March Madness at PPG Paints Arena expected to generate millions for Pittsburgh
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- March Madness is taking over the city. Once again, the PPG Paints Arena plays host to eight teams for the first and second rounds.
Will brackets be busted or a Cinderella team make a run starting in the Steel City? We will have to wait and see, but we do know these games will bring in some revenue for the region.
"I've been getting calls for parties, private events, all of that, so we're really booked up this weekend," Redbeard's Sports Bar and Grill general manager Brent Kightlinger said.
Redbeard's on Sixth Street in Downtown anticipates this to be one of their biggest weeks ever.
The last time the tournament came in 2022, they saw record numbers for the restaurant and bar. Any parties they can't handle, they are trying to pass along to their fellow restaurants so everyone can cash in on this.
"It's not just about our business, it's about the entire city flourishing because if the city flourishes, we flourish as well," Kightlinger said.
SportsPittsburgh, part of VisitPittsburgh, estimates about 20,000 people will attend each session over the next few days. Each session is two games. A couple years ago, this generated about $10.4 million in economic impact.
"We expect that to hold pretty true to the same. We've always had a great field of teams that come in and we know their fans like to travel," SportsPittsburgh executive director Jennifer Hawkins said.
Hotel rooms are booking up and that is expected to increase as we head into the weekend where more people may want to catch the second-round matchups in town.
Events like this also serve as a commercial for the city. It lets people who may have never come here visit and see firsthand what we have to offer.
"Whenever our name is in the same sentence with Dallas and Detroit and some of these major cities that are hosting first, second rounds, regionals and the Final Four, we always want Pittsburgh's name to be in that list as well," Hawkins said.
This shows other sports what Pittsburgh can bring to the table with marque events like championship tournaments, all-star games and drafts.
"Hopefully it can show committees like the NFL draft committee that we can hold large events like this. We can accommodate these people. We can show everyone a good time and show everyone is safe," Kightlinger said.
Beyond this year, there are hopes to bring the tournament back to the PPG Paints Arena.
"We may be bidding on some. That's still top secret. We will be seeing who can come back and what can come back in 26, 27, 28 and 29," Hawkins said.
Since 1997, the city has hosted a part of the tournament in partnership with Duquesne University seven times.
