Tournament visits fill local hotel rooms
Anyone without hotel reservations will, without doubt, have a hard time finding an available room in the area this week, according to Scarlet Baxter, volunteer chairman of the 84 Lumber Classic. Baxter said every room at Nemacolin Woodlands Resort & Spa is booked during the week, as are many of the rooms at local hotels and bed-and-breakfasts.
At least 200,000 people are expected to attend the PGA Tour at the resort’s Mystic Rock golf course this year, and Baxter said many of the people already reserved a room. Those who haven’t may have a difficult time finding a room, she said.
“There’s really nothing available here or in the surrounding area,” she said.
Baxter said some local hotels may have a room available for one night, but said few hotels, if any, have rooms available for consecutive nights, especially Thursday through Sunday, during the PGA Tour.
People in need of rooms are being advised to call and check hotels in the New Stanton and Somerset area, she said, adding that she’s telling people she can’t guarantee there will be any openings there either.
Anna Buesgens, 84 Lumber Classic tournament coordinator, said people who attend the PGA Tour book their room months in advance.
Buesgens said she and other staff members are trying to help people without reservations find rooms, but said it’s almost impossible to find a room in western Pennsylvania now that tournament events have begun.
Karen Harris, owner of the Summit Inn Resort in Farmington, said there are no available rooms.
“We’re completely full,” she said, noting that the inn was also at capacity last year during the 84 Lumber Classic.
Amy Rugg, front desk receptionist for The Lodge at Chalk Hill, said every room at the lodge is booked for both Friday and Saturday night.
Baxter said people who are attending the 84 Lumber Classic and don’t have hotel reservations may have to stay in Morgantown, W.Va.
Representatives from several hotels in West Virginia said a limited number of rooms are available through Sunday.
Kristin Blosser, front desk receptionist at the Springhill Marriott Suites, said the hotel has about 30 rooms available during the tournament.
Likewise, Tanya Fuller, front desk manager at the Clarion Hotel Morgan, said there are available rooms during the PGA Tour but said 70 percent of the rooms are already reserved.