San Jose businesses look beyond big events for downtown recovery

For downtown San Jose restaurant owner Adolfo Gomez, big events like the Super Bowl and FIFA World Cup watch parties can make a big difference.This week, Gomez is welcoming large groups of software developers into his restaurant, Mezcal, as San Jose hosts the inaugural WeAreDevelopers convention in North America. One party alone includes 25 developers from an artificial intelligence startup.But as thousands of visitors fill downtown for major conventions, Gomez says the bigger challenge is keeping that momentum going once the crowds leave."What really is helping San Jose, in a way, it's exactly what's happening with WeAreDevelopers," Gomez said.Since the pandemic, Gomez has shortened Mezcal's total weekly operating schedule. He is now closed Mondays. He said the business has become increasingly dependent on major events to drive customers through the door."We need FIFA, we need Super Bowl," he said.The challenge, Gomez said, is what happens on the ordinary days in between.Downtown San