The 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship First and Second Rounds in Raleigh, hosted by North Carolina State University (NC State), held at the Lenovo Center March 21–23, generated $16.4 million in direct economic impact for the Raleigh area according to figures released today by the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau (Visit Raleigh).
It is important to note that the $16.4 million is a conservative estimate that does not include spending from locals, nor does it include a multiplier of indirect or induced impacts. It represents the economic impact of tourism only, which is new money coming into the local economy.
The weekend of college hoops brought 21,315 unique visitors to Raleigh and resulted in 20,804 total hotel room-nights booked across Wake County. In total, visitor spending produced $707,804 in direct local tax revenue.
Three sold-out sessions drew an official total attendance of 57,602 fans to the Lenovo Center, where eight teams competed over two days. Florida and Duke advanced from the Raleigh rounds, and Florida ultimately won the national championship in San Antonio.
“The 2025 NCAA Tournament in Raleigh was a tremendous success, both on and off the court,” said Scott Dupree, Executive Director of the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA). “The games were thrilling, two teams advanced from Raleigh to the Final Four, all sessions were completely sold-out and thousands of visitors spent more than $16.4 million in our region. Raleigh hosts March Madness as well as or better than any city in America. It is a signature event and a priority event in this market, and it would not be possible without a superb partnership led by NC State and the Lenovo Center, with crucial support from the Centennial Authority, the GRSA and one of the best Local Organizing Committees we have ever put together.”
This year marked the fifth time Lenovo Center hosted NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament games, cementing the city’s reputation as a premier destination for college hoops. Looking ahead, Raleigh and NC State are already set to host the 2028 NCAA Men’s Basketball East Regional, which will mark the first men’s basketball regional in Raleigh since 1982 in Reynolds Coliseum.
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