The Bottom Line: NCAA Final Four Generated $47 Million for Host San Antonio

The city of San Antonio enjoyed not only a memorable 'Final Four' culmination of the 2008 NCAA Division I Basketball championship tournament, but is also basking in that warm feeling that often comes after pocketing over $47 million in total economic benefit for the three-day weekend.  As reported by the Associated Press, a recently-released NCAA survey corroborated the estimate in revealing that nearly 57,000 people visited the city for the Saturday/Monday games, and each visitor stayed an average of 3 nights, and spent approximately $223 per day.  The gross income figures, the study noted, include neither spending by San Antonio organizing groups nor tickets sold to local residents. Greg Shaheen, NCAA senior vice president for basketball and business strategies, said, "Year after year, the continued success of the men's Final Four demonstrates it is one of America's great events.  The support from our corporate champions and corporate partners for the men'...