Economic Slam Dunk When NCAA Tournament Comes To Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Selection Sunday is this weekend, and the eyes of basketball's bracket-busting world will be on Philadelphia in two weeks, when the NCAA's East Regionals come to town.
One of the Final Four teams will emerge from the Wells Fargo Center.
It's not unusual for the NCAA tournament to pass through Philadelphia. Larry Needle, the executive director of PHL Sports -- that's the former Sports Congress -- says Philadelphia has hosted the second-most NCAA tournament games ever, behind Kansas City.
We don't know which teams will play here, but Needle says loyal fans will pack the Center:
"There are lots of road trips going on. Lots of students, lots of fans making the trip, following their team wherever they go."
He says the tournament will attract 17,000 visitors and hundreds more media, requiring 10,000 hotel room nights and generating an $18 million slam-dunk for the region's economy.