• Slug: Sports-Final Four Preparations, 880 words.
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By Tyler Bednar
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – Tip-off for the first Final Four game is four days away, but preparation for Arizona’s second college basketball finale started long before this week.

A 12-member NCAA men’s basketball committee selected Phoenix to host the 2024 men’s Final Four on July 16, 2018, and preparations by the NCAA, the City of Phoenix, Arizona State University and local organizing committees ramped up over the past 18 months.

The latest feature of Final Four week was unveiled Tuesday at Eastlake Community Center, where the NCAA men’s Final Four Legacy Project showed off refurbished indoor and outdoor basketball courts and a mural dedicated to 11 impactful community members.

“When we started planning, in earnest, about a year ago, we had one date in mind for the stadium to be game ready, and that was yesterday, April 1st,” said Tom Sadler, president and CEO of Arizona Sports and Tourism Authority. “Last night, we had a function, and I declared the stadium game ready. There are some tweaks and some little things that you’re going to be doing right until the doors open on Saturday, but we’re ready to go. (The) floor is in, the video board that’s above the floor is in and all the temporary seating. We’re ready to go.”

For the first time since 2017, the Final Four will begin Saturday with North Carolina State battling Purdue at 3:09 p.m., followed by the matchup between the University of Alabama and the University of Connecticut. The winners will face off Monday in the national championship.

Similar to other championship events, Phoenix underwent a bid process to host the event. State Farm Stadium is one of the locations in the U.S. that is able to play host to the event because it is an enclosed stadium with a capacity of at least 60,000.

“Having hosted a lot of great events here and phenomenal facilities is why it’s back in the rotation,” said JoAn Scott, NCAA vice president of men’s basketball.

People without tickets to the games can still participate in the action this weekend. The NCAA is hosting low-cost and free events through Monday night.

The men’s Final Four Fan Fest begins Friday and includes interactive games for kids, celebrity appearances and autograph signings. The event is interactive, similar to NFL events that happen at the Phoenix Convention Center.

The Reese’s Men’s Final Four Friday, featuring open practices for the four teams competing and the NABC All-Star Game, takes place at State Farm Stadium and it’s a free event for all fans. Doors open at 10 a.m., and the first team starts practice at 11 a.m. Each team will hold a 50-minute workout that is open to the public. The All-Star Game tips off at 3:30 p.m.

“They’re not going to be going through their game plan at an open practice, but you can watch them make some pretty spectacular dunk shots, jump shots, and it’s really just fun to watch and to be down on the lower bowl at the four teams that are going to be playing on Saturday night,” Sadler said.

The Men’s Final Four Tip-Off Tailgate will take place Friday, Saturday and Monday outside State Farm Stadium, in addition to the weekend-long March Madness Music Festival at Margaret T. Hance Park, where Zedd, the Jonas Brothers and Mumford & Sons are expected to perform.

While the marquee event will be held in Glendale, the city of Phoenix, surrounding cities and the entire state will reap the benefits. The 2017 Men’s Final Four generated a financial impact of nearly $325 million through hotel rooms, rental cars, money spent at local restaurants and more, according to study conducted by the W.P. Caray School’s Seidman Research Institute.

“The Final Four has yet to play those key final games, but we already know that Phoenix is a winner,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said Tuesday.

While an estimate for this year’s financial impact of the Final Four is unavailable, Sadler anticipates a greater economic effect.

“I don’t know if the folks that crunch the numbers have really put any thought into that, but as I see these things progress and elevate each time we host, remember it was seven years ago, I’m going to say we’re going to be north of $375 million,” Sadler said.

Tens of thousands of people from out of state will travel to Arizona for the weekend’s events. Sadler says many people who visit Arizona for the first time come back for later visits. Additionally, some spectators extend their trip to visit some of Arizona’s popular tourist destinations, including Sedona, Flagstaff, the Grand Canyon and Tucson.

Sadler says the most exciting thing about preparing for a major event like the Final Four is working with the Arizona community.

“One of the strengths Arizona has is that we all come together for one common goal, and that’s to put the best show we can on for our folks who are coming in from out of town across all of the events,” Sadler said. “It’s the collaboration factor that we have in this community that makes things so wonderful. It really excites me, and I just can’t wait for these events to start kicking off later this week. It’s going to be epic.”

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