"How can you not love Milwaukee?" BMO Harris Bradley Center hosts NCAA Tourney games for the last time



MILWAUKEE -- The madness is over at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, which hosted its final NCAA Tournament matchup on Saturday night, March 18th. This year marked the seventh time Milwaukee has hosted March Madness games.

"Honestly, how can you not love Milwaukee -- like, 3rd Street, 4th Street, Water Street, oh boy," a Milwaukee man said.

Milwaukee was one of eight cities hosting first and second round NCAA Tournament games.

NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee





"Going through Chicago is a little painful but that's OK. I mean, it has just been, the hospitality of this city has just been amazing. I am very, very impressed," a Butler Bulldogs fan said.

Kristin Settle



The NCAA Tournament was expected to mean millions in revenue for Milwaukee. The economic impact the last time the city hosted the games in 2014 was $4.6 million, according to VISIT Milwaukee.

VISIT Milwaukee spokeswoman Kristin Settle told Wisconsin Public Radio (http://bit.ly/2nhkyrC) the fact that four of the eight schools playing in Milwaukee this year were within a six-hour drive should lead to a 30 percent increase in revenue with a $6 million total economic impact on the city.

Butler University, Iowa State University, Middle Tennessee State University, Purdue University, University of Minnesota, University of Nevada, University of Vermont, and Winthrop University were the teams playing in Milwaukee.



"If people go home and tell their friends and family how cool Milwaukee is, then those people are going to want to travel to Milwaukee as well and that's where the long-term impact happens," Settle said.

"That's why we do things like the food tents out front and out on State Street. Just have to capitalize on making as much revenue during these days as possible," Ryan Cooke, Brat House manager said.



Should Milwaukee get to host the NCAA Tournament again, we'll have a shiny new venue for visitors to enjoy, as construction continues on the new Milwaukee Bucks arena and entertainment district.

Milwaukee Bucks arena