FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Each TinCaps home opener at Parkview Field serves as a reminder for how much extra foot traffic downtown businesses will see because baseball season is in action.

It’s a big boost for restaurants that never existed prior to the construction of Parkview Field and the Harrison Square Project.

Angela Shaffer is the assistant manager and a bartender at O’Reilly’s Irish Pub and Restaurant along West Jefferson Boulevard.

She told WANE 15 on Tuesday that they always look forward to baseball season and the summer months because it carries their business.

“We definitely thrive with the ballfield in the back yard. It definitely helps all the businesses,” Shaffer said.

Baseball is surely a big boost to other restaurants and eateries like Conner’s Kitchen, Copper Spoon, and Rudy’s along Brackenridge on the south side of Parkview Field, to name a few.

Shaffer added that there are extra customers coming in because Parkview Field continues to host other events outside of baseball.

Since O’Reilly’s opened just over 10 years ago, they’ve taken great advantage of it. Shaffer likes to tell people to come and enjoy food and drinks on their back patio which is essentially inside Parkview Field.

She said you can see the game from there and really enjoy yourself.

Thirsty Thursdays are also a big hit for the bar, she said.

There’s no doubt that the success of Parkview Field has helped that part of downtown, and everyone there is excited baseball is back for the season.