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Omaha prepares to host NCAA tournament regional

Posted at 8:03 AM, Mar 13, 2018
and last updated 2018-03-13 09:10:54-04

For the first time, Omaha will host Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games in the NCAA tournament and anticipation is already growing for the March 23 and 25 games at the CenturyLink Center. 

Upper level tickets on places like StubHub and Ticket Express are at least $200 and some spots in the lower bowl are up to more than $1,000. With less teams, but better competition than when Omaha previously hosted the first two rounds of the tournament, the demand is expected to remain high. 

"It's a continued resume builder, we get four weeks of media coverage starting with the tournament games happening on Thursday carrying through and on, people will talk about whether their teams gets to play in Omaha, or whether they played in Omaha and now they're on to the Final Four," Omaha Convenetion and Visitors' Bureau executive director Keith Backsen said. 

Hotel managers in the area tell 3 News Now that some are already booking rooms, but they really expect it to fill up once it is determined who is advancing in the tournament. 

College basketball powers Kansas, Duke and Michigan State are among the favorites to win the Midwest Region.