Final Four a good game for Detroit
TEXT OF STORY
Steve Chiotakis: Michigan State takes on North Carolina in the NCAA men’s basketball finals tonight in Detroit. Motown landed the last three games of this year’s tournament and it’s hoping all the madness will contribute a bit of sanity to the city’s beleaguered economy. Here’s Marketplace’s Jennifer Collins.
Jennifer Collins: Step inside Ford Field tonight and you’re likely to hear this:
[Sound of crowd cheering]
You’ll probably hear cheering outside the stadium, too. Between hotels restaurants and rental cars, the Final Four could be worth as much as $50 million to Detroit.
Dave Beachnau directs the city’s sports commission:
Dave Beachnau: Given the struggles that the auto industry has had, it’s going to be a huge shot in the arm for our community both economically and psychologically.
Beachnau says as many as 100,000 fans are expected in town. So restaurants and pubs like Detroit Beer Company have gotten ready:
Kevin Rogers: We are probably around 1,500 gallons of beer that’s ready to go upstairs.
Kevin Rogers is the brew master. He expects his sales to hit six figures. That’s what he would normally earn in two busy weeks.
Rogers: But it’s all taking place in a four-day period.
So sit back and enjoy the game, cause it might take a while for your pint to come.
I’m Jennifer Collins for Marketplace.
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