South Bend welcomes fans ahead of first home game

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- As the Irish prepare to take on the Aggies, the South Bend area has been preparing for the influx of visitors.

According to Jena Stopczynski, communications manager with Visit South Bend Mishawaka, a typical home game weekend generates about $36 million for the Michiana area.

Stopczynski says Visit South Bend Mishawaka is excited to welcome fans from near and far. She says they have been preparing ahead of the game, like wrapping Transpo’s Game Day Express Route bus. You can find details for that in Visit South Bend's Notre Dame Football Game Day Guide here. 

They also brought in some fun experiences at the South Bend International Airport to welcome visitors as well, like an archway and a strolling piano.

Stopczynski says night games, like tomorrow’s, have a larger impact on hotels in particular.

"This game in particular, when we have a big opponent that's farther away, we can expect a lot of hotel nights booked, and this is a flashy game," said Stopczynski.

ABC57 spoke with some fans after they got off the plane.

Garrett Buckner, a Texas A&M fan, flew in from Texas with his family and is in South Bend for the first time.

"We're excited for the game tomorrow, because growing up, I'd always watch Rudy, and then being an A&M fan, them playing Notre Dame is probably a once, maybe not a once in a lifetime--but it's going to be probably relatively rare that we'll play them. So, coming up here to South Bend and kind of fulfilling a childhood, not dream, but something that I really enjoyed growing up, is going to be really exciting for tomorrow," said Buckner.

Frank Bagatta is a longtime Notre Dame fan and has been a season ticket holder for 20 years. His daughter graduated from Notre Dame in 2001.

"I think Lou Holtz described it best. If you've been here, there's no description worthy of it, and if you haven't, I can't give you any description that'll really describe it. You know what Notre Dame is," said Bagatta.

ABC57 spoke with Noor Hadzimesic, the area director of sales for the Inn at Saint Mary's, Hilton Garden Inn, and the Gillespie Event Center.

She says as soon as the football schedule is released each year, people start calling and going online to reserve rooms.

Room rates vary by game, but they could cost anywhere from $600+ per night during the season, with a two-night minimum.

The rest of the year, I'm told rates depend on what other events are happening in town, ranging from $150 to $350 on a normal weekend.

She says guests come with high expectations for their experience, and they like to deliver on that.

ABC57 asked Hadzimesic about hotel capacity during a football weekend compared to a normal one.

"Sellout is always the goal. So, we do end up at 100%---knock on wood --for every football weekend. On a normal weekend, I mean, we do still do pretty well, just because there's a lot going on in South Bend, contrary to popular belief. But we range anywhere from high 80s to sellouts as well. It's just really the rate that varies," said Hadzimesic.

She says they’re very grateful for Notre Dame and the football season because of the huge impact it has on our local hospitality industry.