Des Moines preps for March Madness crowds before teams, fans arrive

DES MOINES, Iowa (WOI) - As teams gear up to play in the NCAA tournament, people in Des Moines are making the final preparations before the athletes and fans arrive.

The Iowa Events Center said tickets sold out by the end of the first day of sales. Catch Des Moines said it expects to have more than 2,000 visitors to the area during March Madness.

Des Moines previously played host to the tournament in 2019, which brought a huge boost for local businesses.

City officials estimate the economic impact at more than $8 million, with people using hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers.

Organizers expect the draw to be even bigger this year.

“We’re going to have great crowds, with schools like Kansas, Illinois, Arkansas, Texas. All those schools should travel pretty well,” Greg Edwards, President/CEO of Catch Des Moines, said.

Teams are expected to begin holding practice sessions at the Wells Fargo Arena on Wednesday.

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