Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - In two weeks, March Madness returns to the City of Buffalo with NCAA men's college basketball games set to take place at KeyBank Center on Thursday, March 19 and Saturday, March 21.
While the teams set to compete in Buffalo are still not known, businesses are ramping up preparations ahead of the weekend's action, both during game days and off days in the city.
"We had such a great time four years ago. We were home base to all for the teams that were across the street at KeyBank Center. It's just been fantastic," said Jason Sunshine, general manager at The Draft Room along Illinois Street downtown.
A short stone's throw away from KeyBank Center is Hofbrauhaus Buffalo on Scott Street, where co-owner Ed Arnold is ready for the influx of out-of-towners making their way to Western New York.
"We think there will be a lot of people in Buffalo. The people will be in great spirit for enjoying basketball and enjoying the city," said Arnold with WBEN. "We've got plenty of room to accommodate everyone, and we've really adopted our schedule for the tournament."
Not only does Arnold plan to open early for breakfast on game days, but they also will be open all day on Thursday and Saturday. And with multiple games set to take place at KeyBank Center, Hofbrauhaus will offer its regular menu, as well as a buffet menu so people can get in, get something to eat, and get off quickly for the next game.
"If you were to have a half an hour, 45 minutes to get into a restaurant and get out, and there was so many people in Buffalo for the tournament at the time and everybody was doing the same thing, it would be very difficult for a restaurant to deal with. That's why we've really adopted ourselves that weekend to promote the tournament, to make it a really fun environment, and to have special things available so people can turn around quickly, get in, get out if they have to, with quick buffets," Arnold said.
For Matt Kahn, co-owner at Big Ditch Brewing Co. along E. Huron Street, this will be the third time the NCAA men's basketball tournament has made its way to Buffalo since business opened.
"We're very excited to have the NCAAs is back in Buffalo," said Kahn with WBEN. "It's not something we do often, but we're pretty familiar with how to do it, having been through it three times. We're certainly ready for it again this year."
Kahn and his staff are certainly accustomed to bigger events at KeyBank Center bringing in business - Sabres games, Bandits games, concerts - but always knows the NCAA tournament is a different breed.
"We're even just a couple blocks away from the Convention Center, for instance, there's a beer festival that happens there every year, and we're ready for sort of in-between sessions or after it's over, that sort of thing. This is a little unique, I think, because of the tourism, not knowing exactly where people are coming from, and then this in-between games thing is a little bit unique too," Kahn said.
While he acknowledges that the brewery is about a mile away from the arena, which is just a few stops away on the Metro Rail, Kahn knows business will still be hopping.
"[We] might be a little too far for folks to go in-between games, so I think we're expecting a little bit more after the games. And then also on the day off, because the games happen on Thursday and Saturday," he said. "On Friday, I think we'll probably be busy for us than even Thursday will. So we'll be ready for all of it, whatever comes our way."
With being right next to the arena downtown, Sunshine certainly knows the nature of getting people in-and-out as quickly as possible, while giving customers the best experience possible.
"With a lot of the events that do take place over at KeyBank Center, we have a lot of guests that do come in that are pressed for time to get across the street, and we get our food out as quickly as possible, along with their beverages. In-between sessions with March Madness, we've never had a problem getting food out as quickly as possible with them also," Sunshine said with WBEN.
Even though it's been four years since the last time the NCAA men's basketball tournament made its way to Buffalo, businesses say there are a few things they can take from the prior experience and build upon it this time around.
"We just tweak our approach a little bit every time. Mostly it's about providing great service, being staffed well, and providing great beer and great food, which is something that we're always doing," Kahn said. "I think we're going to have some sort of introduction to Buffalo-type food specials - five wings, a beef on weck and a beer - for a relatively low price. A few other little basketball-themed specials, just something to get people in. And I think we're actually going to have somebody close to the arena during that intermission on Thursday, just to pass up some coupons for a little bit of awareness, a good discount. Little things like that, tweak the approach every time it happens."
Arnold knows that events like the NCAA men's basketball tournament are always a huge benefit for businesses in-and-around the city.
"It's very beneficial for Buffalo and Buffalo restaurants, in general. Sometimes Buffalo restaurants are a little bit challenged, so this gives us a big opportunity to present ourselves in a very positive light," he said. "At Hofbrauhaus Buffalo, sporting events and big events like this are phenomenal because the more people that come into our place, the more energy there is. And there's going to be a lot of energy during the tournament."
Arnold anticipates business at Hofbrauhaus Buffalo to triple for the week of the tournament.
The hard thing for businesses locally to anticipate is what teams and markets will be making the trip to Buffalo for the tournament. That doesn't get announced until the Sunday before the opening rounds of the tournament begin.
"It probably depends on how far people are traveling and that sort of thing. We don't really have a concrete number we're expecting out of something like this, but we just know we need to be ready for anything," Kahn acknowledged. "We'll be staffed well, and see how things go. Even in the past, we've had stuff happen, we've even had teams show up looking for team dinners, and we luckily are large enough to be able to accommodate that. Those are the kinds of things that we want our people around in case we get sort of last-minute requests like that. We're ready for anything, but no real expectations."
So what is each business offering for fans and others during March Madness weekend in Buffalo?
The Draft Room: "On Wednesday, we're going to have a welcoming for all the out-of-towners. Feel free to stop by, enjoy some Western New York beer - Labatt's our favorite. Then on Thursday, we're going to have a large TV outside in our parking lot, it's going to be 40 feet high, that's going to be displaying the basketball games. We're also going to have portable stations set up all around. Friday, we're gonna have a watch party for all the other games, be able to utilize that on the large screen outside and all the 24 TVs that we have in here. And Saturday, we're back at it again."
Hofbrauhaus Buffalo: "The thing to remember is we are within walking distance of the arena. You can park at our place, and you can walk to the games. We have lots of entertainment going on throughout, so when they come there will also be things going on - dueling accordions, some of our German bands will be playing, we'll have XOXO opening things up the night before the tournament. There's a lot going on. People can make reservations, and reservations help us so we know when people are going to come in mass and all that. But we're such a big place that if you don't have a reservation, you can usually also come in."
Big Ditch Brewing: "The tournament starts on a Thursday, so Thursday we're open from 11 a.m.-to-10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m.-to-11 p.m.; Sunday we do a brunch from 11 a.m. to about 2 p.m., and then we're open until 8 o'clock that night. We have everything that anybody could want, really, here. We've got private event space, we've got a great food selection. The beers that we make are pretty much known as some of the favorites made in Buffalo, and then a full service selection from our staff. We have wine, spirits, cider. You can get just about anything you want here. We even have little games here you can play, we've got darts, shuffleboard. And there'll be some basketball-themed specials, just for people new to Buffalo or just looking for the tournament. You can find just a great time here, very relaxed, but something for everybody here."