March Madness is back in Buffalo, with fans filling the KeyBank Center and spreading excitement to Niagara Falls. I made the trip to Niagara Falls to see what the impact of the tournament looks like for the area.
Courtney Anderson, a waitress at Anchor Bar, said the restaurant relies on tourism for business, especially during what is typically a slower time of year.
"Usually, throughout the week, we only see maybe 20 people," Anderson said. "We actually had like a 30 top yesterday, all of our booths were filled up. One of the teams are actually across the street from us, so hopefully that's going to bring some more people over."
With more fans in town for March Madness, hotels are seeing a ripple effect as well. David Carroll, a regional director of sales and marketing with the DoubleTree Hilton, said it is an honor to host an NCAA team at his hotel. He noted that filling rooms supports local businesses and the region's economy.
WATCH: March Madness brings an economic boost to Niagara Falls businesses
"What happens in Buffalo, it leads up to Niagara Falls," Carroll said. "So people come here, they're like, 'Hey, let's go to the basketball game in Buffalo, but let's come to Niagara Falls and see the Falls.'"
"It helps our property tremendously," Carroll said. "It does help the county. Here in Niagara County, there's a bed tax, like Buffalo has a bed tax. So it does help put more money in the coffers for this area."
"It's a great boon for the economy, for both Buffalo and Niagara Falls, Western New York as a whole," said Sara Cercone, Destination Niagara's director of communications. "Benefits when there are things in off-season for us, we look forward to welcoming people to our local businesses, to our attractions."
A complete guide on things to do in the Buffalo Niagara area can be found here.
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