March Madness Bounces into Louisville
City hosts NCAA Sweet 16 and Elite 8 on March 24 & 26
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 13, 2023) – Louisville’s downtown will be hopping at the end of the month when the city’s KFC Yum! Center hosts the NCAA Division I Regional men’s basketball tournament.
The events will bring an estimated $15M economic impact to Louisville and downtown’s hotels, restaurants, bars and attractions will likely see much of the added traffic.
“The city is ready to welcome all of the student-athletes, families, coaches and fans to our community to enjoy the lively March Madness atmosphere,” said Cleo Battle. “Louisville stands to positively benefit from this hosting opportunity and is proud to showcase our Southern hospitality to our incoming visitors.”
The arena will host the Sweet 16 on Mach 24 and the Elite Eight on March 26. Bourbon City last hosted the Regional college basketball tournament in 2019. The arena also hosted the NCAA Division I men’s basketball first and second rounds in 2015 and 2012.
Fourth Street Live!, a central entertainment hub downtown, will have the regional games on their 25-foot outdoor LED screen along with outdoor games, drink specials and a live DJ for entertainment. Food trucks will be serving up grub at Waterfront Plaza on Main Street, between 3rd and 4th streets on Friday and Saturday from 11am-7pm and the lively NuLu neighborhood will host Bock Fest with goat races up and down Market Street. Fans who are still looking to purchase basketball tickets can through the KFC Yum Center’s website.
Planning a trip to Louisville? Guests can use Louisville Tourism’s annual Visitor Guide to help plan an itinerary around Louisville’s top experiences. Travelers also can get attraction, lodging and dining assistance at www.gotolouisville.com along with information on the state’s current covid-mitigation guidelines.