SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — With all the people in town for the Summit League Basketball Tournament, a lot of fans are checking out restaurants and bars between games, or maybe they’re watching there instead of at the PREMIER Center.

For a lot of local restaurants and bars, the Summit League Tournament is a big deal.

“Biggest event by far, man. There’s people in here before the women’s game, after the women’s game and then for the men’s game, so it’s really big for us,” Gateway Lounge manager Jordan Westhoff said.

It’s even better when local teams make it far in the tournament.

“We’ve been really lucky for them always to be good, so it’s been a great time for a bar here close enough to the game just right down the interstate to have all that attention here is awesome for us,” Westhoff said.

SDSU fan Olivia Johnson from Beresford comes to Sioux Falls for the tournament every year.

“This has just kind of become a tradition for us to come. I had some cousins that used to play, and we’ve always enjoyed it so we said lets keep going,” she said.

Johnson says they always come to the Gateway between the games.

“It’s always a good time at the Gateway. You got your food, your drinks, I mean, chance to get together and talk about the games that you were just at and kind of wind down until the excitement of the next game,” she said.

Overall, the basketball action in town is good for the Gateway and many other businesses.

“They all benefit. People travel well, and it’s very very good for this community when the Summit League’s here. It’s bar none probably the best event in Sioux Falls and they have every year,” Westhoff said.

And from the excitement at local sports bars to the PREMIER Center, all eyes on are on championship games Tuesday. You can keep up with the action on our sports page.