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This week, Connecticut is the site of four major competitive sports events including two March Madness tournaments. Over a four-day period, this compact New England state is hosting: the 2019 NCAA DI Men’s Basketball First & Second Rounds; the 2019 NCAA DI Women’s Basketball First & Second Rounds; the 2019 NCAA Frozen Four DI Women’s Ice Hockey Championship; and the 42nd American Crossword Puzzle Tournament!
“Connecticut is thrilled to welcome these national sporting events taking place at the same time in four different regions of the state,” explains Robert Murdock, President of the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTCSB), who also manages the Bureau’s Sports Marketing initiatives. “The combined economic impact of these four events to Connecticut is projected to exceed $11.4 million as players, coaches, officials, families and fans stay in hotels, dine in local restaurants, shop, and enjoy attractions,” says Murdock. “A total of more than 2,700 jobs in the hospitality industry will be supported by these four events, and over $783,000 in Connecticut Sales Tax will be generated.”
2019 NCAA Men’s DI Basketball First & Second Rounds at the XL Center in Hartford this Thursday, March 21 and Saturday, March 23. The XL Center and the University of Connecticut will host the following teams: Villanova University, St. Mary's University, Purdue University, Old Dominion University, Marquette University, Murray State University, Florida State University, and University of Vermont. The first round of play will include four games on March 21 with the first game of Session 1 at 2 p.m.; and the first game of Session 2 at 7:20 p.m. The first-round winners will advance to the second round on March 23 with two games being played, start times TBA. On Wednesday, March 20, a free-admission Open Practice Day for all teams takes place from 11 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. at the XL Center. Over 3,500 room nights have been booked in 12 Greater Hartford hotels by officials, athletes, cheerleaders and bands. Downtown organizations and restaurants are planning special promotions and events for the pleasure of an expected 25,000 visitors; they include a Party on Pratt Street block party on Thursday, Friday and Saturday that features a pop-up pub with local breweries & distilleries, live music, local vendors, and exhibits. Visitors are projected to spend over $7.8 million while here; over 1,800 jobs in the hospitality industry will be supported by this event, and close to $558,000 in Connecticut taxes will be generated. For Hartford March Madness information including tickets, parking, shuttles and Downtown, go to www.xlcenter.com/marchmadness.
2019 NCAA Women’s DI Basketball First & Second Rounds at Harry A. Gampel Pavilion on the University of Connecticut Campus in Storrs this Friday, March 22 and Sunday, March 24.
With Connecticut considered by many to be the Center of the Universe for Women’s College Basketball, the University of Connecticut campus is more than ready to host this competition. On March 22, the first game of the First Round starts at 4:30 p.m. with Rutgers University vs. University of Buffalo, followed at 7 p.m. by University of Connecticut vs. Towson University. The winning teams will advance to the second round on March 24 with the start time TBA. The teams and officials will use four area hotels. Visitors are projected to spend more than $1.585 million while here; over 340 jobs in the hospitality industry will be supported by this event, and more than $94,000 in Connecticut taxes will be generated. For tickets, go to:
2019 NCAA Women's DI Frozen Four Ice Hockey Championship at the People’s United Center on the Quinnipiac University campus in Hamden this Friday, March 22 and Sunday, March 24. The Semi-Finals will take place on March 22 with a 4 p.m. University of Minnesota vs. Cornell University game, followed at 7 p.m. with University of Wisconsin vs. Clarkson University. On Sunday, the Final Championship game begins at 2:30 p.m. The teams and officials will use five Greater New Haven hotels.
Visitors are projected to spend nearly $1.2 million while here; over 265 jobs in the hospitality industry will be supported by this event, and more than $80,000 in Connecticut taxes will be generated. For more information, go to www.quinnipiacbobcats.com/sports/2018/10/26/frozen-four-homepage.aspx
42nd Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Stamford this Friday, March 22 through Sunday, March 24 at the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa: More than 700 competitors from 40 states, Canada, and Europe are coming to Stamford to participate in this prestigious annual event (ACPT) founded and hosted by Puzzle Master and The New York Times Crossword Puzzle Editor Will Shortz. Approximately 1,000 crossword puzzle enthusiasts are expected to flock to Fairfield County, including entrants’ families and friends, resulting in a big economic bonus for the city. All guestrooms at the Marriott – the event’s headquarters hotel – have been sold out for weeks. With 2019 marking the 36th time the ACPT has been held in Stamford, Mayor David Martin is declaring Sunday, March 24 “Stamford Crossword Puzzle Day.” Visitors are projected to spend $825,000 while here; over 325 jobs in the hospitality industry will be supported by this event, and close to $51,000 in Connecticut taxes will be generated.
For more information, go to www.crosswordtournament.com
Working in partnership with the state’s businesses, institutions, nonprofit organizations, and their surrounding communities, the Connecticut Convention & Sports Bureau (CTCSB) markets all the state – convention and meeting venues, hotels and attractions, and sporting venues – as a premier destination for international, national, regional and statewide conferences, conventions and major sports events. The Connecticut Sports Advisory Board, a division of the CTCSB, focuses its efforts on attracting and serving international, national and regional sporting events. Events booked through the CTCSB in the last fiscal year alone are projected to result in: $54,181,589 in spending by convention, meeting and sports events attendees during their visits to the state, generating $3,653,731 in Connecticut taxes. In addition, 17,246 Connecticut jobs in the hospitality industry will be supported by these events as a result of these bookings.* For more information, contact www.CTmeetings.org or 860-728-6789. (*Destinations International calculator)
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