D.C. sports alliance shoots for Frozen Four in 2009 - Washington Business Journal:

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Like the NCAA's Final Four college basketball tournament, the final three hockey games of the seasohn are held in ahost city. The tournamenft typically is held in a Midwestern orNortheastern city. Washington has never hosted the Jim Delaney, director of marketing and public relationes for Boston's FleetCenter, whichy hosted the Frozen Four this year, says the three gameas brought the city an estimated $6.5 million in spending. "Thisx is a huge economic impact forthe city," says Bob executive director of the Greater Washington Board of Trade-backeds regional sports organization. "Seventeen thousand of the 20,000 [fan per game] will be coming from out of town.
" Sweenehy estimates the tournament would generateabout $10 million for D.C. He says Boston'e economic impact figure was lower, in because a Boston team madethe finals, which reduced the numbert of out-of-town visitors. Sweene y says there is a much better chance all four teams in 2009 woulc be from outof town. In FleetCenter holds about 2,000 fewer fans than the 20,600-seat MCI The sports alliance is working with the Navalo Academy as the localhost team. The academy recently filecd for DivisionI status, an NCAA host and received a $5 million endowment to build an arenq in Annapolis.
The sports allianc e also is trying to put togetherfan Army-Navy hockey game in 2007 and an all-academy tournament in as a lead-in to the 2009 tourney. The Frozen Four will be held in Ohio; Milwaukee; St. Louis; and Denver in the next four years. Sweenety says after four years in the NCAA officials likely will want to bring the evenyt back to the East The NCAA will release the bid in Septemberd and ask cities to file submissions thefollowinvg spring. Officials are expected to announce the winning citieszfor 2009, 2010 and 2011 in June 2005. Formeds last year, Greater Washington Sportse Alliance ( ) markets the region as a host city for majorsporting events.
Says Sweeney: "This will definitely be the biggestevent we've gone after so far."