Fans are watching their favorite teams hit the hardwood at Bridgestone Arena this week.
Whether it's team spirit, concert-going or a family tradition this year's SEC Men's Basketball Tournament is giving hundreds of thousands of people a reason to visit Nashville.
It's also a big economic boost for the city. This year's tournament is estimated to bring in at least $17 million to music city. The Nashville Sports Council said attendees will shell out a few hundred bucks per day.
"Out of town we're seeing somewhere between $230 and $260 on various years and in town sometimes between $150 and $200 a day," council president Scott Ramsey said.
Hotel lodging plays a factor in those numbers. Experts say prices tend to go up during big events. At the Omni Hotel, expect to pay about $500 per night during the tournament. The Renaissance Nashville is about $330 per night.
Folks staying at the Hyatt Place could spend more than $300 per night.
For Andrea Thompson and her two boys are visiting from Horse Cave, Kentucky. This isn't their first time attending. She's decided to spend less this go-around.
"You stay outside the city you're looking at $300 to $400 less. We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites Vanderbilt Elliston Place last year. We're paying $300 less this year to stay at the Sheraton," Thompson said.
Cindy Allen, from Athens, said she's choosing to save more by travelling from home.
"Whether or not you spend money, this is more of a tradition for us. We've been doing this really since 2003. It's just something that we look forward to so that if we have to spend money at a hotel, whether we spend time with family, like they're staying with me, we would go either way," she said.
The 2017 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament will mark the seventh time the Nashville Sports Council has hosted the SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament.
Previously, the Men’s Tournament was hosted six times since 2001.
