NFL Draft attendance could be hurt by Pittsburgh hotel price gouging

TL;DR

Pittsburgh's hotel prices are soaring ahead of the NFL Draft, with some rooms costing up to $1,239 per night, leading to concerns about lower attendance. Currently, 40% of hotel rooms remain available, suggesting demand may be weaker than anticipated.

Ever since post-covid19 reopening, when wanderlust resumed in full force, travel costs have been rising. In some cases, like let’s say a mid-sized city hosting a larger than life event, traveling can be exceedingly expensive. We’re little more than one week away from the NFL Draft, and room occupancy rates in the host city of Pittsburgh seem to be lukewarm at best. Also, the updated forecasts for total attendance seem to be lower than expected. Honestly, it’s very hard to say for sure, until we actually get there, but when you hear the double talk from local hotel management and convention and visitors bureau brass, it sounds like hotel occupancy is going to be much lower than expected. Maybe those worries about the added crowds overwhelming the city’s basic ability to function as normal were unfounded? KDKA, CBS News Pittsburgh reports that 40% of Pittsburgh hotel rooms are still available as the NFL Draft approaches. This segment also seems to imply that the total number of people attending the draft each day seems extremely exaggerated. Or at least that the methods used to compute total attendees are different from what you might expect. And if you want to know why hotel sales could be a bit sluggish right now, well, consider the price gouging. According to MSN: *The Wyndham Grand at the tip of Point State Park, where most draft activities will take place, has many different types of rooms available on Wednesday, April 22. Prices start at $899 a night and go all the way up to $1,239 a night.* *A search on hotels.com for the entire Downtown Pittsburgh area also shows that rooms are available. Homewood Suites by Hilton is going for $382 the night of April 22.* Homewood Suites is a brand synonymous with affordability, and even that is nearly $400 a night! Also a lot of area hotels are demanding a two or three night minimum stay, in addition to their jacked up rates. Despite the allure of the draft, this is the wrong socioeconomic environment to be price gouging. Concerns about the health of the overall economy, and the rapidly inflating cost of living were already running rampant, even before the U.S. waged war with Iran. And in the month since that conflict began, oil prices have been skyrocketing, thus making travel in general even more expensive. *This article originally appeared on Draft Wire: Draft attendance could be lower than expected; hotel room sales slump*

Q&A

What are the hotel prices for the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh?

Hotel prices for the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh range from $899 to $1,239 per night at the Wyndham Grand, with other hotels like Homewood Suites priced around $382.

Why is NFL Draft attendance expected to be lower in Pittsburgh?

Attendance is expected to be lower due to high hotel prices and the availability of 40% of rooms, indicating weaker demand than initially projected.

How many hotel rooms are still available in Pittsburgh before the NFL Draft?

As the NFL Draft approaches, 40% of hotel rooms in Pittsburgh are still available, suggesting a potential decline in attendance.