The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds, hosted by North Carolina State University at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, generated $16.4 million in direct economic impact for the area. The Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh) released these figures, noting that the estimate does not include spending from locals or indirect impacts. This economic boost is attributed solely to tourism, introducing new money into the local economy.
The event attracted 21,315 unique visitors to Raleigh and resulted in 20,804 hotel room-nights booked across Wake County. Visitor spending contributed $707,804 in direct local tax revenue. The Lenovo Center saw a total attendance of 57,602 fans over three sold-out sessions where eight teams competed. Florida and Duke advanced from these rounds, with Florida eventually winning the national championship in San Antonio.
Scott Dupree, Executive Director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA), said: “The 2025 NCAA Tournament in Raleigh was a tremendous success, both on and off the court.” He praised the partnership led by NC State and the Lenovo Center for making the event possible.
This year marked the fifth time Lenovo Center hosted NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament games. Looking forward, Raleigh and NC State are set to host the 2028 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional.
The GRSA is a division of Visit Raleigh that promotes sports-related businesses for economic development. Annually, Raleigh welcomes 18.5 million visitors whose spending exceeds $3.2 billion.
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