interdictor ([info]interdictor) wrote,
@ 2005-09-26 19:49:00
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Please Don't Tell Me That FEMA Pays $500 Per Hammer!
Post by Sigmund Solares
Chief Executive Officer
Intercosmos Media Group, Inc.

300% of "Rack Rate" a Night for Hotel Rooms at the W

I tried in vain to obtain a hotel room for an employee downtown so that the employee would not have to sleep on an air mattress every night. It turns out that FEMA has rented the 190 available rooms from the W hotel by paying 300% of "rack rate." Rack rate is the ordinary price for a hotel room without any discounts. This is the standard rate that a hotel will quote you when you ask for a room.

Let's make some assumptions here... I am assuming that rack rate for the W in New Orleans this time of year is at least $200 a night since the convention season has already started. That would put the rooms at $600 a night per room. That comes out to $114,000 per day for 190 rooms at $600 a day each. With costs like this I can see how rebuilding New Orleans will be insanely expensive. I would imagine that the rates should come down some in the not too distant future, but, I am not holding my breath. Assuming a rack rate of $251 and the cost would be $1 million a week for 190 rooms.

Anyone know of any good deals on hotel rooms in downtown New Orleans? Any word on when additional hotels will be back in action?



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[info]elphaba_of_oz
2005-09-27 12:58 am UTC (link)
Thar's MY money they're spending.

I'm furious.

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(Deleted post)
(no subject) - [info]altamira16, 2005-09-27 01:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]desecration, 2005-09-27 01:10 am UTC

(Deleted post)
(no subject) - [info]explode, 2005-09-27 01:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]desecration, 2005-09-27 01:42 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]greenstripe, 2005-09-27 01:47 am UTC

(Deleted post)
(no subject) - [info]greenstripe, 2005-09-27 05:34 pm UTC
Uh no - [info]turandot, 2005-09-27 02:02 am UTC
Rack rate for Hotel W STARTS at $469 - [info]paddyd, 2005-09-27 01:14 pm UTC

[info]octal
2005-09-27 12:59 am UTC (link)
Clearly you should convert extra office/datacenter space into hotel.

(Reply to this)


[info]melange_fiesta
2005-09-27 12:59 am UTC (link)
Craziness. O.o

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]melange_fiesta
2005-09-27 12:59 am UTC (link)
PS: I'm not sure who took the photograph in this icon, but I took it and several others that you posted and made them into icons (only this one is up). Is that okay? o.o

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]johno
2005-09-27 01:01 am UTC (link)
Maybe you should rent out that air mattress to FEMA for only $200 a night.

(Reply to this)


[info]oulangi
2005-09-27 01:05 am UTC (link)
Having worked at the W I'd guess a righer rack rate than that. Probably closer to $300 and up.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]claris
2005-09-27 04:10 am UTC (link)
dude, that's just for the ROOM. I worked as a valet at the one in Los Angeles for nine months, and when I quit last May, they were charging $28/night just for parking! How much you think the gov't is paying to have somewhere to put their vehicles, that's what I wanna know!

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]oulangi, 2005-09-27 04:13 am UTC

[info]penelopesque
2005-09-27 01:07 am UTC (link)
While enacting a law that allows the reduction of minimum wage in areas under the state or emergency. Who is housed at 200plus dollars a night and who is working (and housing themselve ?) and under $5.00 an hour.

(Reply to this)

So How much is Mike's place subletting for?
[info]manmis9
2005-09-27 01:11 am UTC (link)
I told Mike he should sublet! This is going to get worse than NY City ever was with or without rent control.

(Reply to this)


[info]missakins
2005-09-27 01:13 am UTC (link)
You could loot a french quarter house, and get a bed...

(only mostly joking)

(Reply to this)

Hotel ROOM...lol
[info]oymelord
2005-09-27 01:18 am UTC (link)
Your 3 Night Stay
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Le Pavillon Hotel


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(Reply to this)


[info]elligirl
2005-09-27 01:22 am UTC (link)
Ahhhh.. that's no good. But spare no expense, right? sigh.

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You *did* hear
[info]leenoox
2005-09-27 01:24 am UTC (link)
that estimate that FEMA's budget in NOLA was $500M a day, right?

Now I know why.

(Reply to this)


[info]skwirll
2005-09-27 01:42 am UTC (link)
I don't know what's worse, the outrageous amount or a hotel named after the President...just kidding. duh.


That is outrageous though and we shouldn't stand for it.

(Reply to this)


[info]caramida
2005-09-27 01:53 am UTC (link)
Charging 3x rack rate is just what any businessperson would do in a market where the number of available hotel rooms has fallen and the number of persons needing hotel rooms has risen. It's called the free market. This is just an example of taxpayers being hoist by their own petard. Low supply and high demand make for high prices. This is a real boon for the economy, not to mention the investors of W hotels.

A pity about the taxpayers, though.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]quixxotik
2005-09-27 03:58 am UTC (link)
Are you hittin' us with a broken window?

*throws down the libertarian penalty flag*

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]mopalia, 2005-09-27 04:49 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]caramida, 2005-09-27 05:57 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]caramida, 2005-09-27 06:01 am UTC

[info]jennifer0246
2005-09-27 01:58 am UTC (link)
and apparently exiled FEMA director Mike Brown is now freelancing for the gov't - that's right kids, he's been appointed to investigate the govt's response to the Katrina disaster.

only in the Bush administration.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]oymelord
2005-09-27 02:25 am UTC (link)
I am interested in what article or broadcast you heard this little tidbit of info????

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]christinenj, 2005-09-27 02:34 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]georgiarepublic, 2005-09-27 02:39 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]christinenj, 2005-09-27 02:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]caramida, 2005-09-27 06:07 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]akamoe, 2005-09-28 07:35 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]jennifer0246, 2005-09-27 03:18 am UTC
Only in the Clinton administration - [info]roadside_couch, 2005-09-30 07:35 am UTC
FEMA
[info]georgiarepublic
2005-09-27 02:02 am UTC (link)
Try this, if hotel unavailable, ask FEMA for beds/mattresses for every employee you have to have to operate. Tell them it is a neccessity to have them in town to operate your business, and they need a place to sleep. Hotel is booked up by THEM, houses are unlivable. They may give you a couple dozen serta posturepedics, the worst they can tell you is no.

(Reply to this)

$600 per night is not expensive
[info]onegreatmom
2005-09-27 02:18 am UTC (link)
Actually....I have paid more than $600 per night to visit lesser known hotels in Charlotte, NC.....more like $750 per night.... And Charlotte is literally a tiny city unlike New Orleans with all the entertainment value. However, who in their right mind would pay that to visit a disaster area?! Never mind the expense of the hotel room, who in their right mind would want to visit a disaster area? Until New Orleans has been disinfected, has running water and working waste management, New Orleans is like a third world country. Personally, I believe that all hotels should provide rooms space to our govt. in exchange for a large tax break. The relief money should be given to the actual cleanup and rebuilding effort and not to the hotels that take advantage of the situation. JMHO

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: $600 per night is not expensive
[info]mccaucasianghst
2005-09-27 02:31 am UTC (link)
Well I think the NO resident would know the average price for a hotel room in NO :)

But I agree completely that our money should be going to the cleanup, not some greedy hotel owner's grubby mitts.


But fear not, FEMA does not pay $500 per hammer...only $475

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]missy0107, 2005-09-27 02:39 am UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]mccaucasianghst, 2005-09-27 02:46 am UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]missy0107, 2005-09-27 02:57 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]mccaucasianghst, 2005-09-27 03:10 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]missy0107, 2005-09-27 04:29 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]mccaucasianghst, 2005-09-27 04:43 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]caramida, 2005-09-27 05:59 am UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]foreverbeach, 2005-09-27 10:41 am UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]zeldakitty, 2005-09-27 02:36 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]caramida, 2005-09-27 03:10 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]foreverbeach, 2005-09-27 04:54 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]ghostallight, 2005-09-27 09:07 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]mccaucasianghst, 2005-09-27 11:05 am UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]caramida, 2005-09-27 03:21 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]mccaucasianghst, 2005-09-27 03:29 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]caramida, 2005-09-27 03:47 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]mccaucasianghst, 2005-09-27 03:53 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is not expensive - [info]ghostallight, 2005-09-27 09:11 pm UTC
Re: $600 per night is NUTS - [info]damyanke, 2005-09-27 12:52 pm UTC

[info]djmedieval
2005-09-27 02:33 am UTC (link)
When I stayed downtown in NO in Nov of 2002, I paid $350 plus taxes and such per night. :|

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]dragonbane
2005-09-27 02:33 pm UTC (link)
*blink* Hope you had a good room. I stayed for $110/night in May of this year, 3-4 blocks off of Bourbon.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]j4yx0r
2005-09-27 02:35 am UTC (link)
While the rate seems grossly inflated, at least this money is getting pumped back into NO's economy.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]sephira
2005-09-27 02:39 am UTC (link)
Ummm... the money isn't getting pumped back into NO's economy. Most of that money leaves town in the overnight deposit.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

(no subject) - [info]georgiarepublic, 2005-09-27 02:50 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]j4yx0r, 2005-09-27 02:52 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]claris, 2005-09-27 04:13 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]caramida, 2005-09-27 06:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]dragonbane, 2005-09-27 02:37 pm UTC
rack rate?
[info]sephira
2005-09-27 02:37 am UTC (link)
Hmmmm... I thought it was illegal to charge above the posted rack rate. But, what do I know?

(Reply to this)

"Rack Rate"
[info]dervisher
2005-09-27 02:48 am UTC (link)
If you think 300% of Rack Rate by FEMA amounts to taxpayer rape wait'll Halliburton hits town!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: "Rack Rate"
[info]roadside_couch
2005-09-30 07:40 am UTC (link)
then the rate would go down. For all he shrilling from the left about Halliburton's no-bid contracts they made a 3% profit margin off those contracts. Not at all a good rate of return.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]dadavoodoo
2005-09-27 02:56 am UTC (link)
Man I just don't knwo about this. I hope that your off on this. Try the St. Louis. I don't know if they are open. But try.

(Reply to this)

Quick bucks abound
[info]digdugnamco
2005-09-27 03:07 am UTC (link)
This is almost as pathetic: Hurricane Katrina 2005 DVD, 51 minutes, $25. Releases this Tuesday, better snap up your copy before the public forgets about this tragedy!

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Quick bucks abound
[info]akamoe
2005-09-28 07:39 am UTC (link)
From the details:

ASIN: B000BHNNOW

Wonder if that's a hint? :)

(Reply to this) (Parent)

W Hotels
[info]georgiarepublic
2005-09-27 03:11 am UTC (link)
This is from the W hotels website...
The Sheraton New Orleans has filled virtually all of its 1,110 rooms as emergency services personnel (police, fire and medical personnel) were temporarily relocated there from the cruise ships, where they had been housed the past several weeks, because the cruise ships had to leave the area ahead of Rita. The cruise ships are expected to return to New Orleans within a few days of the passing of Rita and the emergency personnel will return to those accommodations. The Sheraton has a contract with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for the majority of its rooms to accommodate contractors who will be focused on rebuilding the infrastructure of New Orleans, so the hotel is not accepting reservations at this time.

The Sheraton has made tremendous progress in a return to full operations since Katrina. The Starbucks in the lobby opened this week, the first in New Orleans! The Sheraton’s Roux Bistro restaurant opened to the public last week, offering three full buffet meals each day. The Roux Bistro will return to menu service as supply lines improve and more associates are able to return to work.

The W New Orleans and W French Quarter also continue to increase services for guests accommodated there. All available rooms at both W Hotels are filled and they are not accepting reservations, either.

Add all of those rooms together and figure up a guess of what FEMA is paying a day!
But at least it sounds like the guys will have more dining options.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: W Hotels
[info]eokitty
2005-09-27 02:41 pm UTC (link)
For $600, that better include the maid service, turn down service, and three full meals a day, complete with MRE for tea time and bottled water to toast the day's activities.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: W Hotels - [info]jenfr01, 2005-09-27 05:17 pm UTC
W Hotel
[info]bigbill947
2005-09-27 03:19 am UTC (link)
Where are they getting their help to run the hotel....did all their employees not evacuate....good time to ask for a employee profit sharing deal.....does their rate include American breakfast ? Geez, imagine what the hooker rates must be , if the taxpayers and government are getting screwed like this !

(Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: W Hotel
[info]ganymede1969
2005-09-27 07:23 am UTC (link)
There was actually an item on the guy who was ready to get the W Hotels up and running as soon as possible on CNN. It was in their "(something) heros" report last week. They were saying that where FEMA wasn't ready, he was organising his 'troops' to go in as soon as Katrina had passed.

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]foxtoy
2005-09-27 03:26 am UTC (link)
Holy Price Gouging Batman!

(Reply to this)


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