The streets of downtown Denver will be alive with March Madness this week as the NCAA Tournament returns to Ball Arena Thursday and Saturday. 

With an influx of college basketball fans and visitors flooding the city, the Denver Police Department plans to step up its security and presence in the area to help deter crime, according to the department.

“The Denver Police Department is honored to welcome the NCAA first and second rounds of college basketball and all those partaking in tournament activities to Denver,” Jay Casillas, a spokesperson with the department, told The Denver Gazette Thursday.

He continued: “The Denver Police Department has safety plans in place, to include working with partners to ensure the safety of basketball fans, players, Ball Arena staff and all those in the area of Ball Arena.”

While the department did not share specifics, due to potential safety risks, it did share a list of tips to help reduce crime during the two days of high-stakes basketball games and increased foot traffic.

The department said:

• Be aware of your surroundings
• Beware of ticket scalpers
• Buy tickets from reputable sites or known persons
• Drive sober
• Be cautious of the amount of alcohol or marijuana consumed and do not overindulge
• Keep personal items on your body at all times and don’t carry more than you need
• Follow traffic laws when biking, driving, walking, or rolling
• Do not leave valuables in your vehicles and lock your vehicle
• If utilizing rideshare, confirm driver is your driver by verifying the license plate, and having the driver say their name and who they are picking up
• Contact police if a crime is committed or you witness something suspicious — if you see something, say something

The Regional Transportation District also ramped up security this week. 

“The RTD Transit Police Department (RTD-PD) has been preparing for the upcoming busy weekend of large events in Denver, and the personal safety and security of all customers is a top priority,” according to a statement. “Transit Police officers and security personnel will be strategically placed around Denver Union Station and dispatched across the entire service area to support the expected increase in customers using bus and rail services to attend the March Madness games at Ball Arena.  

 “RTD-PD also closely collaborates with law enforcement jurisdictions in more than 40 municipalities across the entire 2,345 square-mile service area to bolster public safety.”

The Mountain West will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena in Denver with games on Thursday and Saturday featuring Michigan, UC San Diego, Texas A&M, Yale, BYU, VCU, Wisconsin and Montana.

It will be the seventh time Denver has hosted the NCAA Tournament after previously hosting in 2023, 2016, 2011, 2008, 2004 and 1999. The Mountain West was the host in each of these years except 1999, when it was hosted by Colorado State and the Western Athletic Conference.

Attendees are expected to spend around $12 million this week in lodging, transportation, food and beverage, retail and recreation.

Denver Sports Commission executive director Matthew Payne expects an economic impact in the $4-8 million range, based on similar events being held at Ball Arena in the past.

“From an economic standpoint, these games are great for cities because they bring in eight teams, coaches, bands and fans from across the country,” Payne said.

While there is no estimate of how many people March Madness will bring to the city, there are already a plethora of jerseys from different states walking throughout downtown. 

The Gazette reporter Marissa Kraus contributed to this report.