DETROIT, Mich. (CNN) — It’s a recovery plan for sneakers.
The NCAA men’s Final Four at Ford Field in Detroit could generate between $30 million and $50 million in visitors.
The NCAA men’s basketball Final Four couldn’t have come at a better time for the city of Detroit, the hard-hit capital of America’s auto industry and the center of Michigan State’s economic woes.
The 12 percent unemployment rate here is the highest in the country, and with the Big Three automakers all needing a multibillion-dollar government bailout to try to stay afloat, the future isn’t much brighter, some say.
“We need help,” said Mark Franklin, a Detroit resident who took his 5-year-old son to the Hershey’s College All-Star Game Friday at Ford Field. “There are already too many people unemployed. Even if you have a job, you know someone who doesn’t.”
Compete in the Final Four and a quartet of powerhouse college basketball teams, all in the hunt for NCAA brass. Connecticut, Michigan State, North Carolina and Villanova have won a combined nine NCAA championships and reached 31 Final Fours.
But what matters most to the city are the visitors – and wallets – that college basketball’s marquee weekend will bring to /topics/detroit” class=”cnnInlineTopic”>Detroit.
City leaders expect 100,000 fans to visit, staying in hotel rooms, renting cars and spending between $30 million and $50 million.
Michigan State’s participation adds the icing on the cake.
The school’s campus is just 90 miles away in East Lansing, giving the Spartans a home-field advantage while giving locals extra pride on a special weekend.
MSU helped matters mightily by advancing to the final on Saturday, beating Connecticut 82-73. During the national championship game, the Spartans will play in North Carolina, 83-69 winners against Villanova later Saturday.
More than half of Michigan State’s players are from the state, and many have felt the impact of the region’s economic struggles.
“I have family who are unemployed right now,” said sophomore guard Durrell Summers, who played at Redford Covenant High School in Detroit. “(For the Final Four), bringing that kind of money in, hopefully it can help create jobs for my family and other families because some people have been laid off for no reason.” Watch Elaine Quijano’s report from a GM dealer’s perspective 
Detroit’s first Final Four is the latest in a series of major sporting events for the city.
The Pistons hosted two NBA Finals in suburban Auburn Hills, while the NHL Red Wings won two Stanley Cups at Joe Louis Arena downtown.
Baseball’s Tigers appeared in a World Series and their home, Comerica Park, hosted an MLB All-Star Game. This weekend’s host venue, Ford Field, was the site of Super Bowl XL and Oakland Hills Country Club hosted the 2004 Ryder Cup and PGA Championship last August in nearby Bloomfield Hills.
This is the first year of a new stadium configuration for the Final Four, requiring host domes to use all permanent seats to reach a minimum of 70,000 seats.
“You see people coming up just to take a picture of the Final Four (Ford Field) sign. It’s something we can be proud of,” Franklin said. “Now we need city leaders to take advantage of it.”
All about /topics/Detroit”>Detroit • /topics/General_Motors_Corporation”>General Motors Corporation • /topics/NCAA_Basketball_Tournament”>NCAA Basketball Tournament
