As Trump rally approaches, hotels put up ‘no vacancy’ signs
Managers of hotels, motels and bed-and-breakfasts across Butler County — and possibly beyond — are preparing for a rush of guests this weekend, as virtually every room in the area has been booked in advance of presidential candidate Donald Trump’s second visit to Butler in less than three months.
If you were hoping to book a hotel room anywhere in Butler County over this weekend — whether you’re hoping to attend the rally or not — it’s already too late. Hotels.com reports that not a single room is available in any Butler County hotel in its database over the dates of Oct. 4 through 6 even for one guest.
As of Tuesday, Oct. 1, the closest available room is in Gibsonia, Allegheny County.
According to Noel Ebner from the SpringHill Suites on Jefferson Street in Butler, Trump’s return coincides with the hotel’s “wedding season,” which already is a busy time for bookings and typically lasts from May to October.
“Typically we see almost sold-out days on the weekend during wedding season, but we're completely sold out (this coming weekend),” said Ebner. “And we don’t have a lot of weddings that day.”
Nayan Shah, owner and manager of the Super 8 motel on Pittsburgh Street, said his establishment has sold out all of its rooms — unlike the first rally back in July, when the motel still had several vacancies over the weekend.
“We filled only about four or five rooms at that time for the rally,” Shah said. “This time, for the rally, I’d say we’re doing at least 10 or 11 rooms. We’ll know the exact number by Friday.”
According to Amy Pack, executive director of the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, the county’s hotels were close to booked even before Trump announced his return to Butler County in late September.
“This second rally, demand for hotel rooms has been strong, but many of our hotels throughout Butler County were already sold out for other events and weekend travelers,” Pack said. “We expect that the hotel demand for the rally this weekend will continue throughout the county, and increase as the week goes on.”
For hotel managers and employees in the area, it’s déjà vu, as many of them were also booked to capacity for the first Trump rally back in July. Many of them remained busy in the weeks afterward, as the national spotlight stayed on Butler County following the attempted assassination of Trump, which led to one fatality.
“The first Trump rally increased the occupancy at some of the Butler hotels for an extended period of time for media,” Pack said.
Ebner remembers vividly the atmosphere at the SpringHill in the days following the first rally.
“Before (the first rally), we had a lot of availability,” Ebner said. “And then right after the rally, we were completely sold out. There was a ton of reporters, and they stayed for a couple weeks and then they left. It was a steady flow of reporters.”
Ebner said many of those who had no connection to the rally who stayed at the SpringHill in the days afterward asked whether Butler was a safe place.
“I had a couple people from Colorado. They would come in, and they’re like, ‘Is it safe to go outside at 7 or 8 o’clock?’” Ebner said. “It’s completely different than what I normally see.”
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