LEXINGTON, Ky. — Excitement and anticipation surged in Lexington, as the city prepares to host the first and second rounds of another NCAA Tournament.
Winchell’s Restaurant and Bar has been a key spot for sports fans in Lexington. It starts first thing in the morning with breakfast, followed by lunch specials or favorites like sandwiches or wings. Fans enjoy the food while watching games from the restaurant’s 35 TV screens.
“I think over the years we’ve morphed into more of a family community, kind of a country style restaurant for the city as opposed to just sports. I mean, we have the bar in the middle, which is nice, and we have the televisions, but we do breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We do tons of family birthdays, you know,” said co-owner Graham Waller.
Waller said he has celebrated 24 years as the head of the longtime community grill.
The week of March 17, 2025, basketball fans near are expected to fill seats at sports bars for the NCAA Tournament. This year, some games will be held in Lexington at Rupp Arena and Memorial Coliseum. It comes right after the Kentucky High School Athletic Association tournament.
“Lexington is shining. The energy downtown is palpable, with the most recent KHSAA state tournament and the NCAA tournament on the horizon, we anticipate a conservative economic impact exceeding $10 million. But more importantly, we’re sharing the best of Lexington,” said Mary Quinn Ramer, president of VisitLEX.
“Last week we had the girl’s Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena, which was awesome, and now into the men’s NCAA Tournament hosting it. And then you got Auburn, Tennessee and Louisville. So three local or they’re local or SCC schools. We’re going to bring a ton of fans in. and then the week after we got the boy’s state Sweet 16. so we get three weekends in a row at Rupp Arena of awesome events,” Waller said.
The men compete on March 20 and 22, and the women play on March 21 and 23 at Memorial Coliseum, newly renovated last year.
“This weekend, it’s not just the men’s NCAA, it’s the women’s NCAA. So we anticipate not just the downtown and market of hotels. I would expect even outside of that, you know, to be sold out,” said Hilton downtown director of sales and marketing, Amy Stamper.
Downtown businesses hope visitors get out and experience all that Lexington has to offer.
“BBM (Big Blue Martini) — which of course is on the corner right across from Rupp Arena -- is typically a packed house during any kind of basketball game or event. So we expect our bar to be in addition to the Hyatt’s bar and Marriott city center. All of the bars downtown I think will be abuzz,” Stamper said.
Tickets are available now.
