"For us, I think it's going to be a big change," said Phil Eck, manager of Annie Bailey's, an Irish pub on East King Street, in the same block as the convention center. "We're definitely excited.

"I believe there's a buzz around the city about it."

Anticipation is peaking as the scheduled April 21 opening nears, said Molly Adams, buyer and general manager for Pappagallo, a women's boutique, and Details, a gift shop, both located within about a block of the convention center.

"People are definitely talking about it," she said. "It's going to bring new visitors, and we're hoping to increase our business from out of town."

The first show at the center will be Best of Weddings Susquehanna Valley on Sunday, April 26. Organizers are working to put together a schedule of other early events on the convention center's Web site.

Several businesses already have hired new employees and expanded parts of their operations as they look ahead to convention visitors.

Apron Strings, a restaurant and retail kitchen store, has expanded its salad bar in its shop in the Hager Arcade, in the first block of West King Street.

Owner Jocelyn Wolff also hired a part-time employee in anticipation of expanded hours.

Like most other business owners interviewed, she is not making specific changes in her hours until she sees what the demand will be.

But she is expecting a boost.

"It's got to pay off, and we're thinking it will," she said.

Isaac's Restaurant & Deli opened the Pickle Bar last year at its Queen Street location, less than a block from the convention center, in part to better serve convention center visitors.

It also is planning to ramp up its outdoor dining area, said Phil Wenger, Isaac's founder and chairman.

"This year, we are going to go all out with flowers and trying to create an urban garden," he said.

The restaurant will have a wall of flowers at its outdoor dining area and hopes to have it ready by April 30.

The restaurant and bar is adding three employees and anticipates longer hours, he said.

"We'll respond to the volume of business as it comes," he said.

Annie Bailey's will add three to six employees, Eck said, and anticipates larger groups for lunches and more business at its outdoor deck and other operations.

The Pennsylvania Dutch Convention & Visitors Bureau has been working on the new Lancaster Visitors Center in the Heritage Center Museum in Penn Square. It plans to open it the week of April 20, maybe earlier.

"We're humming along on that," said president and CEO Christopher Barrett.

The bureau will be offering an electronic booking system that can link convention planners to restaurants and other businesses here.

Pappagallo and Details are finishing up a promotional card that will have information about both businesses and be available to convention-goers, Adams said.

"It's to get the word out there, as opposed to just a business card or just a picture," she said.

Both businesses also will consider Sunday hours, she said.

"We're optimistic about it but we don't know what to expect," she said. "We're going to try to roll with the punches and see what the requests are."

Susan LePage doesn't plan to wait to see what the demand is. She will expand her hours so that she is ready for customers at the Irish Gypsy, her women's boutique on North Prince Street. She hopes others will do the same.

"I think the biggest drawback will be if we have visitors and if they are coming out and everything is closed," she said.

"We won't know what the demand is if we are closed when they come to see us."

Across the downtown, there has been a "rising tide" of retailers who are trying to put pressure on other retailers to expand their hours for convention center visitors, said Marshall Snively, vice president of the combined Downtown Investment District and James Street Improvement District.

But, he said, with the faltering economy, most business owners are cautious. Like Isaac's, Apron Strings, Pappagallo and Details, they are waiting.

"Now, I think people are going to be watching it very closely and when they see more people they may do something," Snively said.

E-mail alerts will be sent to downtown retailers and restaurant operators in advance of convention center events,

The alerts will tell them what group is coming and how many people are expected. They may choose to extend their hours or offerings in response, he said.