Thanks to the new Golden 1 Center, Sacramento – for the first time in 10 yeas – is to be able to host eight NCAA teams.  As Sacramento Sports Commission Director Mike Sophia, the lack of hosting had nothing to do with the relationship between the NCAA and Sacramento.  It was merely a lack of appropriate place.  With the new Center, the problem has now been eliminated.

This of course, is great for the region’s economy too. Sophia believes an estimated $5 million will be spent on that one weekend.  In addition, there is the publicity which is huge since nationwide, there will be millions of TV viewers.  Sophia hopes that this will lead to people who see Sacramento thinking, “yeah I haven’t been there in a while.  I wanna go back.”

Sacramento’s March Madness should have an impact on even individuals who are not sports fan.  As Visit Sacramento’s COO Mike Testa argued:  “They should care for the economic impact. When folks stay in hotel rooms, they pay for a transient occupancy tax. That money goes into the city and county’s general fund. That fund pays for police, fire, improves our park, and improves our road.”

In addition to the NCAA, the C AL HOSA Health Conference is in town, adding to the March Madness, putting hotel room bookings at 7,500 for just one weekend.