While Kansas, Oregon, Illinois and Texas prepare to clash on the floor of the Kohl Center this weekend to earn a trip to the Final Four, Madison is gearing up to play host to the 2002 NCAA Men's Basketball Midwest Regional and the deluge of fans, teams and media coming from around the nation.
\The last time we hosted [a men's basketball tournament] was in the '60s,"" said UW-Madison Assistant Athletics Director Steve Malchow.
""This is the largest event of its kind ever held on this campus.""
With an estimated 33,000 visitors projected to spend around $1.7 million, local businesses are getting ready to welcome the extra customers.
""We're kind of planning for this as like having three football games three days in a row,"" said Ross Johnson, general manager of State Street Brats, 603 State St., adding that additional workers and truckloads of supplies would be needed to accommodate the weekend crowds.
Judy Alberts, public relations director for The Edgewater, 666 Wisconsin Ave., which will be the temporary home for the Texas Longhorns' players and fans, said she expects the hotel to be completely booked by the end of the week.
Despite any hassle the increased crowds will bring downtown businesses are looking forward to the large amount of traffic.
""Anytime people come in and bring their wallets, stay in our hotels and eat in our diners, the economic impact will be very good,"" said Bob Brennan, president of the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce.
Although the additional money will profit local businesses, Brennan also said the national recognition the tournament brings will be a major benefit to prospective students of the university and residents of the community.
""It's good to get national respect, it keeps us on the map and paints a good picture of the UW and the community at large,"" he said.
Malchow also said that national exposure is the key to holding such events.
""[The tournament] is not a moneymaker for the university,"" he said. ""But given the nation's appetite for the NCAA tournament, the publicity generated from hosting an event of this magnitude is invaluable.""
According to Brennan, the main reason the NCAA selected Madison as the venue for one of its national tournament's four regional sites is the overall quality of the Kohl Center.
""By having facilities like [the Kohl Center] we are able to draw events like this,"" he said. ""It is a great place to watch a game; there isn't a bad seat in the house.""
Malchow said that while the Kohl Center is a world-class facility, the NCAA also looked at the UW-Madison's past hosting experience, which included two NCAA women's volleyball tournaments and the 1998 NCAA Women's Golf Championship, a fact which may lead to more similar events coming to Madison.
""We were also the first [regional] to sell out,"" Malchow said. ""The NCAA loves that, and I'm sure that they will want to come back in the future.""
Jenna Lenz, public relations specialist for the Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau, said she saw an opportunity for the city's businesses to prosper in the future as a result of hosting the tournament.
""One of the things we as a business can take advantage of is saying that we held a regional men's basketball tournament here in town,"" she said. ""And hopefully that will open the door to Madison being the host for all sorts of different events.\
