The High Cost of Accommodations
Room rates soar when our football teams score
Supporting Florida A&M University’s and Florida State University’s football programs by attending games is becoming more and more expensive for out-of-towners each year.
Friends, alumni and family are having trouble finding affordable hotel rooms during the season. College game days and homecoming weekends bring a huge boost to the local economy, but hotels and Airbnb rentals often take advantage of the popularity of the Seminoles and Rattlers by hiking the prices for accommodations through the roof.
Aaron Soivilien looked into making a trip to Tallahassee last fall to participate in FAMU’s homecoming weekend but was discouraged by the cost of a room.
“Coming to Tallahassee for FAMU homecoming was the plan I had in mind, but looking at the hotel prices got me second-guessing,” Soivilien said. “Hotels that usually are $90 a night for three nights were hitting $400 per night. This is greedy and ridiculous.”
Is it right that some people, who could afford typical room rates, are priced out of the opportunity to enjoy a football game or other school spirit events?
During the FAMU homecoming weekend, room rates in Tallahassee ranged from $400 to $700 a night, according to booking.com. When rival Miami came to town to play Florida State, room rates were even higher, ranging from $500 to $900 a night.
Raymond Gissendaner, the manager at DoubleTree in downtown Tallahassee, says room rates increase greatly during the football season.
“The price for a night’s stay for any home game during that period is going to go up,” Gissendaner said. “During a regular week, you will see the more normal rates, but if it’s a homecoming week, the prices will increase due to the high demand.”
Florida A&M alum Chase Green wasn’t happy with the price of hotel rooms during the football season.
“I always look forward to FAMU homecoming and Rattler football home games, coming back and seeing old friends and classmates, but the hotel prices make it hard to find a place to stay,” Green said. “I was going to stay in a hotel for this past homecoming, but the hotel prices were so crazy I decided to stay with a friend.”
Demand for tickets — and rooms — was especially high this season, when FSU mounted an undefeated season en route to an invitation to the Orange Bowl, and FAMU’s successful year culminated in a Southwestern Athletic Conference championship and a berth in the Holiday Bowl.
This was the first time the Rattlers hosted the SWAC championship. Florida A&M alum John Spence made the trip to Tallahassee after securing his hotel room early — before prices went up.
“I know as it gets closer to the game, the prices are going to rise,” Spence said. “The availability in hotels is going to be limited, so I know they are going to charge an arm and a leg for those who are last minute.”
Room prices in Tallahassee lead some travelers to stay in places including Quincy and Jefferson County. Florida A&M student Mycah Brown said her father was looking for places for homecoming and was having trouble finding accommodations.
“My dad went to look for hotels for this year’s homecoming, and he couldn’t find an affordable one nearby,” Brown said.
By dramatically raising room prices on big football weekends, hotels are being unfair to moderate- and low-income families. While it is illegal in Florida to price gouge during hurricanes, there are no laws preventing price gouging related to university events. Maybe there should be.
In my mind, there is no difference in principle between a $10 bag of ice and a $700 room. The universities and the hospitality industry should work together to ensure that everyone can show support for their schools.
Brendan Brown is a senior journalism student at Florida A&M University.
