PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — March Madness is set to tip off in Philadelphia on Friday, with six games being played at the Xfinity Mobile Arena this weekend.

This is the 29th time the city has hosted the NCAA tournament, and it’s the first time March Madness games have been played here since 2022.

Ed Grose, the president & CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Hotel Association, told Action News, “This is always a fun weekend for us.”

“I’m showing about 15 to 20 thousand people from out of town. They sold tickets for all 50 states, a wide range of a lot of great bases,” he added.

READ MORE | Court fully installed as Xfinity Mobile Arena prepares to host NCAA Tournament in South Philly

The Xfinity Mobile Arena in South Philadelphia is ready to bring on the madness and welcome fans for the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament.

College basketball fans have already flocked to the city to cheer on their favorite teams.

Ten-year-old Howie Webb is here from Dayton, Ohio, to cheer on Wright State.

“It’s a very special thing to be able to go to March Madness and watch the game,” he said.

Michael Mullane, from Warwick, Rhode Island, said he is excited to cheer on UConn’s team. He’s also looking forward to exploring the city of Philadelphia.

“The food is great. The neighborhoods, it’s a city of great neighborhoods,” Mullane said. “Great place to host these games.”

When the tournament was in town in 2022, Grose said there was a $12 million economic impact, with 8,000 hotel room nights sold. This year, Grose said they expect to surpass those numbers.

Some fans are staying at the Courtyard Marriott in the Navy Yard.

Hotel general manager Derek Beckman said the hotel is sold out on Friday and could sell out on Saturday. He told Action News this is just the start of a great sports stretch for the city.

“We lead from this right into FIFA, right into the All-Star Game. Big sports and Philly go hand in hand,” Beckman said.

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