LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Here at Bearno’s Pizza there is proof that something big is happening this weekend.

What You Need To Know

  • KFC YUM! Center is hosting the South Regional Tournament of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament

  • Louisville Tourism expects the tournament to bring in $15 million to the city

  • Alabama, San Diego State, Creighton and Princeton will be playing in Louisville on Friday

Bearno’s owner George Timmering is stocking up for the South Regional Tournament. He expects for his revenue to be up 50% more than a regular great weekend.

Timmering’s restaurant is located right across from the host venue, the KFC Yum! Center.

“This is over 40 cases here, and then we have well over 30 cases right here, and then we have another 20 cases downstairs,” Timmering said.

2019 was the last time the Commonwealth hosted March Madness.

Timmering was able to get multiple shipments over the week then, since the games were on Thursday and Saturday. But this year, since the games are Friday and Sunday, the pizza restaurant owner is using any spare space he can.

“We’re having to use this to put canned beer and bottled beer, too. We have to prepare for the weekend because we are so strapped on space,” Timmering said.

Bearno’s is not the only Louisville business waiting to greet basketball fans. The Brown Hotel in downtown Louisville also anticipates Sweet 16 and Elite Eight attendees.

“We are just about sold out so we have guests here at the hotel that are here to see the tournament, guests from all four teams. But we also are expecting to see a lot of people in, and they’re here right now, to come into our restaurants,” Marc Salmon, the operations and human resources director of The Brown Hotel, said.

Louisville Tourism expects the tournament to bring in $15 million to the city. The Louisville Sports Commission told Spectrum News 1 that in 2019, the tournament brought $16 million dollars to the city.

“We think that with these games that they’ll be a lot of people coming down, even if they’re not going to the game, they’ll come down and enjoy the atmosphere,” Timmering said.

Salmon expects people to stop by the historic Louisville hotel to get a taste of some of the city’s specialties.

“We’re expecting numerous guests to come in to try our incredible Hot Brown, here at J. Graham’s café in the first floor of the hotel or come at night at our fabulous lobby bar and sample one of our 165 Bourbons.”

Alabama, San Diego State, Creighton, and Princeton will be playing in Louisville on Friday.

The winner of the games will return to the Yum! Center on Sunday to compete for a position in the Final Four.

Related Stories