NCAA tournaments expected to bring fans, business to Philadelphia

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Thousands of college basketball fans are arriving in Philadelphia for two key games in the NCAA tournament.

Four teams will take part here, but only one will survive to make it into the final four.

Action News was at the Wells Fargo Center Thursday morning and found fans arriving early for the afternoon's open practices.

From noon to 4 p.m., Wisconsin, Indiana, Notre Dame and North Carolina were getting the feel of the facility's hardwood.

This year's Sweet 16 is the first NCAA men's basketball regional tournament to be played in Philadelphia since 2001.

It was expected to pull in about 17,000 out-of-town visitors and generate 10,000 room nights for the region's hotels.

The hope is that these visitors will dine in many of the region's 967 eateries, and pump plenty of money into the local economy.