they see how alive and how vibrant it is, especially on a game day," he told 3News, "and that really gets people talking about how amazing of a city it is."
In the shadows of Progressive Field, the team at Fin & Feathers is looking forward to the big crowds for the sold out game.
"The more people that come, the more people find out we're here," bartender Mia Jones said, "because by us being on the side street, most people don't come until the season starts."
The city is urging fans to take public transportation or carpool to help with traffic congestion. There will be free parking at select Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority locations, and police tell WKYC there will be extra officers and traffic controllers out to maximize traffic flow.
Parking restrictions go into effect starting at 1 p.m. Friday, with illegally parked vehicles being towed. Restricted locations include:
- East 4th Street from Prospect Avenue to Huron Road, both sides
- Bolivar Avenue from East 7th to East 14th Street, both sides
- West Huron Road from Ontario Street to West Superior Avenue
- East 9th Street from Carnegie Avenue to Superior Avenue, both sides
- Prospect Avenue from East 14th Street to Ontario Street, both sides
- Huron Road between Ontario Street and Prospect Avenue, both sides
- Carnegie Avenue from East 14th Street to East 9th Street, both sides
- The entire Warehouse District Parking Ban from 10 p.m. Thursday to 4 a.m. Saturday
If you plan to park downtown, the city is encouraging drivers to leave valuable items at home or place them in the trunk to discourage thefts.