MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Friday, the first round of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament tipped off at Memphis’s FedExForum, bringing eight Division One college basketball programs and their fans to the Bluff City.
The city expects at least 20,000 people to be on hand for the tournament over the weekend, a massive boost for Memphis businesses.
Fans did not wait around to hit Beale Street.
According to Memphis Tourism, the NCAA blocked off a total of 6,500 room nights across 10 hotels for teams, officials, family and fans. Memphis Hotel Lodging Association president Wayne Tabor estimated city hotels to be 80 to 85 percent full Thursday.
“We think that as more teams progress, more fans will come and fill up rooms, hotels, visit Beale Street,” he said.
Memphis Tourism estimates the economic impact to be over $5.7 million.
“Everybody will feel it! Restaurants, attractions, gas stations,” said Memphis Tourism president Kevin Kane.
Area restaurants have been stocking up to feed as many hungry college basketball fans as possible.
“Bringing in extra inventory for all of our beer, a lot of our store goods, candy, fudge,” said Beale Sweets assistant manager Gene Bastnagel. “We're making a lot of stuff in advance.”
This is Memphis’s first time hosting tournament games since 2017.
“They’ll be back in years to come,” Kane said. “Memphis is on is on (the NCAA’s) radars and they love coming here. But there's a lot of cities in America that would love to host and that have never had the chance.”
In order for that to happen, tourism experts know know Memphis needs to be at its best under the national spotlight, especially when it comes to public safety.
“It’s probably the top priority we have is to make sure that we give that image that Memphis is safe,” Tabor said. “And it is safe for the most part.”
Mayor Paul Young has said there will be extra Memphis Police officers and Blue Suede Brigade members patrolling the area for the duration of the tournament.