LINCOLN, Nebraska (KLKN) – Football season has begun and the data shows that people want to visit the capital.
“The game in Colorado is already booked,” Todd Knobel, owner of Martha’s Bed and Breakfast, said Wednesday.
He is preparing for the busy season.
“We still have free seats for some other games, but as prices drop a bit, we expect to be fully booked,” said Knobel.
According to Airbnb, searches for rooms in Lincoln increased 25% ahead of Saturday’s game, which also falls on Labor Day weekend.
Lincoln is one of the most popular destinations for college football renters, along with cities like Tallahassee, Eugene and Knoxville.
There are hundreds of Airbnb properties in the city, but almost all of them are fully booked for this weekend.
Only about 20 rooms are available for stays from Saturday to Sunday.
Knobel has owned Martha’s Bed and Breakfast for almost two years.
He said he learned he would have to produce units nearly six months in advance, when season tickets for the football team go on sale.
“People like tradition. Football is a tradition,” he said. “Some of the older facilities have families, and they come back year after year.”
All these people mean a lot of money for Lincoln.
Studies show that college football games can generate as much as $1.5 million for the host city on game weekends.