Nominations are now being accepted for the Inaugural Downtown Restaurant March Madness Tournament, sponsored by Wilmington Downtown Inc. (WDI).
 
Designed to work just like the college basketball tournament, the top 16 restaurants to make the cut will move on to battle for online votes throughout the month of March. The field will be narrowed down as winners advance to the next bracket, and the winner will be announced April 3.
 
The winning restaurant will receive the Downtown Restaurant Madness Trophy and will retain that trophy for a year until the next Downtown Restaurant March Madness Tournament.  
 
Ed Wolverton, president and CEO of WDI, said he came across the idea for the competition from a trade magazine that highlights promotional efforts in other cities. He said WDI modeled the competition after one done in Pueblo, Colorado.
 
“We came across this idea and thought it would be well received given the college basketball culture in the region,” Wolverton said. “So we made a few minor tweaks and decided to give it a try.”
 
Wolverton said the goal of the competition is not only to promote the diverse dining options downtown, most of which are locally owned, but to spur restaurant visitation at a time of year that when sales can be lower.
 
All venues that serve food and are located within Historic Downtown, the Brooklyn Arts District and the Castle Street Arts & Antiques District are eligible for participation.
 
Organizers say there will also be an opportunity for voters to win a prize at the end of the tournament, and that details will be revealed as the tournament progresses.
 
Those who wish to participate can find a list of downtown restaurants on WDI's website and nominate a restaurant online.

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