CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Businesses in downtown Cleveland are weighing in on an event canceled midseason last year.
“I hope they come back, last year I know was a little rough so probably was the best decision for everybody that they got cut out in a way because it did get out of control but I’m hoping they come back this year,” said Acqua Di Dea owner Lola Jacha. “We want people down here, we want to see them happy and celebrating.”
She represents one of several locations in the West 6th Street area that would like to see the return of the tailgate events for home Cleveland Browns games.
The tailgate is a regular event on the street just blocks from the stadium, until things got out of hand last season.
When a woman ran down people in a car in [October](https://www.cleveland19.com/2024/10/09/business-owners-say-no-more-west-6th-street-browns-tailgates-rest-year/), the remaining tailgate events were canceled for the season.
At the time, business owners said it was necessary, saying things had gotten out of hand.
But some, like Jacha, are not letting one year change how she views something that brought a lot of people downtown.
“Years before, we never had this many issues, so I’m not really sure why it got out of control just this last year,” said Jacha.
But other people working along the street spoke anonymously and said that after the chaos of last year, they would be happy to keep the tailgate in the past.
19 News reached out to the Mayor’s Office to find out if the tailgate will make a return.
A spokesperson offered a statement on the matter, adding that the city had not received any requests on the matter.
> The City of Cleveland remains committed to its obligation to prioritize public safety. Last year, Public Safety officials discussed alternative options with the organizers with the goal of balancing safety concerns and fan experience interests. Since then, no additional requests or conversations have occurred.
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