​BUFFALO, N.Y. — ​For some, it’s the best time of the year, and it’s coming to an arena near you.

The city of Buffalo is gearing up to host the first and second rounds of the 2022 men's NCAA tournament. Those will take place at KeyBank Center on March 17 and 19.

Work is now underway to connect visitors to attractions and businesses across Erie County.

The senior director of the Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission says owners should be thinking ahead about the foot traffic they’ll see, especially in-between session and on Friday.

“This is the opportunity our hotels, our restaurants, our attractions to really show off what Buffalo can do in that 90 minutes to two hours, because 19,000 people are going to leave that arena and they are going to be looking for a burger and a beer and a place to stay warm,” Pete Harvey, Buffalo Niagara Sports Commission senior director, said.

Officials are advising local establishments to avoid trademark infringement by not referencing anything NCAA-related, like "The Big Dance" or "March Madness." Instead, they suggest using signage like, "Welcome Basketball Fans."