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Edmonton Journal

Seattle businesses take Canadian cash at par to lure sports fans

Article content Iconic seafood restaurant Ivar's, the Space Needle and the Pacific Science Center are among dozens of businesses participating in the promotion that accepts Canadian dollars at par all weekend. With the loonie worth just 72 U.S. cents, that effectively gives visitors who show Canadian IDs about a 30% discount. 'I think we're earning goodwill, which is what we wanted with our neighbours,' said Ivar's founder Bob Donegan. 'But we are not seeing a significant increase in the number of Blue Jay fans coming to Seattle.' Tourism officials on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border report that travel has dropped sharply amid political tension and economic uncertainty. At the Blaine, Washington border crossing, a major entry point for visitors from Vancouver, southbound traffic was down 52% in the first two weeks of April compared to the same period last year. Passenger arrivals on Air Canada flights to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport dropped 66% in March.