Local Hotels Still Seeking To Fill Vacancies For Golf's U.S. Open
In advance of the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black Golf Course in New York from June 18-21, some local hotels said that they "still have vacancies, others have dropped minimum stay restrictions and still others are offering such amenities as free Internet access," according to James Bernstein of NEWSDAY. At the Long Island Marriott in Uniondale, New York, about 15% of the rooms are "still not rented for the Open week." Long Island Marriott Dir of Sales & Marketing Tom Gundersen said that there has "'just not been an explosion' of room rentals as there was" when the tournament was last held at Bethpage Black in '02. Gundersen: "You can feel it, demand is just not off the charts." Gundersen added that his hotel has "dropped minimum-stay restrictions" for the Open. Meanwhile, local Inn at Fox Hollow GM Franklin Manchester said that he expects the hotel's 145 rooms to be "booked for weekend rounds, but added that 'people are skipping the practice rounds' slated for the early part of the week." Manchester also said that the hotel is "offering complimentary dinners Friday and Saturday night and a duffel bag holding golf balls, tees, a poncho in case of rain and towels for every guest -- amenities not offered during the '02 Open." Manchester: "We're seeing people trickle in. But nothing like in '02." Still, Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau President R. Moke McGowan said that he "expects hotels to fill most of their rooms this year, but rates will be lower, on average." Bernstein noted a key reason for the high vacancy rate, which "ranges from about" 10-15% at local hotels, is the "drop-off in corporate sponsorships." In '02, 78 white-linen tents "housed corporate sponsors" at Bethpage, but this year, "there will be 54 tents" (NEWSDAY, 6/4).
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