A great big welcome to all the fans, coaches and athletes who are here for the NCAA Tournament. As a community and a state, we are glad y’all came.

In fact, we are proud to be one of eight cities kicking off the Big Dance.

Granted, we are not thrilled the games are being played on Good Friday and Easter but have decided this proves college basketball is God’s favorite sport.

The good news for you visitors is central Arkansas is very diverse and there will be no shortage of services this weekend if you want to attend, and it could not hurt your team’s chances of surviving and advancing, which is what March Madness is really about.

Actually, if you come in with an open mind you will leave here with a very good feeling about the very special twin cities and the state.

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Central Arkansas can be more fun than night baseball, which we’ll have in a few weeks at beautiful Dickey-Stephens Park, the best ballpark in the country for a Class AA team.

If you are looking for a place to eat, check out the yellow pages. There are almost 37 pages of ads and listings.

If you are looking to party, there is the River Market in Little Rock and Main Street in North Little Rock. Both have a variety of places to hang out, eat and drink adult beverages. There are great sports bars, the West End and Embassy Suites.

There is no shortage of things to do in the area, and while these are not chamber of commerceapproved, here is a list of great things to see while visiting.

1. The William Jefferson Clinton Library in the River Market. It is open until 5 p.m. every day but Sunday. Admission ranges from $ 3 for children (up to 17 years old ) to $ 7 for adults. Clinton was and is a huge basketball fan, and he made appearances at many Razorbacks games during his presidency and slipped into UALR games unannounced when he was governor.

2. The Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame Museum in Alltel Arena (with a separate entrance ). Today and Friday it is extending its hours until 9 p.m. Admission is $ 6 for adults and $ 3 for children. It is a bargain, and you can spend anywhere from one to three hours there. You might be pleasantly surprised at how many successful sports figures came from the Natural State.

3. MacArthur Park, which features three great facilities: the Arkansas Arts Center, the Decorative Arts Museum and the Douglas MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History.

4. Little Rock Central High. There are no tours, but it is worth driving by as it is still one of the most beautiful schools in America. It is located at 14 th and Park, and there is also a wonderful little museum.

5. The State Capitol, which is a replica of the U. S. Capitol.

6. The Big Dam Bridge. If you are a runner or walker, get directions to this area (Riverdale ). Some of the paved roads and paths are free of traffic, and the bridge has a great view.

7. The Ole Mill in North Little Rock. Located at Fairway Avenue and Lakeshore Drive, it was featured in Gone With the Wind and it is free.

8. The Little Rock Zoo. It has been updated, modernized and you can see everything in less than two hours.

9. The Old Statehouse, where Clinton announced he was running for president.

10. The Governor’s Mansion (tours must be arranged in advance ) and the homes in the Quapaw Quarter. Some of the residences were built before the Civil War.

If you are a horse racing fan, Oaklawn Park is running (it has simulcast racing, too ) in historic Hot Springs, which is less than an hour away. It also has instant racing.

You might not have time for fishing, but there are almost a million hunting and fishing licenses sold each year, which has a lot to do with our motto “The Natural State.” Arkansas produces oil, natural gas, cotton, soybeans and enough rice to feed half of China.

This is a great place, full of good people. You can have as much fun as you want, and we are glad you are here.

Y’all come back now, you hear ?