Hotels to evacuees: Go before big game (football comes first)

[Billy Burnett]

Hotels to evacuees: Go before big game

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/nation/12529728.htm

Many Tallahassee hotels have told hurricane evacuees they'll have to move by the day of the FSU-Miami football game so that fan bookings can be honored.

BY MARY ELLEN KLAS

[e-mail]

TALLAHASSEE - Hundreds of Katrina evacuees who fled to Tallahassee seeking refuge from the storm have been politely told by their hotels and motels to leave this weekend to make room for a football game: FSU vs. Miami.

Hotel space is traditionally scarce any time the Florida State Seminoles take on the University of Miami Hurricanes, one of the choicest tickets on the college football schedule.

But with hotels packed with families from Louisiana and Mississippi, and room space booked for Monday's game for months, hotel operators say they are trying to accommodate the evacuees but have no choice but to nudge them out.

''We have to let them know what's going on in town and they're going to have to leave,'' said Angie Rayman, manager at the Howard Johnson.

"Nudge them out"?

There are no words...

[wakeme2008]

1. Has anybody thought that a lot of people

will not be driving to Tally for the game. They may kick people out only then to have empty rooms :grr:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

91. Boycott the season

Watch shuffleboard instead.

[okieinpain]

98. hell fuck that, what is this. abortion is killing the unborn, but we don't

give a fuck once you're here. what the fuck is wrong with this country. they don't want gays to marry because it will offend god. yet they will kick out their brothers and sisters to make a dollar, and they don't think that offends god.

what the hell is wrong with people in this freakin country.

[jus_the_facts]

2. humanity at it's finest eh....

The Mob Rules (3:14)

Oh...Come on!
Close the city and tell the people that something's coming to call
Death and darkness are rushing forward to take a bite from the wall, oh

You've nothing to say
They're breaking away
If you listen to fools
The mob rules
The mob rules...

Kill the spirit and you'll be blinded, the end is always the same
Play with fire, you burn your fingers and lose your hold of the flame, oh

It's over it's done
The end, the big death
If you listen to fools
The mob rules...

You've nothing to say
Oh they're breaking away
If you listen to fools

Break the circle and stop the movement, the wheel is thrown to the ground
Just remember it might stop rolling and take you right back around

You're all fools, fools rules rules
The mob rules

[UrbScotty]

3. Careless freaks. (nt)

[greekspeak]

4. Clintmax and Greekspeak have offered their Tallahassee spare room

And there is no one staying here for a game. If there are any DUers or freinds that need a place for a while, especially in Tally right now...please PM me!

[fudge stripe cookays]

86. You guys rule!

I hope someone can take you up on your offer! :hug:

FSC

[Melsky]

5. They are being kicked out for a hurricanes game?

After losing everything in a hurricane. I can't believe they are having a football game at a time like this.

[iamjoy]

78. That's Outrageous

Not the bitter irony - displaced twice by hurricanes. But the very idea.

Rick Perry, and until I hear differently, I will give him credit. He (or his state) is being wonderful. They had the Astrodome schedule cleared to accomodate the refugees. Texas is planning on making arrangements to educate Louisiana school children. This is what should happen.

Jeb Bush...uh, waiting...waiting...maybe I better not hold my breath.

They cancelled football games after 9-11, I think they should cancel them now, at least in the southeast. The refugees should camp out in front of the governor's mansion (Tallahassee is our state capital).

[Roland99]

6. Can't reschedule that game? Wow, what national unity.

[coffeenap]

7. Go Ramada--they are keeping everyone! Gonna send the manager

there a letter of appreciation. This is a person of character.

[defiant1]

14. For real....

:applause:

[greekspeak]

21. Where is this Ramada?

[coffeenap]

26. Ramada must be in Tallahassee-- here is the quote from the

article cited above:

The Ramada Inn was the exception. Hotel staff saw the conflict coming last week. They are housing the UM football team but wanted to accommodate everyone, said Rochell Araiza, director of sales.

So the staff called around, found some Miami residents who didn't need their rooms and persuaded others to reschedule for another time.

The result: They have enough rooms, with a few to spare, for the evacuees and their pets ''to stay as long as they need to,'' she said.

[leQ]

29. i'm writing ramada now, and telling them they have my next booking

this story is just tooo much for words.

[Lochloosa]

35. Here is the Contact info for Ramada Inns in Tally...(my Home Town)

There are three of them there. I'm not sure which one is doing this.
http://www.google.com/local?hl=en&lr=&safe=off&rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-31,GGLG:en&q=ramada+inn&near=Tallahassee,+FL&sa=X&oi=localr

[greekspeak]

65. Thanks lochloosa...I am wondering if it is the one on Brevard

It is very close to the stadium. The others are further away, a couple quite a bit.

[CornField]

55. That is excellent customer service

and community service. I just sent a letter to Ramada corporate alerting them of this and informing them that they've jumped to the number one spot in my family's hotel preferences.

[calimary]

58. Ummm... so a bunch of hotel people saw this coming, and made

plans for it...

Ummm... if THEY can do that, in this isolated situation on the fringes of the disaster...

Ummm... if they can think ahead, put two and two together and actually get four, come up with a good idea and then act - AHEAD OF TIME...

Ummm... how 'bout if one of THEM steps in as president? THAT'S the kind of leadership we need. We'd be far better served with some unnamed Ramada Inn guy than we are with the jackass in OUR White House!

THIS IS AMAZING!!! The so-called "best and brightest" and fattest fat-cats and biggest political big-shots and high rollers "running" things in Washington can't see or plan past their own belly buttons, but some Ramada Inn people were able to recognize, anticipate, and act effectively. JEEZ.

[ticapnews]

92. I've noticed today that you and I think alike quite a bit...

:)

They actually saw far enough ahead to call people in Miami and talk them into changing their reservations. They have prepared accomodations for both the football team AND the refugees.

Maybe these employees should be hired by FEMA and head west to help out?

[calimary]

101. Heck, any one of these employees would do better HELMING

FEMA than this know-nothing political appointee we've got now. If you and I are thinking it, and posting it (as with the others here, also), then you know OTHERS are thinking it, too. Glad at least some of us are thinking clearly, or even thinking AT ALL.

Cheers to ya - and don't forget to...

Visualize IMPEACHMENT!!!!!
Then go DO something about it.

[noonriser]

103. LMFOA at your dead-on post, but crying too....

[GainesT1958]

93. Hmm..wonder if the term...

"Greedy bastards" means anything to them?

Apparently not...:mad:

Oh, well...NEITHER of those teams are going to win the national championship, anyway...and maybe not even the ACC title, either!:D

B-)

[krkaufman]

8. Ok, then it sounds like that game needs to be cancelled.

Time to apply pressure to the Miami and FSU admins, as well as the fed and state governments, to have that came cancelled, postponed, or moved.

[Ravenseye]

9. Or jeez how bout this

The people who were going to stay there rebook their rooms in other hotels down the road. How bout that?

My problem here isn't with the hotels not wanting 100's of floridians clamoring "where's my fucking room!"....cause that's what they're worried about.

No, my problem is with those said floridians who don't relinquish their rooms. I'm sure many of them are unaware that the hotel they booked has evacuees in it. Have the hotel pass out their contact numbers and have the evacuee in their room call them up and ask if they can keep the room for the weekend. Bet most keep the rooms that way.

[krkaufman]

11. "have the evacuee ... call them up and ask if they can keep the room"

Just not a reasonable thing to expect people to be able to do/handle, without angst and violence.

In this situation, "the worst natural disaster in our country's history", I think it's reasonable that the PUBLIC university in Florida join in supporting the Katrina victims in every way they possibly can. It's just a frickin' football game. The hoteliers and football fans could use a dose of perspective, forcibly injected if not voluntarily swallowed.

[Ravenseye]

13. No you're right

that probably would be too much...but I just think that if the hotels were to somehow simply contact the people with reservations for that weekend that the vast majority would give them up. What the hotel doesn't want to do is have people drive 600 miles there and then discover they don't have an available room.

I agree the University of Florida should offer to help, but honestly couldn't just a few phone calls handle it just as effectively?

[krkaufman]

19. How many seats does that stadium have? A "few" phone calls...

... may be low-balling the effort a bit.

I wholly agree that the matter will have been handled/decided too late if all the fans are already enroute. That'll get downright ugly -- which is why, again, the game needs to be snuffed.

[Ravenseye]

22. Yeah but it's not the stadium calling

How many rooms does each hotel have? Lets say a hotel has 200 units. Don't they have 4-5 employees that could sit at the phones for a few hours and make 50 calls a piece? That's just outrageous?

but yeah 'few' is lowballing :)

[krkaufman]

46. Yes, I was highballing... the number lies between.

Bottom line is... it's just a freaking game, and a bit of perspective would be good. On my short commute to work, I thought of another reason to cancel the game... short-term gas shortage. Given the reported scarcity of gas in the Southeast, it would make sense to minimize the unnecessary use of scarce fuel used by travelers to the game and, symbiotically, allow the evacuees to remain in their rooms.

Sounds like a win-win. And FSU and Miami can work-out their win-lose another weekend.

[tallydem]

38. Roughly 75,000

The Stadium has roughly 75,000 seats and fills every hotel within about 50 miles on a sold out game.

[tallahasseedem]

48. It can go further than that.

I have heard of people staying in Panama City Beach.

[Pacifist Patriot]

31. The hotel staff can get off their butts and call the res list

to let the football guests know what the situation is. That shouldn't be up to the evacuees. If I got that kind of call I'd probably say, "heck yes keep the evacuee in there...while you're at it, put my reserved days on my credit card."

Put me in the camp of those who think the game should just be cancelled.

[iamjoy]

81. I Am Sure The Hotel Staff Is Quite Busy

Having worked in a hotel, I am sure they are very busy doing everything they can to make these people comfortable.

It is the high level managers and owners who make these decisions, and they do not have to deal with the fallout.

[holboz]

90. You'd think Floridians would be more understanding...

These are 2 Florida universities playing one another...you'd think Florida would be the MOST understandiing state in the union when it comes to Hurricane suvivors.

IMO, it's callous to push out these people who have nothing anyway.

Heaven forbid should anyone have to sacrifice anything in this day and age. Why are there so many selfish, self-centered people in the world today?

[Coventina]

10. I agree with this solution. The hotel managers are kind of stuck.

They DID have a prior committment to people who already had reservations. YES I KNOW that refugees should take precedence. But the sad fact is that some jerks will probably SUE if they don't get their hotel room. I really wouldn't be surprised.

[krkaufman]

15. Which is why the gov't needs to step in, removing any question...

... or liability. The gov't should NOT have to step in, especially in another state regularly hit by natural disasters, but it is apparent that people's better natures are not universally dominant at this moment in time.

[Coventina]

17. You can say that again! n/t

[tblue37]

50. Football games are like Bush's vacation:

too important to cancel or reschedule.

[teenagebambam]

12. GOD I hate people sometimes

[coffeenap]

16. Here is the email address of the pres. of FSU--

[e-mail]

I found this on their public website, btw. Offered as a convenience to anyone who would like to request the game be postponed.

[cbear70]

23. done

what can it hurt if we all email him. I cannot even believe they would continue to have the game under this situation...

[Divernan]

28. Done.

nt

[fasttense]

40. Done. n/t

[tallahasseedem]

51. No chance.

Our University President T.K. Wetherell would never do it. Mind you, this is the guy that canceled class one day so there would be sufficient parking space for a game.

[greekspeak]

66. Also the guy sent the "urgent" e-mail about the Seminole being retained

after the NCAA caved and let FSU have a pass on their mascot. I got an URGENT email about this. URGENT is if there is a hurricane coming and we need to get out of town. URGENT is if there is some sort of disaster on campus and people need to stay away. URGENT is not getting to keep your mascot, which many find to be offensive. He cares about football, football, football. The main administrative offices are built into the stadium, quite distant from most of campus. FSU is basically a sports team with a school attached. And TK fuels that mindset to the utmost.

[Linette]

75. Maybe no chance, but ...

Martin Luther King, Jr. said
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."

I've sent an email.

[krkaufman]

83. Then the pressure needs to be applied to the other school's admin.

Wetherell won't have much choice in the matter, if the other school is rumored to favor postponing or cancelling the game, I would think -- but then I don't know Mr Wetherell.

[ticapnews]

94. The Miami Administration...

is led by school president Donna Shalala who served in the Clinton Administration as the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Donna E. Shalala [phone]
President, President, Office of the
[e-mail]
Campus Address (For Interoffice mail):
230 Ashe Administration Building (Map)
Coral Gables Campus, Locator: 4600
Street Address:
230 Ashe Administration Building
1252 Memorial Drive
Coral Gables, FL 33146
PO Address:
P.O. Box 248006
Coral Gables, FL 33124-4600

I used to work for a college sports team and I would expect the football team to already be in Tallahassee tonight. Fans will begin arriving tomorrow to tailgate (read: get drunk and act stupid). It is highly unlikely that at this late date the game will be canceled. It has been discussed, and other colleges have canceled games, but the NFL made the New Orleans Saints play an exhibition game tonight and this game is the biggest money-maker of the regular season. The Almighty Dollar wins again.

PS: Count on college representatives, TV personalities and others to point out that the money goes to scholarship funds for kids to go to school.

[Obamanaut]

73. done n/t

[Divernan]

18. How bout a tent city for refugees in the middle of the damn stadium?

Americans are so hedonistic and selfish - we've been dragged by Bush into a war but we don't make any sacrifices so that our men and women in Iraq are properly equipped and protected. Now we have THE national disaster of our lifetime, and IN STATE football fans cannot be told to stay sober enough to drive home after the game instead of crashing and partying in the local hotels? Guess it really isn't love of the game of football, but love of partying.

[northzax]

25. it's 300 miles

not exactly a drive up and drive back on the same day situation.

They should not cancel the game. The Presidents of the Universities in question should annouce that anyone coming into town should call their hotel and make their rooms avaliable for refugees, if the hotel has them. They should then announce that all ticket holders will be provided places to stay with Alumni and Boosters. Then say that there will be a voluntary surcharge of $5/ticket at the gate to set up a fund to help refugees in the area. Come one, where the hell are the universities' PR departments?

[Divernan]

27. They could stay in the Orlando area.

I don't think they should cancel the game, but I expect some empathy from residents of a state who know firsthand the horror of being a hurricane victim. They can give up one weekend of boozing so that they are sober enough to drive partway home after the game.

[northzax]

30. the point is, they may not know there are refugees in their rooms

you need to explain things to people, ask them to sacrifice, and they will. But if no one says anything is wrong, people won't stop to think about it.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

32. Good point. I think most sports fans might show a little heart

It's the hotels that sold those rooms at a premium that won't

[iamjoy]

85. That's It - The Money

See, they can't really force the evacuees to leave, once some one is in the room. But, they can increase the room rate to full rack rate, a price which is often prohibitive and only used during times of highest occupancy.

But, yeah, I bet a lot of football fans from Miami, some of whom might just remember Andrew (heck, or realize Katrina was kind to them) and they'd be willing to take a cot or double up for a little while.

But with there being a possible gas shortage in the southeast, why would they waste fuel driving several hundred miles? But of course, not all the fans are necessarily coming from Miami, some of them could be flying in from other parts of the country.

[illuminaughty]

102. This is an impossible posititon for refugees

Their credit cards are maxed and they have no access to their bank account. Where are these people supposed to go?

[Billy Burnett]

20. Running the country like a corporation

From the OP article...

But for some of the evacuees, being displaced for a football game is just one more setback in a week of suffering.

''I'm disappointed because I wanted to stay about three weeks,'' said James Payne, 63, of West Bank, La. He found the Holiday Inn Capital View on the Web and drove 19 hours to get there Sunday.

His wife, who is in a wheelchair, and his sick mother-in-law weathered the ride, but it was a strain on them all, and on his weak heart. He has no idea whether his house is still standing and expects it will be weeks before he heads home.

''I'm not saying anything bad,'' he said. ``It's all kind of hard. But we can't stand in the road.''

The staff at the Marriott Courtyard told the Hall family of Gulfport, Miss., that they have to leave by Friday night.

:puke:

[Pacifist Patriot]

33. *sigh* If I lived in the area I'd be on the phone to the hotel

offering Mr. Payne and his family a place to stay at my house. For free!

Tallahassee DEMs? Can something be coordinated?

[greekspeak]

70. I have volunteered a place to stay if I have takers.

Room goes first to my DU family and thier circles. But I want to help as much as I can, and those who need it can have it.

[MaineDem]

24. I can think of nothing polite to say (nt)

[mike_c]

34. why don't the teams cancel the game...?

eom

[fujiyama]

104. Beer and Circus!

The empire is certainly in its last throws.

We are witnessing the collapse.

[coffeenap]

36. As I understand the law, if you are occupying a hotel room and

paying the published rate, you cannot be kicked out. Attorney comment?

[northzax]

39. depends on the state, I'm sure

and what the stated policies are, in advance.

[tallydem]

41. Fl. statute

The Fl. State Statute says that all hotels are required to honor all reservations. Oddly this was a result of all the past hurricanes and the resulting price gouging. Hotels did not want to honor reservation since they could ask a higher rate for people needing shelter.
On a more positive note Tallahassee has currently 7 shelters open and more available. Just call the Tallahassee Area Red Cross.

[coffeenap]

43. Thanks for the info. nt

[calimary]

61. Welcome to DU!

Glad you're here, and thanks for the info.

That's human nature for ya, I guess...

GOD, this is so sad. For want of a frickin' football game, these refugees have to suffer further indignities. CAN the game, for HEAVEN'S SAKES! Maybe these other hoteliers oughta get on the phone to the Ramada Inn people and ask for suggestions on how to do their jobs, taking care of their customers - especially those in dire need in this extraordinarily horrifying time? How 'bout humanitarian concerns come FIRST for a change?

[bluestateguy]

37. There is no place for capitalist bullshit at a time like this

Maybe the words "eminent domain" should be threatened if these hotels don't change their tune.

[AValdoux]

42. Sen Landrieu addressed this last night

She asked for the Hotel chains not to take advantage of the situation with price gouging. Also to be compassionate & people had no where to go, they couldn't go home.


Avaldoux

[bloom]

44. Anyone taking those hotel rooms from the refugees

so they can watch a damn football game - in person - should be ashamed of themselves.

[bushisanidiot]

45. What greedy slime..

nice to see how in a time a crisis, what really matters is making a profit!

[tallahasseedem]

47. You better believe it....

Do you think that these people give a damn? They certainly dont. Football is #1 around here and those people who are paying top dollar take precedent. The same thing happened during the 2000 election fiasco when we were hosting the Florida Gators and they kicked news people out.

[demo dutch]

49. You would think FSU-MIAMI would cancel its game!

[LannyDeVaney]

52. More info ...

There is a game in Tuscaloosa this weekend, too, and the Alabama papers today are publishing requests for fans to cancel reservations. I give them credit for that. Tuscaloosa is right along I-59 - a very common route from New Orleans and southern Mississippi.

Also, I have another suggestion. I have (had) a hotel reservation for Saturday night in Montgomery, AL (Auburn football game). Rather than cancel my reservation, I called the hotel and told them to charge my credit card for the room for 1 night, and then use it as they saw fit as I would not be showing up.

[MaineDem]

53. Welcome to DU

I hope they give it to a refugee and not just resell the room.

Glad to have you with us! :hi:

[calimary]

62. That's a VERY classy thing to do. Bravo!

And Welcome to DU - we are well-served by your wise and compassionate involvment.

[greekspeak]

68. Good show my friend!

:hi:

[Jacobin]

54. So football takes priority over people having a roof over their haads

I hate fucking organized spectator sports in this country and this just confirms it.

[rman]

56. ah, compassionate capitalists. nt

[chunkstyle]

57. obvious solution?

Personally, I think that the humanitarian issues compounded by a fuel shortage would be perfectly good reasons to cancel the game altogether. That said, why couldn't they just have the game in Miami rather than Tallahassee? Surely fewer people have journeyed all the way down there.

[calimary]

63. Welcome to DU!

Glad you're here! We NEED you! I agree - you cite two VERY good and HIGHLY legitimate reasons for scrubbing the game. We gotta obsess about frickin' FOOTBALL at at time like this??? We REALLY gotta do that?

[Celebration]

59. American Idol

Coming to Memphis for tryouts, so people will be kicked out Monday. However there are at least some churches and private citizens coming to the rescue. Hotels are a rather expensive option anyway for more than a few days. I would hope that people might open up their homes (well, once clearing houses are set up, etc.)

[Chovexani]

60. Reason #91847221

Why I hate football and this country's obsession with it.

[JustSayNO 2 Sheeples]

82. Amen!

[damntexdem]

64. There are some words that could have been used:

"the game has been postponed until after the emergency."

[Occulus]

67. Fuck the football fans.

Sorry. They do NOT deserve consideration. This is an E-M-E-R-G-E-N-C-Y.

Refund their monies and tell them to go home or find other places to stay. If there aren't any other places, go home and watch the game on TV, in their intact living rooms and homes with electricity and indoor plumbing.

We treat football like a religion here in the US, from junior high on up, and this is the result: football becomes more important than a national emergency.

Screw the game. This is an E-M-E-R-G-E-N-C-Y.

[greekspeak]

69. Thank YOU!

Damned straight. :thumbsup:

[ticapnews]

96. Don't blame the fans...

they may not even realize this is happening. Many will have a reaction like one person upthread who told a hotel to give his room to a refugee family. The hotels should have gotten on the phone (as Ramada did) and explain the situation to people who have booked rooms. I have to believe that many of these people would give them up.

Come to think of it, this should be happening at hotels in Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, etc..

I agree the games should be canceled this weekend. The Saints players didn't want to play. Brett Favre and Steve McNair are among players from the area. There are bound to be lots of football players from this area on these two teams, and throughout college football.

It all comes down to money. Not just this weekend, but the huge paydays in December and January under the BCS system. In sports terms this is a monster of a game. In human terms, it is meaningless. But there are millions of dollars invested in this and they aren't going to call it off now.

It's all about the money.

[lawladyprof]

71. What about people letting them stay in their RV's/campers? eom

N/T

[lawladyprof]

72. What about RV dealers/rental companies letting them stay in their "stock"?

N/T

[Arkana]

74. I wish I could say something, but there are no words--you're right.

What happened to common human decency? Oh, right, it went out the window when the Pukes "ushered in an era of personal responsibility".

Hold on to that dream. :eyes:

[electron_blue]

76. this could be a moment of greatness for Tallahassee

People could still come in droves to Tally and sit outside the hotels with food, water, clothing, blankets, money and ask "what can we do for YOU"?

It could happen. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Wouldn't that be profound? Heck, wouldn't that be helpful?

[coffeenap]

77. Here is the response I received today from the Pres. of FSU:

"Thank you for the email. The Red Cross has ask us not to cancel the game. They need the national forum to solicit help. FSU, Miami, the NCAA and the ACC have all given their spots to the Red Cross during the game. Additionlly the Gov. will go on live at half time to ask for help for the Red Cross. FSU will also be collecting money at the gate for the Red Cross. If everyone gives $10(the price of 2 hot dogs and a coke) we would raise $850,000 for hurricane relief. There is only one shelter open in Tallahasse right now it houses 300 and there are only 105 people there---there are 3000 more beds ready to be used. No one will be on the street."









"

[Roland99]

79. That's not all bad, I guess.

[JustSayNO 2 Sheeples]

80. Like somebody else said: Fuck Football. Guilt money. Shame

So the only way we can collect money from these self-loving bastards is to throw a football game or a concert? Why can't these people just give, including the money they would have spent on hotels, expensive food and gas to get to the game. If every one of them coughed up the $600 they'll spend having fun instead of just $10 at the gate, the red cross could raise a hell of a lot more than $850k

[VegasWolf]

84. Gotta keep the masses distracted with football. Back to your beer

and popcorn and don't forget Church on Sunday!

[democrat in Tallahassee]

87. Did you all forget that the hurricane hit Miami too and that some

of the people coming here from Miami might be coming as a break from the hell they've been through? How in the hell would canceling this game help anybody? This game has nothing to do with the hurricane or its victims and no school does more community service work than FSU.
I used to live in New Orleans and my heart is broken. I just can't see how canceling the game would help anything.

[DisgustedTX]

88. Just like TexAss - Tulane U students treated like sheep in Dallas

Presented as a "heartwarming story" by Channel 5 news on Wednesday morning:

50 students arrive via bus at SMU from Tulane - SMU had "graciously" allowed them to attend classes until Tulane is repaired. They were granted use of a CONFERENCE ROOM. A CONFERENCE ROOM?

Part II: Tulane FOOTBALL team bussed in and staying at the DOUBLETREE HOTEL. As in: $150-$200/person/night.

Disgusting.

[Scooter24]

100. See

you don't even know the whole story. As a SMU student, let me clarify.

As of now, there are only about 10 students left on campus, all of which are being taken care of by student housing. Many students offered to bunk 3 to a dorm so that they would have a place to call "home."

We were only being used as a temporary shelter. We offered every student free meals, showers, and computer access. Our student union made sure that every amenity was available to them. Our school worked hard to arrange air travel for each student, so they can get back to their families, and those that had nowhere to go were offered to stay. We offered to enroll those students wishing to stay at Tulane's tuition instead of our own $36,000/yr. tuition.

Our law school has also offered to take in 3rd year law students from Loyola and Tulane's law schools.

Also, SMU wasn't responsible for the football team sleeping at the Doubletree. Tulane University is paying to house them there. We offered them use of our practice fields and gymnasiums and many local schools are accommodating the needs of many of the 100+ athletes. Tulane and Conference USA negotiated a deal with the hotel for a very reduced rate, not us.

Please don't fault anyone when no fault is due.

[iamjoy]

89. Contrast Action Of Other Southern Governors

http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050901/NEWS01/50901035

Kathleen Blanco (Democrat) ordered LA htoels not to kick out Katrina refugees for other guests, as long as the refugees could pay.

SNIP
“All evacuees occupying a room shall be allowed to continue to occupy such rooms under the normal terms, conditions and rates of the hotel or motel,” Blanco ordered. “No evacuee shall be replaced by a non-evacuee as long as the evacuee currently occupying the room is able to pay the nightly rates, including applicable taxes, or is able to guarantee payment through appropriate insurance coverage of by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.”
END SNIP

Of course, normal terms could be rack rate, usually very expensive, but at least she is trying. As opposed to Jeb...

[Solon]

99. Personally, if I was governor in a time like this...

I would have ordered all hotels/motels to accept refugees from the affected areas, even IF they can't pay. Any hotel/motel that refuses will have its business license, charter, or other applicable document be revoked immediately, no appeals. Those that cooperate would be compensated, after the crisis and rebuilding, through funds set up to help in rebuilding and relocating people, at REDUCED rates obviously. Also, those hotels/motels that didn't cooperate would be put under direct state control, with doors closed permanently when the refugees are relocated later.

[aresef]

95. So much careless stupidity abound in this disaster.

This is insane. Absolutely insane.

[andyarundel]

97. Same thing is Tuscaloosa

People are being booted for the game this weekend.... what can one say

four points sheraton

[Giant Robot]

105. I don't think its the fault of football or football fans...

I think a lot of people need a shot of compassion into their lives. As a Michigan football fan, I would gladly see the U of M/OSU game canceled completely to see the refuges given adequate shelter. I think the problem comes in when there are people so utterly devoid of their humanity that they place some sill game ahead of their fellow man. It almost sounds like something Dickens would write about.

Just because I want to share this story, and it kind of makes my point, my wife shared an experience at work today. She works at a major retail chain as one of their managers. The chain's home office is in Jackson, MS, so they are hurting. Her store is very dependant on this home office, as they no longer able to use credit cards to make payments, have any access to IT people, have no access to their store credit card people, etc. They have intermittent power, apparently some type of generator is available to them, and once in a while some of these features will go back online. A woman came in today and complained to my wife because she was not able to make a payment on her charge card, because that was a point when that function was down. The woman was positively irate. My wife tried to point out the suffering down there, to little avail. Maybe telling this woman that they won't know her payment was late made a difference. I don't know. But she's my example of people that need a shot of humanity.