Aside from filling parking lots, crowding State Street and jamming roads, Wisconsin high school sports tournaments bring millions of dollars into Madison annually.

According to numbers from the Greater Madison Convention and Visitors Bureau, Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletics Associations� winter tournaments brought about $10.5 million in direct spending to the Madison area in 2007.

�These are literal dollars they are putting right into the area,� said Stephanie Sabo, public relations and communications director for the bureau.

In the last few weeks, the Kohl Center hosted WIAA wrestling and boys’ basketball tournaments, and the girls’ basketball tournament is scheduled for this weekend at the Dane County Coliseum.

Doug Chickering, executive director for the WIAA, said between 94,000 and 95,000 attendants came to last weekend�s boy�s basketball tournament in which 18 schools competed. According to the visitors bureau, the boys’ tournament brought in about $3.9 million directly spent in Madison.

According to numbers from the visitors bureau, this year�s individual wrestling tournament had 60,200 attendants, bringing in about $2.9 million. In 2007, the girl�s tournament attracted 54,451 attendants, raking in about $2.3 million.

The WIAA hosts 15 tournaments in Madison annually, with winter being the busiest season, as basketball and wrestling bring in the greatest number of attendants. The visitors bureau�s numbers show each tournament attendee spends about $40.5 per day over the three-day event.

�It�s a longstanding tradition,� Chickering said. �We have a great relationship with the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department.�

Chickering said the Visitors Bureau provides the WIAA with information on things to do in Madison, which it sends to schools in the tournaments.

�When people come to town (for basketball tournaments), their main focus is basketball,� Chickering said. �(But) the excitement and fun they have is natural to draw them back on other occasions.�

According to Chickering, all of the tournaments have a financial impact of between $35 and $40 million for the city.

�The WIAA brings a tremendous amount of business to the greater Madison area,� Sabo said. �It not only impacts hotels and restaurants but also shopping on State Street, as well as gas stations and grocery stores. Even our parking structures are definitely impacted.�

WIAA tournaments are the second-highest money making events for the greater Madison area behind the annual World Dairy Expo. Always hosted in Madison, the Expo is an international convention, showcasing the latest dairy technology to people from all over the world.

According to the visitor bureau�s statistics, 65,563 people attended the event in 2006. The estimated economic impact on the greater Madison area was about $13.5 million.

�The ripple effect is tremendous in the area,� Sabo added.

The girls’ basketball tournament begins today at the Dane County Coliseum. Tickets are $8 per two-game session.