""The Nvidia conference is the greatest thing that's happened to downtown San Jose," said Matt Rocca, co-owner of Original Joe's restaurant, a stone's throw from the San Jose McEnery Convention Center where the conference took place."
""This town has been dead for six years ever since COVID," Rocca said Wednesday. "Now we've got activity and we love it.""
""Still, Rocca added, downtown San Jose's conference business is 'just not back to normal yet.'""
""Nationally, convention and conference attendance remains down 5% to 10% since the pandemic," said Jeff Bellisario, executive director of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute."
Nvidia's annual GTC event attracted 30,000 attendees, marking a significant increase from the previous year. Downtown San Jose experienced bustling activity, contrasting with its post-COVID emptiness. Local businesses, like Original Joe's, welcomed the influx, noting the town's long struggle since the pandemic. However, the overall conference business in San Jose remains below pre-COVID levels, with attendance still down nationally by 5% to 10%. Factors such as high hotel prices and competition from other cities hinder the recovery.
Read at The Mercury News
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