It was to be one of the biggest events in Lawrence history. Tens of thousands of people were to come to town for the Dole Institute of Politics dedication at Kansas University. And they were to bring dollars with them to leave behind.

“I told my (assistant) manager ‘This could be crazy,'” said Carol Morgan, manager of Russell Stover Candies, 1300 W. 23rd St. “We were braced because we thought we might be really busy. We weren’t.”

Retailers across Lawrence had the same experience. They loaded up on extra merchandise and called in extra staff for the expected crush of people during the July 20-22 opening gala.

“I heard estimates of 100,000 people,” said Thom Glansman, manager of Chili’s Grill & Bar, 2319 Iowa. “We were prepared for that.”

Glansman bought extra food and had more servers ready, but the crowds didn’t materialize. He sent the extra help home.

“Maybe we dropped the ball by not researching it enough,” Glansman said. “We were disappointed.”

City cooperation

Estimates from KU put the number of attendees for the “Greatest Generation’s Greatest Celebration” at more than 25,000. Military estimates reported by The Associated Press after the event said 7,000 people attended.

Merchants said they were lucky to see a dozen.

¢6News video: Dole dedication a non-event for downtown businesses¢More stories, photos, video about the Dole Institute

“I know Sen. Arlen Specter and some other guests were here,” said Craig Miller, assistant general manager of Old Chicago, 2329 Iowa. Despite his restaurant being almost within sight of the institute, Miller didn’t see any increase in business.

Downtown, merchants were even more disappointed.

“I’m not even sure we even saw a single veteran,” said Kristi Kouloukis, co-owner of The Casbah, 803 Mass. “We geared up for a lot more people.”

Kouloukis decorated the windows in her store with 1940s era pictures and memorabilia, hoping to cash in on the out-of-town visitors. None of it worked.

“There just was not a lot of traffic,” Kouloukis said. “Most of the activities were up on campus. … We had hoped that would have trickled down.”

City officials said they talked with KU and event organizers about having more events throughout the city.

“We had all kinds of ideas,” said Asst. City Manager Debbie Van Saun. “Events in the parks … it was a very broad discussion.”

When the event arrived, flags hung from downtown light poles and several businesses plastered their windows with “Welcome Veterans” signs.

“They talked about having a banner across Mass. Street,” City Manager Mike Wildgen said.

In the end, those discussions led nowhere.

“They were having a hard enough time organizing the event they did,” Van Saun said.

That’s no excuse, according to Becky Bowers, owner of Penny Annie’s Sweet Shoppe, 845 Mass.

“It seems like they could have done something more,” Bowers said.

The one apparent exception was Lawrence’s hospitality industry. Most area hotels reported near or full occupancy during the Dole events.

Softball support

KU officials defended their decisions. KU spokesman Todd Cohen said the weather was extremely warm and that could have kept people away from the stores.

“We think the Dole Institute will become a major tourist attraction,” Cohen said. “That will bring more tourists to town.”

And even though the Dole Institute dedication was a bust for most area businesses, the week wasn’t a total loss for Lawrence business.

“What really helped us out was the softball tournament,” said Old Chicago’s Miller.

The American Fastpitch Assn.’s age group championship rolled into town two days after the Dole dedication ended.

“Business-wise, I’d take the softball tournament” over the Dole events, said Marilyn Hall, manager of Hancock Fabrics, 2108 W. 27th St. “We had a lot of people from Nebraska … one family bought $300 worth of fabric.”

The softball players were hard to miss. Downtown shoppers jostled with dozens of teens dressed in brightly colored uniforms.

“People had a lot more downtime, and they couldn’t leave,” said Anne Fitzgerald, manager at Rod’s Hallmark, 2329 Iowa. “They had more time to shop.”

Landing the tournament was a coup for the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau. Though the crowd expectations — 1,000 to 2,000 people — were significantly lower than the Dole Institute opening, the crowds appeared to be spending more money. At Russell Stover, Carol Morgan remembers seeing group after group of teens looking to cool off with ice cream.

“Groups were coming in, and I wondered what they were all from,” said Morgan. “I was scooping ice cream as fast as I could.”

According to visitors bureau estimates, the tournament pumped more than $1 million into the Lawrence economy in just four days. Most of that went to restaurants and shops.

“We saw the girls in their softball uniforms with their moms,” said Casbah owner Kouloukis. “They were asking where to eat for lunch and where else to go.”

At Chili’s, Glanzman was relieved to see an expected crowd of visitors come in and spend money — especially after the Dole disappointment.

“The softball tournament came through for us,” he said.

Given the choice, every one of the business owners contacted would prefer another softball tournament over another Dole Institute dedication. But many said they felt the institute would be good for the city.

“I think it’s wonderful for the city of Lawrence,” Fitzgerald said. “In the long run, I think it’ll be good for everyone.”

But Glanzman is withholding judgment until he sees results.

“I would like to think any new attraction would bring in people,” Glanzman said. “I just don’t know.”