Big weekend for local businesses ahead of Garth Brooks concert

SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- Garth Brooks is back in town and this weekend everyone’s got a friend in low places, trying to score a ticket.

Ready to play Notre Dame stadium for the second time, the country music superstar says he prefers dive bars, but ended up loving stadiums after playing Notre Dame over three years ago.

“I know I’m a guy, so I know I’m not supposed to say size matters but come on 70,000 people singing the river versus 13,000 and your 17 it makes a huge difference," said Brooks.

The show is bringing people from all over to Irish territory — booking South Bend hotels to capacity.

“Rates are you know at a level that they probably wouldn’t normally be at on a you know beginning of may. So yeah, it’s definitely been a big boost the hotel is full staff is excited and ready for a nice busy weekend," said Becky Fletcher, Director of Sales and Marketing of Aloft South Bend.

Rates at Aloft are double the cost of a typical weekend — a demand it typically only sees around football season —which it used to set this weekends rates.

“You take your best educated guess based on what you think the crowd might be like and what occupancy might be like and then what will the market bare," said Fletcher.

Most hotels like Aloft will be full of concert goers, which garth says he can’t wait to see after a long break away during the pandemic.

“I have the best seat in the house and what I’m seeing is people are extremely happy to be where they belong and that’s together again," said Brooks.

The show kicks off Saturday at 7 pm and tickets are still available.