Cities welcome financial windfall during NCAA’s March Madness

Oklahoma City's Ford Center. Sue Frause photo.

I finally did it. Picked my 63 teams during the annual March Madness, and I have no clue what I’m doing.

I called my bracket She Got Game. We shall see.

But I do have a clue that the cities across the U.S. hosting the 2010 NCAA Tournament are mighty happy with the economic fallout from all the hoopster fans spending money in their towns.

Today marks the start of the first and second rounds of the tournament; games will be played March 18 in New Orleans, LA (New Orleans Arena); Providence, RI (Dunkin Donuts Center); San Jose, CA (HP Pavilion); and Spokane, WA (Spokane Memorial Arena).

For New Orleans, it’s really great news, and tourism officials are smiling. And Spokane, Washington is still basking in the glow of hosting the US Olympic Figure Skating Championships in January 2010.

Other cities hosting the games include Dayton, OH; Buffalo, NY; Jacksonville, FL; Milwaukee, WI; Oklahoma City, OK; Syracuse, NY; Salt Lake City, UT; St. Louis, MO; and Houston, TX. The 2010 Final Four will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana.

March Madness actually runs through April 5, 2010.