PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will be at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia for their first debate on Tuesday night. And there's no debating the fact that hosting such a massive event is a big boost to the city's economy. While there is no live audience, the debate is still drawing in hundreds of people, from the media to politicians and of course staff members -- including security for both the Harris and Trump campaigns.
People on both sides of the aisle agree on how the debate will affect the city's bottom line. RELATED | Street closures, other changes in Philadelphia you need to know about for the presidential debate "It's normally very good for the local economy," said Marques Reed of Bassetts Ice Cream . Some added that hosting the debate here is creating a huge opportunity for businesses across the city.
"It will fill our rooms for several days because you have the Secret Service advanced team coming in ahead of time, you have the media coming in. And not only that, when I heard it was early in the week I also knew we'd get a lot of Sunday night stays, which are very coveted in our industry," said Ed Grose, executive director of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association . Without the debate, experts say this would have been a tough time for the hospitality industry, which employs 70,000 people in the city.
"We don't have any conventions in town," Grose said. "We've lost an Eagles home game because t.