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Sure, Duke University was upset in the Final Four by Houston, but it's the downtown hotels, restaurants and bars, and local fans of college basketball that will likely be even more upset to see the games go.
Afterall, San Antonio did for fans what it does best — hospitality. It welcomed 100,000 fans and likely made some long-time friends and memories among some visitors, especially for the team members who played in the once-in-a-lifetime sort of games here.
And sure, downtown parking was made worse for a while and the River Walk maybe a little rowdier at times with all those college students from Auburn, Duke, Florida, and Houston throwing back cervezas or margaritas. But that greatly pales compared to the $440 million that the head of the local organizing committee, Elena Wells, predicted the Final Four would pump into the economy.
There were the big stars in music that entertained thousands of fans who gathered under the Tower of the Americas at Tower Park, including Jelly Roll, T-Pain, Pitbull, and Chris Stapleton.
Sure, "Mr. Worldwide" got rained on a little bit, but the city became a star of its own show — the NCAA Final Four.
Then there was all the national television exposure and those two giant blimps circling over the Alamo City that became part of our day-to-day life. There was the "Chuck Blimp," and the "Magic Blimp," featuring Charles Barkley and Magic Johnson. It will all be missed by many San Antonians.
There were the 3,000 kids who dribbled 3,000 balls one mile down a downtown street — and maybe some of them dreamed of playing college basketball or in the NBA one day.
It's all over except for the national title game at the Alamodome on Monday night (along with the financial considerations the city is making to modernize the 30-year-old dome to keep the NCAA and others coming back).
But whether it's won by the comeback kids from Houston or Florida, San Antonio has seemingly come out a winner either way.
Go Gators. Go Cougars.
