B.R. hotel rates boosted 32% by LSU football games

On any given Saturday when the LSU Tigers are not hosting a football game in Baton Rouge, the average rate on a hotel room in the city is about $80. But when the Tigers are in town, that average jumps by 32% to about $105. And while that’s certainly a nice boost for area hoteliers that have come to rely on strong bookings during game days each fall, it’s nowhere near the largest increase for hotel stays among the nation’s preeminent college football cities. That’s according to a report in The Wall Street Journal, which cites Smith Travel Research data. Tuscaloosa, Ala., sees the highest average hotel rate increase due to football games: from roughly $72 to about $175 on Alabama game days—an increase of 144%. “Surprises toward the bottom of the list [of SEC cities] include 10th-place LSU, whose football patrons apparently opt to stay in nearby New Orleans—or their RVs,” reads the article. You can take a look at the complete list and read the full story here.