TAMPA, Fla. — March Madness has finally arrived.
What You Need To Know
Friday tips off a slew of March Madness games being held at Benchmark International Arena
City leaders have spoken about how significant thousands of fans’ dollars will have on the local economy, with hotels and restaurants seeing some of the most action
Tampa was meant to host the first and second rounds of the men’s tournament in 2020, but that was canceled because of COVID-19
The first game at Benchmark will be between Akron and Texas Tech, tipping off at 12:40 p.m.
A whole slew of games tipped off on Thursday, but on Friday, games will be tipping off at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa. Thousands of fans are expected to be in town during the first round of games. City leaders have spoken about how significant their dollars will have on the local economy, with hotels and restaurants seeing some of the most action.
The energy downtown is palpable. But setting up this tournament has required plenty of work you don’t see.
Those who are behind the scenes say it has required a lot of work to ensure this tournament goes smoothly. Tampa Bay Sports Commission Executive Director Lanness Robinson says the city has to first submit a bid with the NCAA. That bid began about three years ago.
Tampa was meant to host the first and second rounds of the men’s tournament in 2020, but it was canceled because of COVID-19.
Once the bid is approved, it’s a matter of working together with stakeholders. That includes the city, county, transportation, security and city services.
Robinson says that those teams that are playing there are also staying near downtown. They are getting to experience the Riverwalk, restaurants and, of course, the Florida weather. Fans and business owners alike say they are excited about this tournament, adding that hosting such a big tournament in scale shows how the city is still growing.
“I think they did the Frozen Four down here a couple of years ago and the Final Four in the basketball when they did the women’s tournament one year, too, so it shows the city is growing and it’s a great venue to host,” said Tampa resident Dawson San Tangelo.
“I think it’s great for the city, this is definitely what we need,” said Tampa resident Zachary Redding. “Every sporting event that comes to Tampa, we love it so it’s great.”
“This is one of the biggest events that do come to Tampa and you can feel the energy — there’s a lot of energy,” said Karen Carr, owner of Moxies Cafe in downtown Tampa. “People are excited to be here, people are excited to go to the games so you feel it and it’s good.”
Carr went on to say they have noticed an uptick in clientele. She says to cater to fans, they are offering outdoor dining options. They are also celebrating their 20th anniversary of being downtown this month.
As for getting around downtown, you can always get around on the TECO Streetcar, which will stay running until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday and until midnight on Sunday. The streetcar will be running every 15 minutes.
The first game tipping off at Benchmark will be between Akron and Texas Tech. Tip-off is slated for 12:40 p.m.