Not long after Tracy enacted its policy Wednesday of giving a $500 gift card to anyone who buys a new car or truck in the city, some dealerships said they saw an increase in business.

The gift cards are part of a city effort to boost its economy and make local dealerships more appealing, said Pat Kelly, general manager of Tracy Chevrolet. He said customers will be rewarded for buying here instead of going out-of-town.

Kelly said that he’s taken a few calls since Wednesday and sold a Chevy Traverse on Thursday. He said he remained optimistic that as more people hear about the promotion, they would buy cars in Tracy.

“We’re hoping this weekend,” he said.

Jeff Morri of Stan Morri Ford said he sold a Ford Fusion on Wednesday and a Taurus on Thursday to buyers who were specifically interested in the gift card. He said he’s also seen a lot of media attention from newspapers and TV stations, which should help sales perk up in the near future.

“People are just trickling out right now, and we haven’t even started advertising it,” Morri said.

Morri said that in order to help keep that gift card money in Tracy, his company will give buyers an additional 10 percent if they use the card at his dealership. The cards can be used anywhere, though city officials hope people spend them in town.

At Tracy Toyota, general manager David Cauthen Jr. said he was in the midst of a sale Wednesday. He’s also had more people go to the dealership and call, expressing interest in the gift card offer.

“Traffic, has it increased greatly? No,” he said. “But have there been a couple people that have come in specifically for that? Yes. So we can already see some kind of interest that has been sparked by it.”

Cauthen said it’s still too early to tell how much the gift cards will help long-term.

While some dealerships are seeing immediate returns, others are still waiting to reap the benefits. Employees from the Mazda and Nissan dealerships said they haven’t had any sales yet, but interest has been high.

“It’s overwhelming, the response we’ve had,” said Dave Brown, general manager of Tracy Mazda. “I anticipate an outstanding weekend.”

The gift cards will last until 800 are given away, or until Aug. 1, whichever comes first. They are not eligible for purchases of motorcycles or ATVs, according to Ursula Luna-Reynosa, head of the Economic Development Department.