The RNC Host Committee is upping the number of hotel rooms expected to be filled with RNC guests.
"We had anticipated about 75,000 rooms and now we're at more than 90,000,” said Ken Jones, RNC Host Committee. “So during the slowest two weeks of the year, the last two weeks of August, we have hotels at 100 percent capacity."
To secure a piece of RNC business, hotels had to pledge 95 percent of their rooms. They find out next week if that gamble paid off.
Jim Bartholomay, the general manager of the Renaissance at Tampa International Plaza, blocked off almost all his rooms for RNC week. He and all the other pledged hoteliers will get the actual guest lists on August 15.
"There's a little nervous anticipation. No doubt about it," he said. “You really don't know until you get that information in hand, so we're looking forward to it."
The RNC Host Committee says they have pledged hotel room capacity up to 120,000 rooms. They attribute the higher numbers of rooms needed to Florida being such a tourist hotspot as well as people wanting to stay in town through the Labor Day holiday.