Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The NCAA men's basketball tournament has arrived in Buffalo, and as many as 19,000 visitors are expected to patron the city over the next several days to cheer on their favorite teams at KeyBank Center.
Patrick Kaler, president and CEO of Visit Buffalo, has been preparing for this weekend for the last several months, and is ready to welcome the nation to Buffalo.
"We're feeling great. The fans are coming in, we're seeing them out-and-about already this morning in Downtown Buffalo," said Kaler in an interview with WBEN on Thursday. "The teams arrived on Tuesday, they had their practice run yesterday. I think everybody is excited and they're ready to go, and we've got just a great few days of basketball here in Buffalo."
To help Kaler get the word out about the city and all that it offers for visitors, around 60 volunteers have committed to helping guests navigate the area, while also showcasing what makes Buffalo and Western New York so great to stick around for a few days.
"As people are going into the arena today, before the first session, we'll have our volunteer corps out, again, just walking, meeting people. Making sure we've got an energetic vibe that's happening, as people are going into the arena," Kaler explained. "Then we had that magic time in-between the two sessions, and it's a little bit shorter than it normally is. But directing people where to go to get a beer, to go get something to eat before they go back in for that second session. That's really important to have the volunteers out on the street, because they know where they should send people. And people from out-of-town like to hear where our locals like to go too, so that's very important."
The efforts made Thursday by volunteers are especially expected to benefit the city come Friday, when no games are scheduled to play in the tournament.
"Getting people out-and-about in the community. We'll be out here with our mobile Visitors Center throughout the day, again, just telling people what they can experience here in Buffalo," Kaler said.
While the City of Buffalo offers plenty for visitors to experience in their stay, Kaler also notes the importance of branching out and showcasing what the rest of the region has in store.
"There are people who are staying out in the suburbs. That gives them the opportunity maybe to come downtown, but then they go back to their hotel out in Cheektowaga or out in Williamsville, and then they can go to other experiences out in those areas as well. They're getting a whole Western New York experience," he said. "Obviously, people from out-of-town, they have to go to the iconic Niagara Falls, and we encourage that because that is something that people have to do when they're here. That's very important, and so that's something that is on the bucket list for people to do."
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For some volunteers like Helen Brady, as a lifelong Buffalonian, she loves to showcase her city to anyone.
"It is a city of great architecture, great restaurants, great people, great sports. And I think it'll be exciting," said Brady with WBEN. "I volunteered in 2022 and it was fabulous, I just love it. And I love sharing the experiences of our city, and meeting new people from all over the country."
Hank Dewey has been a volunteer for all eight stops the NCAA tournament has made to Buffalo since 2000. He simply enjoys meeting the people, while seeing what their take is on the city.
"Giving them suggestions, places to eat, places to go to, hotels, venues all over the city and out of the city. It all depends on what their interests are, and I just enjoy seeing all the people come in and having a good time," said Dewey with WBEN.
So what are some of the favorite recommendations that volunteers are making during March Madness weekend in Buffalo and Western New York?
"I send them to various restaurants, many of them right around here - Draft Room and, what's now called, Parm'd but in the summer will be Liberty Hound again, Pearl Street. Those are probably the favorites around here. A little bit up Main Street is for chicken wings, they always want to go to the Anchor Bar. Those are places they really enjoy," Dewey said. "And then we get them out to the suburbs, if at all possible. A lot of them are in suburban hotels, so we send them to whatever there is around those hotels too. They get a little experience all around."
As for Brady, she likes to get people out to enjoy some of what Buffalo has to offer for attractions.
"I love to showcase the Buffalo Zoo, all of our fantastic architecture - especially the Darwin Martin House and the Sullivan building - and also the Olmsted Parks, the fabulous parks at Frederick Law Olmsted came here in the 1860s and designed for us. We're considered the best landscape city in the country, and it's something to showcase," she said.