Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Tourism Officials Welcome NCAA Tournament Basketball Fans

Scott Willis
/
WAER News

  College basketball fans from all over the country will be coming to Syracuse this weekend for the next two rounds of the NCAA men’s division one tournament.  The east regional sweet sixteen and elite eight will be played at the Carrier Dome.  A local organizing committee has been preparing for the event since last fall. vice president of sales and services for visit Syracuse Tracey Burke says the organization has been working to make sure visitors feel welcome.

" From the moment they come in we want to make them feel welcome. We've got Signage across the city and county that can be seen from the time that they would either fly in or drive in they right thru the hotels and attractions We got welcome banners and welcome details. We got pole banners up at the airport, at destiny, at armory square at the Crouse-Marshall Area. We got social media and a twiziter center we you can go onto twitter and ask us for some help and ask us some questions"

Free shuttles will take fans from Destiny USA and Armory Square to the dome.  Burke hopes fans will take part in the area’s new branding effort called “Syracuse do your thing” which encourages fans to go out and explore the community. Burke says the point of the program is to share everything there is to do in Syracuse.

Syracuse community organizers Believe in Syracuse  is encouraging all business and residents in downtown area to "Light up Syracuse." Board President John DeSantis says this is an opportunity for Syracuse to show visitors that this city is energized and 'open for business'. The hope is that Syracuse's shine will encourage perspective businesses and residents to invest in Syracuse. It will be the first time residents will see the city  completely lit up.

Credit Scott Willis / WAER News
/
WAER News
Banners welcome basketball fans at the SU Sheraton Hotel.

Burke says the upcoming weekend is expected to generate  an estimated 7.2 million dollars for the local economy.  open practice for participating teams starts tomorrow. Louisville and North Carolina state will play Friday just after 7:30 pm followed by Oklahoma and Michigan State just after 10 pm.

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.