The Tampa Bay area is experiencing a significant influx of visitors and spending this week as the Valspar Championship golf tournament and the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s first and second rounds overlap with an already busy spring break season.

The Valspar Championship teed off Thursday at Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor, while Tampa is hosting March Madness first- and second-round games starting Friday. Tourism officials say the convergence of major events is a boon for the local economy. Beyond hotel stays, visitors are contributing revenue through dining, entertainment, and transportation spending — activity that also creates jobs and generates tax revenue.

More than 30 events, including four citywide conventions, are scheduled in the Tampa Bay area this month, projected to generate nearly 40,000 room nights and tens of millions of dollars in economic impact. Hillsborough County hotels reported taxable revenue of $112.28 million in January 2026 — the second-highest January ever recorded in the county — signaling strong momentum heading into the spring surge.

Visit Tampa Bay CEO Santiago Corrada said coordinating such a tourism push requires collaboration across multiple sectors. Gov. Ron DeSantis attended the Valspar Pro-Am earlier in the week alongside Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield and former Bucs head coach Jon Gruden, highlighting the tournament’s broader community contributions including support for military veterans.

Local businesses are also anticipating the surge. The owner of Ferg’s Sports Bar & Grill in St. Petersburg said spring break alone has kept business brisk, and that the buildup toward March Madness points to sustained, nonstop activity ahead.

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