ASU Basketball: Metro Phoenix to host 2017 Final Four

The announcement came down Friday afternoon that metro Phoenix will host the 2017 Final Four with games being played at University of Phoenix stadium in Glendale.

The 2017 Final Four will be held in… PHOENIX! #FutureFinalFour pic.twitter.com/imyngwuihu

— Final Four (@FinalFour) November 14, 2014

Arizona State will be the host school for the event which will make it's first trip ever to the Valley in 2017. The Final Four will bring plenty of money into the local economy through tourism and other events. The projected economic impact for North Texas from the most recent final four is $276 million. The games will take place on April 1 and 3, 2017 respectively.

The Phoenix Final Four bid committee was made up of Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson and senior associate athletic director Dawn Rodgers among other prominent businessmen and women from the city of Phoenix and the Arizona tourism industry.

"This is Phoenix's time to shine," Anderson said in a statement. "We thank all the partners who made this a true community effort. We are grateful for the privilege of hosting this iconic event and promise to provide an unforgettable experience for the NCAA, student-athletes, alumni and fans.

The NCAA made a visit to Phoenix on Sept. 23-24, 2014 where the city and Arizona State made presentations and committee members visited sites throughout the Valley such as Tempe Beach Park. The Super Bowl in 2015 and the College Football Playoff championship game will be played in Glendale as well.

"It is an honor for ASU to serve as the host institution," Rogers said.  "In addition to focusing on the student-athlete experience, we will activate our faculty, staff and students to be engaged in a variety of partnerships. Having our students involved in the many opportunities within the championship will enrich their educational experience. The Phoenix Final Four will provide an unforgettable experience for our university community as well as the student-athletes, coaches and fans of the four competing teams."

The farthest Arizona State has ever made it in the NCAA Tournament is the regional final round in 1961 and 1975. Here is a list of high profile games Phoenix has hosted recently and will host in the future:

2008 Super Bowl
2009 NBA All-Star Game
2011 BCS National Championship Game
2011 MLB All-Star Game
2015 Pro Bowl
2015 Super Bowl
2016 College Football Playoff championship game
2017 NCAA Final Four
2017 College Football Playoff semifinals