Final Four: Phoenix area cities expected to benefit from college basketball tournament

PHOENIX - The NCAA Final Four games are being held at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, but there is plenty of action all over the Valley, with new signage and basketball additions appearing throughout neighboring cities like Phoenix and Scottsdale. 

All four teams are staying in Downtown Phoenix, something Todd Sanders, President and CEO of the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, is accrediting to the mayor.

"We are good at this. We know how to bring large crowds in safely, how to manage crowds throughout the week - in this case - and make sure people have a good experience," Sanders said. "When you look at Phoenix, Glendale, the surrounding areas, we are really well set up to make sure everyone has a good experience, and there's a good economic impact for our local business community."

The Phoenix Convention Center is also holding a fanfest, with events going on all weekend long. Sanders referenced a 2017 ASU study, which states the Valley made $324 million off of the last Final Four games that were hosted here. They’re excited to see what type of impact 2024 brings, hoping that it will be greater than or equal to the past.

Sanders also says from Super Bowls to Spring Training and now the Final Four, the ability to host large crowds is a win for the entire Valley.