Thousands of spectators lined Main Street in Hermiston this past weekend for the 2010 Takin’ it to the Streets basketball tournament.

They all came to watch, but according to some businesses, not all stopped to shop.

Jose Coronado’s wife owns Novedades MariMar on Main Street. He was working the variety store’s counter on Saturday and said the tournament “killed [his] business.”

“Usually Saturdays are good,” Coronado said. “Today it’s bad. Real bad. They close the street for nothing. The people come to play; they don’t come to buy.”

Some downtown employees disagreed and said the blacktop tournament produced a net positive effect for business.

Jessica Killian, bartender at the Pheasant Cafe & Lounge, said the games brought a different array of customers through her doors.

“For us it’s been pretty good,” she said. “We’re a small town with a Main Street. Anything we can get, we take.”

Killian also thought the lower number of food vendors on the street helped the Pheasant’s mid-day rush on Saturday.

“People are definitely coming in for lunch,” she said.

Tournament Director Larry Usher said the games brought an estimated 2,500 to 3,000 people to town, and approximately three-fourths of its participants reside outside Hermiston.

“The streets are jam-packed,” he said. “We do have some businesses that don’t see the direct impact, but those dollars come in to the community, and they stay here.”

Vel Yzaguirre, sales clerk at Roemark’s Western Wear, saw a slightly smaller crowd in her side of the store on Saturday, but she said the other side of the building – Roemark’s Men’s Wear, which sells athletic apparel – saw a sales increase.

Roe Gardner, owner of Roemark’s, said, “Anytime you can get this many people here, it’s good for downtown.”

Employees at Dyer’s Pet Store expressed mixed feelings towards the tournament. Tara Pace said it decreased weekend business, but she expected sales this week to be higher than normal.

“We’ve had a lot of kids running in and out of here,” she said, adding that the tournament “is not something I’d discourage.”

While downtown shops gave mixed reviews of the tournament, lodging establishments mostly reported an uptick in travelers.

Brenda Alvarez, manager of the Best Western in Hermiston, said her Saturday graveyard shift had to turn many customers away, because their rooms were full.

Ranjit Sandhu at the Economy Inn said he did not notice a difference in numbers this past weekend, but Esha Butta, owner of The Way Inn, saw an increase in patrons.

“We were practically full because of the tournament,” Butta said. “Many people were here visiting and watching the games.”

Debbie Pedro, Executive Director of the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce, said the tournament attracts people from all across the Northwest.

“We support and look forward to it every year,” she said. “We know it brings people to town, and it really helps business.”

Despite the elevated weekend population, Hermiston Police Lt. Tim Beinert said his department saw no significant problems during the tournament.

“We’re just here to make sure everyone has a good time,” Beinert said.

To him, the commotion on Main Street was simply “a bunch of people having fun.”