East Austin hotel hosts USWNT watch party for its grand opening
AUSTIN, Texas - Crowds came in by the dozens at Inn Cahoots in East Austin to watch the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team (USWNT) take on Vietnam in the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
"It’s going to be the first time in four years since the Women’s World Cup, the U.S. women won the championship, and we think the excitement is going to be huge for it," says Michelle Chuang, the COO of Inn Cahoots.
In addition to a watch party, the four-story hotel is celebrating the grand opening of its outdoor spaces.
"It’s been years in the making, and I’m so excited that it's the opening of Inn Cahoots of our public event spaces. It is so cool that it coincided with the first game of the Women’s World Cup," says Kristen Carson, founder of Inn Cahoots.
The celebration kicked off at 5 p.m. Friday with live music, food trucks, games and specialty cocktails inspired by each team. A Stars and Stripes-themed beverage for the U.S., and a coffee-based beverage for Vietnam.
"I love that we have the option of like indoor outdoor space, the screens look fabulous and what better way to support women’s sports in a great venue in Austin’s soccer city," says Megan Mays, who attended the watch party.
Fans were predicting the outcome of the tournament before it started.
"I am here to support the USA team. I believe it’s the three peat if we win this year," says Andrew Klingensmith, who attended the watch party.
It's Vietnam’s first World Cup, and the first ever co-hosted FIFA Women’s World Cup taking place in New Zealand and Australia.
"I’m super pumped. I obviously think that women’s sports need way more attention, way more support. I’m very fortunate apart from a group that also supports the local Austin FC, and so we are going to show up for women sport and this is a wonderful venue to do it in," says Mays.
It was a full circle moment for Inn Cahoots.
"Because we are a female-founded, predominantly female-operated company, I mean it seems serendipitous that this is all aligning," says Chuang.