NCAA HOCKEY TOURNEY COULD BE A BEANPOT OF GOLD FOR BOSTON

          The NCAA Div. I Men's Hockey Championship begins its
     Final Four weekend today at the FleetCenter in Boston,
     marking the first major college championship in Boston since
     '74, according to Gregg Krupa of the BOSTON GLOBE.  The
     Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau (GBCVB) says
     the event "will generate" $11.6-$13.4M for the local
     economy.  FleetCenter President & CEO Richard Krezwick:
     "It's been our goal from the start to attract a premier
     event of national magnitude every year.  This is really the
     first event that tests that ability."  About 11,000 people
     from outside MA and 9,500 from outside New England will
     attend the event, with one-third of the visitors staying for
     three or more days.  Since hockey is so expensive to play,
     its demographics "have always been high end."  The GBCVB
     says that more than 25% of fans attending the NCAA games
     earn more than $85,000 per year (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/2).