MSU is making room for about 8,000 additional students.
Kindergarten to college-age students are coming to campus Wednesday-Saturday for the 28th annual Odyssey of the Mind World Finals.
Odyssey of the Mind is an educational organization that serves as the world's oldest international creative problem-solving competition.
"Once it was determined that MSU could clearly house opening and closing ceremonies, all of the problem sites and all of the people who need housing, the decision was made to come here," said Barbara Smith, media center director for the world finals.
Student competitors will stay in dorms while families, friends, coaches and judges have booked all available hotel rooms in the Lansing area. Together, about 16,000 additional people will be in town.
"It's a sellout for the weekend," said Tracy Pedat, vice president of marketing at the Greater Lansing Convention Visitors Bureau.
Members of East Lansing Downtown Management Board want visitors to spend time and cash in the city. In preparation for the event, the board created coupons for visitors to use at some downtown businesses.
"It puts 8,000 kids and their parents and coaches across the street and possibly in our businesses," said Mike Wylie, chairman of the board.
This marks the first time a Big Ten university will host the world finals.
"MSU is new to our rotation of colleges," Smith said. "This is first time in 17 years that we've added a new campus.
"Hopefully, MSU will see that this is an exceptionally good program for students, and maybe it will encourage some college kids at MSU to start more teams."
MSU's involvement began about three and half years ago when Tony Birkmeier, a former Odyssey of the Mind participant, created an Odyssey of the Mind club at MSU.
With the help of his adviser, Birkmeier approached former MSU President M. Peter McPherson about the possibility of bringing Odyssey of the Mind World Finals to campus.
"It really is a dream come true, a little overwhelming now with set up and everything, but I'm looking forward to the opening ceremony Wednesday," said Birkmeier, a 2005 alumnus.
MSU will benefit by exposing potential future Spartans to campus, he said.
"(The competition) is connecting some of the brightest minds with one of the world's leading institutions," Birkmeier said. "A lot of kids are looking to be a future Spartan someday."
Lauren Talley can be reached at talleyl1@msu.edu.
