The World Figure Skating Championships are still a couple of weeks away but the big winners have already been declared - London's hotels and restaurants.
Tourism London general manager John Winston says virtually every hotel room in the city is booked for March 11-17 and a quick survey proved him right.
The Delta London Armouries and the Hilton London are serving as host hotels and have been booked up for almost a year with a large block of rooms reserved by the organizers of the championships.
The event is expected to draw about 35,000 visitors, including about 170 athletes, 200 reporters and more than 150 broadcast technicians. Hotels along Wellington Rd. such as the Four Points Sheraton, the Lamplighter Best Western and Courtyard London have a few rooms left on specific nights but are mostly booked solid for the week of March 11-17.
The business has already starting to spill outside the city. Customers calling London hotels looking for rooms are being referred to out-of town hotels such as the Quality Inn in Woodstock. Staff there say they have set aside a block of rooms for the tournament.
Kristen Magrath of the Delta Armouries said London has not seen anything like it since the London Knights hosted and won the 2005 Memorial Cup.
?It will be just as crazy but it's going to be bigger, - the biggest event we've seen so far? said Magrath.
She said the bonus is that March is traditionally a slow month for the hospitality business.
?It's going to be really good for the city and the economy,? said Magrath.
Restauranteurs, especially those close to Budweiser Gardens, are bracing for a busy week.
Joe Duby of the Blu Duby restaurant already has a couple of large-group reservations for the week and is expecting to serve 400-500 meals daily in the 126 seat establishment.
Duby said he will be using a spotter to sound the alert when fans start spilling out of Budweiser Gardens after an event
?We will get the bread, water and menus on the table to make it as efficient as possible.?
Some of his customers who live downtown have also managed to cash in.
One couple told him they will be on vacation that week and have rented out their two-bedroom condo for $4,000, a sum that will nicely pay for their vacation.
Scott Sanderson, the head chef at La Casa Ristorante on King St., said one of the regular customers has already booked his favourite table for the whole week of the championships.
?He said keep it open, I'll be there for lunch and dinner.?
Sanderson said he expects to be ?crazy busy? during the entire week.
?We are expecting long hours and no sleep,? said Sanderson.
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hank.daniszewski@sunmedia.ca
twitter.com/HankatLFPress
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