As the NCAA Tournament East Regional comes to Syracuse University this weekend, businesses both on and off campus are preparing for the influx of visitors from across the country.

With Louisville set to take on North Carolina State and Oklahoma tipping off against Michigan State Friday night, fans of each team will descend from the East Coast to the Midwest to pack the Carrier Dome and the businesses near campus.

On Marshall Street, stores and restaurants are preparing for larger-than-usual crowds. Manny’s and Shirt World are selling NCAA-specific apparel, and Varsity Pizza is expecting huge crowds for its various traditional dining options.

Manny’s and Shirt World, located on Marshall Street, are both carrying individual team “Sweet 16” T-shirts as well as shirts with all four teams on them. The T-shirts are selling for $20 at both stores, with long-sleeved shirts selling for slightly more.

Bill Nester, manager at Manny’s, said while visitors are here to support their teams, he expects to sell plenty of SU apparel.

“They’re visiting Syracuse, they don’t have anything that says ‘Syracuse,’” he said. “They want to take something home from the city to remember Syracuse by.”

Dave Jacobs, the owner of Shirt World, said it’s tough to predict what types of merchandise he’ll end up selling. He does worry, though, about the weather’s effect on business.

“Weather dictates a lot,” he said. It is forecasted to snow Friday and not reach the 40s until Monday.

As for Varsity, which is at the corner of South Crouse Avenue and Marshall Street, manager Diana Hester said she does not plan on changing much.

“Most people come here because it’s a tradition and it’s been here forever,” she said.

Not only are Marshall Street businesses expecting large crowds, but hotels will also experience a rush of visitors staying for the tournament.

The Sheraton University Hotel and Conference Center and the Crowne Plaza Hotel at 701 E. Genesee St. are both ready for one of their busiest weekends. Beyond Orange Central, which is Syracuse University’s homecoming week, and graduation and family weekends, the East Regional will bring some of the largest crowds of the year, said David Heymann, general manager of the Sheraton.

Heymann said the Sheraton is sold out Friday and Saturday night and nearly so on Sunday. One of the special events the Sheraton plans to host is a tailgate on Friday with live music, food and alcohol, Heymann said.

Deidre Wetelainen, director of sales and marketing for the Crowne Plaza Hotel, said the hotel was sold out Thursday night and is sold out for Friday and Saturday.

“The compression is happening downtown because people want to be closer to the Dome,” she said. Compression is essentially what is driving the market, which is the NCAA Tournament, she added.

Room rates at the Crowne Plaza jumped from, on a normal Thursday night, approximately $189 per night to around $250 per night with the East Regional in Syracuse, Wetelainen said.

The Crowne Plaza will be showing the games in its Redfield’s Restaurant and Library Lounge for those who don’t have tickets, as well as offering game day specials such as Spartan Spinach Dip and “Elite 8” Nachos for $8 each.

Said Nester, the Manny’s manager: “It’s a special privilege for us as a city and as a college, as a university, to have them here for the tournament.”

Published on March 27, 2015 at 12:01 am

Contact Danny: dmantoot@syr.edu