With the Super Bowl set to return to Las Vegas in 2029, some local small business owners say they’re hoping the next opportunity brings more than just exposure.
When the big game came to the valley in 2024, programs like the Business Connect initiative helped connect local vendors with major event planners — opening doors many say they wouldn’t have had otherwise.
Stacey Dougan, a plant-based vegan chef in Las Vegas, said the program helped her business secure catering opportunities in the lead-up to the game.
“What ended up happening was we got a lot of business prior to the Super Bowl. So like the catering for the events leading up to the Super Bowl we were able to do. There was also so much networking. That was one of the best parts about the Business Connect program,” Dougan said.
Denette Braud, owner of Braud’s Funnel Cake Cafe, said her business also benefited from being included.
“We were obviously honored and excited and, you know, it was a great opportunity, once in a lifetime type thing that I hope to repeat, because it was really good,” Braud said.
Both say the visibility and connections were valuable — but they’re hoping for more direct opportunities tied to the main event itself when the Super Bowl returns.
“But one of the things that I hoped that it panned out that didn’t was the actual during the Super Bowl, us being able to come in and sell food. And so our brand and that didn’t really translate,” Dougan said.
Braud echoed that sentiment, saying placement and access during the event limited their ability to reach customers.
“So, you know, what happened with us, they had food trucks over there, but all the entertainment and everything was not near,” Braud said. “I felt like that was kind of a missed opportunity.”
Still, both owners say the effort to include small businesses was noticeable — and appreciated.
“They really went all out to make sure that we were prepared and included. So I really take my hats off to them,” Braud said.
Dougan added that the connections alone made a lasting impact.
“I was able to meet people from the MGM and Caesars and just all kinds of higher up people that I would necessarily would not have been able to meet had I not been a part of the program,” Dougan said.
It’s still unclear whether the Business Connect program will return for 2029. But both Dougan and Braud say they’re eager for another chance — with hopes that this time, more small businesses will be able to directly benefit from one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
