EAST LANSING, Mich — East Lansing is preparing for a packed weekend as Big Ten tournaments, high school sports and St. Patrick's Day celebrations are expected to bring large crowds to the area.
- Sporting events and St. Patrick's Day will bring increased traffic to the neighborhood this weekend.
- Restaurants say they're preparing by increasing staffing and preparing extra food.
- East Lansing police say they'll be increasing patrols downtown, and encourage neighbors to celebrate safely.
WATCH BELOW: East Lansing businesses, police preparing for busy weekend
One North East Lansing, a bar and restaurant accustomed to hosting Spartan fans for coaches' shows and gameday crowds, is ramping up for what operating partner Jeremy McKowen expects to be an even bigger weekend than usual.
With Michigan State basketball eyeing another March run and Spartan hockey hosting the Big Ten Tournament in East Lansing, McKowen said the business has been preparing accordingly.
"Once we kind of figured out what the game times were, then we immediately reached out to staff, making sure we had our aces in places prior to the games, before they start. And then we've had some extra prep hours in the kitchen," McKowen said.
The addition of St. Patrick's Day celebrations is expected to bring even more traffic to East Lansing businesses. East Lansing Police Department Captain Adrian Ojerio said the busy weekend is a good time to remember how to celebrate responsibly — including drinking in moderation and never getting behind the wheel after drinking.
Cpt. Ojerio also encouraged people to look out for those they are with and to call for help if someone has had too much to drink.
"It's better to reach out and contact the police without any fear of penalty to ensure that your friend or even someone you just see who you think needs help. It's better to be safe than sorry," Ojerio said.
Ojerio added that with large crowds expected throughout the weekend, the most important safety reminder is to report anything suspicious.
"We'd would like to check on something and have it be nothing than not know about it and have it turn into something much worse," Ojerio said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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