CINCINNATI — The countdown is on for Opening Day, as the Cincinnati Police Department and businesses at The Banks gear up for one of the busiest days of the year.
An estimated 100,000 people come downtown for Opening Day festivities, with many ending up at The Banks.
Last summer, The Banks was plagued by shootings, fights and theft in the area; the crime uptick prompted security changes, including curfews and extra patrols.
CPD Captain David Schofield spoke to us at The Banks Wednesday about the department's plans for Opening Day.
“We’ve been preparing for this since this time last year," Schofield said.
WATCH: We spoke to Cincinnati police about their plans for Opening Day
Schofield said that with the massive crowds comes a large police presence. He said CPD will also utilize K9s and drones.
"All of our resources will be brought to bear on this event," Schofield said.
Road closures will make Thursday's commute difficult downtown.
You can find a full list of road closures and the times they'll begin here.
We asked Schofield about his advice for drivers.
"Be patient, have a plan, consider, if you're crossing downtown, you might want to cross to the north," Schofield said.
Schofield also advised being dropped off by a rideshare service to avoid the traffic headache.
Tracy Schwegmann with The Banks helps businesses collaborate with Cincinnati police to create a safe environment. She said The Banks had to hire private security last summer to enforce 21-and-up curfews, which was a hugely expensive endeavor.
Schwegmann said Cincinnati police have added manpower and made changes to security at The Banks. She added that the captains in the district also work collaboratively to meet the needs of the businesses.
A 9 p.m. curfew for unaccompanied minors in the area set last year by city council will remain in effect. But a 21-and-over policy implemented at The Banks last April will not be enforced on Opening Day, Schwegmann said.
“The reality is, there will be 100,000 people downtown between the parade and the block party and the game and it’s not really the day to restrict access and the flow of humanity through our downtown footprint,” Schwegmann said.
Schwegmann added that they don’t want to add another hurdle for families navigating downtown, and typically, they don’t have issues on Opening Day compared to what they may see on a Friday or Saturday night in the summer.
As for businesses at The Banks, we saw many spending Wednesday afternoon cleaning and hanging Reds banners.
It will be the first Opening Day for staff at Tom's Watch Bar across the street from the ballpark, which opened last summer.
Managing partner Matthew Wade said he's excited for fans to experience the bar for the first time.
"We're pretty excited to pack the house," Wade said.
Wade said that whether fans stop in for food or to try their new "Ballpark Beer," their bar will be ready to entertain the best fans in baseball.
"They're going to hear the music, they're going to feel the energy, and they're going to want to take part in it," Wade said.
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