Chamber Hopes Visitors Come For Basketball But Check Out Tulsa

With thousands of people in Tulsa for the NCAA Basketball Tournament this weekend, the Tulsa Chamber is hoping basketball fans will see more than just the BOK.

They're hoping people will see other districts like Blue Dome, Greenwood, Brookside, or even Cherry Street.

“It's really fun for people that are from out of town, out of state and they say, 'oh yeah Tulsa is really actually a great place to come,'” said Roosevelt’s Operating Partner, Vinny Sorrentino.

Sorrentino said the Georgia State Basketball team came in to Roosevelt’s to eat at their restaurant Thursday night then even got gelato down the street after.

They say they hope to see people in tasting one of their 79 beers on tap, hanging out with friends or even just coming in to watch the games.

“We've got six TVs side by side that generally show our beer menu, but we are just putting them on different games so you can sit in one spot and watch six different games,” said Sorrentino.

With games happening on Friday and Sunday, the Tulsa Chamber is hoping people will use Saturday to check out places like Gathering Place, Guthrie Green, one of Tulsa's many museums or even the live music scene.

“We've got venues galore that are programmed with tons of music, not only downtown with the arts district but also blue dome, South Boston, or the Pearl District," said Director of Tulsa Office of Film Music, Arts and Culture, Abby Kurin.

The Tulsa Chamber says this weekend brings in about $9 million in revenue for the city, and they are thankful they have this opportunity to showcase it, not only to people visiting but also on national television.

"It's all intertwined; they're here for March Madness but what a great opportunity to explore a new city," said Kurin.

Related Story: March Madness Gives Tulsa Chance To Show Off 

Plus - there are plenty of ways to get around while you are here!

Whether you're traveling by car, on a Lime scooter or pedaling a This Machine bike, there are plenty of ways to see all that Tulsa has to offer,

“Our restaurants, our breweries, our museums, our galleries, it’s all open. It’s the weekend, beautiful weather, come explore,” said Kurin.

Because there's more to Tulsa than just what you can see from the BOK.

“It's a fun area, and the weather is perfect right now so you can walk up and down the streets and see really the varieties that Tulsa has to offer,” said Sorrentino.

To check out some of the live music events happening this weekend, you can check out the local events on Facebook or we’ve listed a few below:

Laron Simpson at The Wine Loft Bar, Saturday 3/23, 7:30-10:30PM
Smash Mouth at The Osage Casino, Saturday 3/23, 8PM
Michael Fields Jr. -Phil Denny at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, 3/23, 6:30PM
Junior Brown at Cain’s Ballroom, 3/23, 8PM
Tulsa Jazzy Nights at Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame, 3/23, 7-9:30PM

Top 15 things to do in Tulsa from Trip Advisor.