2 days ago
Area hotels at capacity while welcoming golfers, spectators from around the world
The U.S. Open's historic 10th time at Oakmont Country Club means a ton of revenue for the Pittsburgh region and all of Western Pennsylvania.
Jim Britt is the Vice President of Sports Events for Visit Pittsburgh. He says the USGA is anticipating more than 200,000 people coming into town and staying in area hotels for the championship.
'We'll see a really high occupancy across all of our hotels, and Downtown and surrounding areas are really feeling that impact,' Britt said. 'We're hearing that from all of our hoteliers.'
That includes hotels by Pittsburgh International Airport, to the east in Greensburg and Latrobe and just off the Turnpike in Cranberry, Monroeville and Harmarville. Britt says the biggest impact, however, will be felt Downtown.
We stopped by the Oaklander Hotel off of Fifth and Bigelow, right next to Pitt's Cathedral of Learning. Kelly Giger is the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Oaklander.
'This property is 167 rooms,' Giger tells Channel 11. 'The average rate is going to start around $799 and go up from there.'
Giger says they host players and groups from all around the country and when the U.S. Open gets underway, they'll be at capacity, which requires a lot of pre-planning.
'It's a lot of responsibility to ensure that they have a great stay,' Giger said. 'These golfers travel all over the world and experience luxury and that's what we thrive on. Making sure we're staffed, we have everything ready to go, the kitchen is ready for an influx of restaurant orders and the bar is fully ready to go.'
It's also about standing out in a crowded field. After play has ended for the day, the bar will transform into a putting green. They'll offer hot dogs and a signature drink called 'The Turn.' It's a take on the U.S. Open's traditional Dewar's Lemon Wedge.
From Oakmont to Oakland, it's a chance to highlight all that Pittsburgh has to offer.
'It's great recognition for the city,' Giger said. 'Everyone's putting their best foot forward and making sure everyone coming in is having a great time.'
'This is a world-class event,' Britt adds. 'The whole world will be looking at PGH for this week.'
Even after the U.S. Open has ended, the work continues for the hotels. They're already planning for the 2026 NFL draft, which is expected to bring three to four times the number of people to town.
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