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Downtown hotels expecting swarm of Swifties

The Taylor Swift effect on downtown hotels

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Swifties will be swarming Indianapolis in a little more than a year from now.

Before they pack Lucas Oil Stadium, Visit Indy said they’re likely going to pack every single hotel downtown to the brim.

The Lucas Oil Stadium can hold up to 70,000 people, and they all have to sleep somewhere. That’s where all of the hotels in downtown Indy come in.

“I think you’ll see a quick sellout,” said Morgan Snyder with Visit Indy.

Snyder said that’s because of the expected regional demand for the concert.

“We’re the only city in the Midwest that gets a 2024 Taylor Swift date,” Snyder said.

If you were to look now, you can’t book a hotel room. That’s for a reason.

“Industry standards is that a hotel can open their rates one year out. We might see some hotels in the city hold on to that inventory for a little bit to try and understand what the demand is going to look like. The pace, the inventory. So, starting Nov. 1, pay attention, be ready to book,” Snyder said.

When you do book a hotel, look out. It might be a big hit to your pocketbook.

“Taylor Swift has been compared to a Super Bowl in many national media outlets, so looking at what some of those rates could look like, but yes, you’ll see demand in Indianapolis, and I think to trickle out some of our outer markets,” Snyder said.

While you can’t book a hotel room yet, you can book an Airbnb that far in advance. Some rates already posted for that weekend near downtown are through the roof.

The cheapest is $927 a night. The highest rental is $2,800 a night.

One bright side to trying to find a place to stay is that Swift will be the only big event in town that weekend.

“We do not have any competing groups in the city,” Snyder said.

If you’re planning another event that same weekend, like a wedding, Visit Indy said you will still be able to get a block of rooms, but the rate for those rooms could be impacted by the demand for the concert.