First To Know WeatherHurricane Michael

Actions

Tallahassee hotels booked full with FSU homecoming visitors, evacuees, others

Tallahassee hotels booked full with FSU homecoming visitors, evacuees, others
Tallahassee hotels booked full with FSU homecoming visitors, evacuees, others
Posted at 6:14 AM, Oct 17, 2018
and last updated 2019-10-02 09:39:10-04

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Most hotels in the Tallahassee area are at full capacity while others are almost there.

And with people expected to come into town for FSU's Homecoming, that demand is only going to soar higher.

WTXL's Jada Williams was live Wednesday morning to tell how the hotels are accommodating.

"The parking lot behind me is full of utility trucks, but anyone with a reserved room gets the room, regardless of who is staying there and why," Williams said. "But the Best Western on Apalachee Parkway say they've been able to adjust to find room for everyone so far."

That is mostly due to the fact that many who reserved those rooms ahead of time are sympathetic to the evacuees, first responders and linemen staying due to Hurricane Michael and cancelled those reservations.

The manager told the reporter that he hasn't had to kick anyone out of his hotel to make more room, but he's had to turn some people away.

But during these tough toiimes, he wants to provide extra help for some evacuees.

Mike Pramer, the Best Western General Manager: "We were fortunate, so we kept aside 10 rooms everyday for people who can't afford it. So we went ahead and leased rooms to people who can't afford it."

The reporter spoke to a utility worker from Tampa who says he's pleased with his housing experience, but others aren't having it quite so easy.

"Actually, our first night here, we slept in our trucks," said a utility worker, John Pope. "Not us, but I've heard of some other utilities being kicked out of their rooms for FEMA and shelters to house people and stuff. Fortunately we haven't been kicked out yet."

Many linemen say they're hearing they may be leaving Tallahassee Wednesday or Thursday, which could open up more rooms.

However, displaced people west of Tallahassee and more emergency workers may be waiting on those open rooms, too.