Women’s Final Four fans spent $22 million in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Organizers say the NCAA Women’s Final Four basketball tournament in Columbus generated nearly $22 million in direct spending for the local economy.

According to an economic impact study, the weekend event at the end of March drew nearly 20,000 visitors to the city and accounted for 32,000 hotel-room nights.

Hosting the event also created additional hiring at restaurants and hotels, passenger transportation and retail.

The organizing committee said the Final Four drew 39,123 people to the three games at Nationwide Arena, surpassing fan turnout for the Women’s Final Four in Dallas last year.

Linda Shetina Logan of the Greater Columbus Sports Commission says the event attracted a lot of people who had never visited the city and were left with a positive impression.