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Top 28 Boys Basketball Tournament Returns to Cajundome

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Posted at 5:36 PM, Mar 08, 2021
and last updated 2021-03-08 19:10:01-05

LAFAYETTE, La. — The LHSAA Boys Basketball State Championship Semifinal Rounds are taking place at the Cajundome for the first time since 2008.

What was once known as the Top 28 Basketball Tournament, brought in more than 50,000 fans the last time, and city officials are hopeful that this year's event will bring in some much needed revenue to businesses that have been impacted by the pandemic.

"If you look over the last nine months, there hasn't been any huge events held here in this Cajundome," said Ben Berthelot, CEO and President of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission. "And it's likely that for the next four or five months there won't be."

Berthelot tells us that the hospitality industry in Lafayette was hit very hard by the absence of sporting events alone.

"We lost over 60,000 room nights just from the meetings, sports and convention events," said Berthelot.

But Berthelot says he is hopeful that visitors like Brandy LaBranch, who's son is playing in the tournament for Riverside Academy, will take advantage of what the city has to offer while they're here.

"We're going to do a little bit of shopping and go to the mall," said LaBranch. "It's just us girls, and we're going to probably go out to eat, too."
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