March Madness swept over the City Beautiful Thursday. First round games of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament were played at the Amway Center in Orlando.
- First, second round NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament this weekend
- Blocks of Church Street shut down Thursday for a street party
- Central Florida Sports Commission expects $10 million economic impact
It’s the latest major sports event in Orlando. Local businesses were banking on it being a slam dunk for the area economy.
Blocks of Church Street were shut down Thursday for a street party to welcome fans to Orlando.
“I liked actually being in Orlando. It was like a two-hour drive, so it really felt like it was a home game for us,” said Florida Gators fan Peter Kizza.
Four Florida schools are dancing this year. Florida, Florida State and Florida Gulf Coast played in Orlando Thursday night. Having the Sunshine State well-represented in the tournament translates to a big boost in business.
Eddie Peters, the marketing manager at Ferg’s Depot on Church Street, said they brought in extra bartenders, servers and mangers from their St. Petersburg location to be ready for the crowds.
“One of the reasons that we located here was the proximity to the Amway Arena knowing that there is always going to be big events. Today is one of the biggest obviously,” Peters said.
Dan Ross, Operating Manager at Avenue Gastrobar, said they were fully-staffed and excited for the week.
“The tournament is fantastic. We love it. We love events like this coming to Orlando,” he said.
The Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at Xavier University traveled from Ohio to watch his team upset Maryland at the Amway Center.
“It's a great city," said Dean David Mengel. "It's a great way to highlight the city. It's a great way to bring a lot of people into Orlando.”
Based on the how the tournament did in Orlando in 2014, the Central Florida Sports Commission expects a $10 million economic impact this year.