College basketball fans of all ages converged Friday on the Colorado Convention Center with the opening of Tourney Town — an expansive 195,000-square-foot exhibit hall equipped with music, basketball courts, food and entertainment stages — which will serve as a hub for the NCAA Women’s Final Four as it rolls into town.
And for Charmaine Weis’ family, who made the 30-minute drive from Brighton to downtown Denver for the festivities, it was the perfect backdrop as her kids enjoyed the waning days of their spring break.
“It’s basketball, everything is interactive, it’s fun,” said Weis, whose daughter, Tavia, plays in a competitive basketball league for eighth-graders. “It’s just great the Final Four is in Denver, because we always watch it.”
In a morning news conference, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock pegged the arrival of the Final Four to Denver as a “world-class event” for the city.
“I want to welcome all 30,000 fans who have come here to enjoy springtime in the Rockies with March Madness,” said Hancock, perched on Tourney Town’s center stage. “It’s showtime in the Rockies.”
Hancock even took a few minutes to show off some of his basketball moves, doing a behind-the-back pass to performer Dave “Travelin” Davlin in a quasi-skills competition.
With Baylor, Stanford, Notre Dame and the University of Connecticut all vying for this year’s championship, fans from across the nation are set to converge on the city — bringing with them a projected $20 million in revenue, according to Hancock.
The mayor encouraged visitors to use the city’s B-cycle bike-sharing program while visiting downtown, highlighting that a 24-hour access pass — usually $8 — is reduced to $4 this weekend.
“There’s going to be concerts, autograph sessions and exhibits, so please enjoy,” Hancock said.
Brooke Benson-Redpath, a former basketball player for the University of Denver, aided her 2-year-old son, Blake, as he attempted to shoot a basketball into one of the many arcade-style hoops inside Tourney Town.
“I played some hoops back in the day and my son loves basketball, which is wonderful,” said Benson-Redpath, though she insisted, with a grin, she would never push the sport on him.
Tourney Town is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday.
Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655, klee@denverpost.com or
