The Spokane Regional Sports Commission says last week's 1st and 2nd round NCAA basketball championships had an economic impact on the region of about $4.6 million. 

About 12,000 of the 32,000 tickets sold were to out-of-town fans who traveled here to see the games, the commission said in a news release. Those fans spent an average of $294 a day, and generated  3,500 hotel room nights.

Last time the NCAA men's basketball 1st and 2nd rounds were held in Spokane -- 2007 -- they had an estimated economic impact of $3.7 million. The higher take this time is because Spokane landed stronger "traveling" teams, meaning their fans are more willing to fly across the country to support them, the commission said.