Fans flocked to the MVP Arena in Albany to watch the early rounds of the NCAA men's basketball tournament and got a taste of what upstate New York has to offer.

"We hope that tournament will return here someday; that would be pretty fun,” said Christopher Morgan, who was visiting from Connecticut. “It is definitely worth the drive if that is the case. The people seem very nice, and it has been a pleasure to be here."

The tournament drew a large number of visitors to the Capital Region and boosted the local economy as people spent money on food, lodging and other services.

“It's been a really good event," said James Anilowski, co-owner of Albany Stadium Restaurant. “In my opinion, if you asked my servers or any of the staff here, this crowd has been courteous and generous and overall has had a very positive vibe, better than many of our other events."

Father and son Shane and Timothy Mitus got to experience the culture of the town and area together, spending quality time together. They found a way to bring the two things they loved most, basketball and exploring, together.

“As soon as I knew it was in Albany, and it wasn't far away, I bought tickets, booked a hotel, and we've been here since Friday. We've been really enjoying it,” said Shane Mitus of Belchertown, Mass.

Fans said they were amazed by the natural beauty of the area and the sense of community among the residents.

"People are very friendly and it's a college town,” Rene Carrillo said. “So it's very interesting and cool."

A Miami resident, Carrillo couldn't pass up the chance to see the Hurricanes in action, despite the cold weather. He said he would most certainly be back to see what upstate New York has to offer, once the weather warms up.

"I wanted to visit some touristy areas but they were closed, so I would like to come back in May or even in the fall," Carrillo said.

The first and second rounds have been held upstate over the past two years, in Buffalo last year and Albany this year. Albany was scheduled to host early rounds of the 2020 tournament before COVID-19 led to its cancellation.