March Madness has descended on San Francisco and that had brought tens of thousands of fans to the city. Sharon Katsuda shows us how those fans are already pumping up the city’s economy.
March Madness has descended on San Francisco this weekend at the Chase Center and it has brought tens of thousands of fans to the city.
Security was tight in the area Thursday night as police officers were visible everywhere visitors turned.
City officials were making it clear that they want to be good hosts and made sure that people in the area were safe.
For business owners and hotels managers, they said the tournament is a welcome shot in the arm for the tourism industry.
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"Especially to have top four teams in san Francisco, 15 minutes from the hotel, that is super exciting," said Barbara Perzigan, Hotel Via General Manager.
Perzigan told NBC Bay Area that Hotel VIA was sold out Thursday with the rooftop ready to entertain with spectacular weather and views.
“It’s been a real boom for business,” she said.
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After being shutdown in 2020 due to the pandemic, businesses now know you need to be flexible.
“We’ve held back some rooms for the fans who don’t know how they’re going to play in the game tonight, if they win, they can make reservations here," Perzigan said.
The family of Duke forward Theo John were in the City as they were getting in some fun on the Embarcadero before heading to Chase Center.
“We get to watch Gonzaga and then warm us up for the game we are really excited about," said Izzy John, Theo John's sister.
