Seattle businesses offer discounts for Canadian visitors during Mariners-Blue Jays series

SEATTLE — With the Mariners returning home to face the Toronto Blue Jays and hoping to win their tenth series in a row, some business owners are worried fewer Canadians are coming to Seattle, even for the big weekend rivalry.

It’s why they are offering discounts all weekend for our neighbors to the north.

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A baseball series between Toronto and Seattle typically means a sellout at The State Hotel weeks in advance.

The start of this baseball weekend, however, paints a different picture.

“We have about 20% occupancy with Canadian travelers right now. Typically, it’s way more than that. We’re usually looking at 60%, 70%,” The State Hotel General Manager, Anne Johnson, stated. “Usually it’s a sea of Blue Jays fans, even more so than Mariners fans.”

Closer to the waterfront, fans in blue Toronto jerseys told KOMO News they believe fewer Canadians are traveling into Washington amid tariff concerns and some political tension between the U.S. and Canada.

“The unfortunate part is there’s some things that have been said on both sides that just haven’t been best for both sides, so I’m hoping it sorts itself out and people come back to watch, because it’s a great place to watch a ballgame, by the looks of it,” said Ron Burns, visiting from Ontario.

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The downtown hotel is among dozens of Washington businesses participating in the grassroots Open Arms for Canada campaign. They’re offering 30% discounts to Canadian visitors through Sunday.

“I think it’s wonderful. It’s the first time I’ve been here, so I’m getting a chance to see the sights,” Burns said.

“Everybody seems to be matching our dollar to have us down here this weekend,” one woman told KOMO News crews.

The Alliance for Pioneer Square reports it has not seen a dropoff since Trump’s tariffs went into effect, but they are keeping an eye on foot traffic – especially as the historic neighborhood has been working to boost business since the pandemic.

“[We] make sure we have a welcoming environment to make sure that people feel comfortable here and have a good time when they do come,” Alliance for Pioneer Square Executive Director Lisa Howard explained.

During a Mariners-Blue Jays series in July 2024, there were between 34,000 and 38,000 fans each night, according to the most recent available data.

But beyond the numbers, it’s the spirit of the rivalry that Johnson admitted she looks forward to every year.

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“It’s always a lot of fun because usually you’re doing a little smack talk on the way to work or on the way to the game, and so unfortunately, we’re just not seeing that as much but hopefully that’s changing and we’ll see more of that tomorrow,” Johnson added.

The Mariners organization told KOMO News in an email it won’t have ticket totals until later Friday, but that this weekend’s crowds are trending toward what they’ve expected.

“The Mariners haven’t hosted the Blue Jays in May since 2010 and have not played them before July since 2011,” the spokesperson wrote. “Crowd size is dependent on a variety of factors, so it’s difficult for us to pinpoint the impact of specific events.”