(March 27, 2018) — The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is set to serve as the host institution for the NCAA Men’s Final Four for the fourth time when it welcomes Loyola Chicago, Kansas, Michigan and Villanova to the Alamodome this week.
Saturday’s semifinal games will feature Loyola Chicago against Michigan at 5:09 p.m, followed by Kansas vs. Villanova. The national championship game is slated for 8 p.m. on Monday, April 2.
UTSA has served as the host institution for 17 NCAA Division I Championship events since 1997, including previous Men’s Final Fours in 1998, 2004 and 2008.
The San Antonio Local Organizing Committee (SALOC), which is a partnership between the City of San Antonio, San Antonio Sports and UTSA, has a strong history of hosting successful NCAA Championships that have generated hundreds of millions of dollars for the San Antonio economy, and this week’s event will be no different.
A study projecting the economic impact of the Men’s Final Four estimates that the local economy will receive a boost of $185 million as a result of hosting the championship.
The study, prepared by Steven Nivin, chief economist of the SABÉR Research Institute, predicts an influx of 93,000 out-of-town visitors to the San Antonio area, resulting in a rise in spending at local businesses such as restaurants, hotels, retail stores and entertainment venues.
The projected impact is an increase of $138 million over the last time San Antonio hosted the Final Four in 2008, reflecting how much the event has grown. The Alamodome also will have an estimated seating capacity of 70,000 to accommodate the championship.
While the national semifinal and championship games are the main draw of the weekend, the city will host a number of Final Four-oriented events, many of which will be free to the public, including the March Madness Music Festival, Reese’s Final Four Friday, Final Four Fan Fest and Final Four Dribble.
Additionally, former UTSA defensive end Marcus Davenport will hold an autograph session at 3:30-4:30 p.m. Friday in the Final Four Fan Zone as part of Final Four Fan Fest at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
