While many Ball State students see homecoming week as a time forgames, parties and football, local businesses look forward to thisweekend all year because of the enormous jump in sales seen duringthese three short days.
Muncie hotels, gas stations and restaurants welcome theweek-long lineup of festivities with open arms as the need for aplace to stay, fuel up and eat surpasses that of most otherweekends.
Most alumni, families and friends who come to watch the big gamelike to make a their visit a weekend trip, and finding a place tostay is usually their top priority. While many stay at a chainhotel, the L.A. Pittenger Student Center Hotel's 24 rooms and onesuite are completely booked this weekend, Dixie Howard, hotel desksupervisor at the Student Center, said.
"We see a lot of repeat business," Howard said of alumni andfamily members of Ball State students who stay there every yearduring Homecoming. "A lot of people make reservations ahead oftime."
Other local hotels could not be reached for comment.
The Stadium Marathon Gas Station on the corner of Tillotson andBethel avenues is one of the closest places to campus to fill up,and Ole Dohn, first-year manager of the station, said he isanticipating a substantial increase in business this weekend.
Although the station sees an increase in business during regularfootball games as well, Dohn said that Homecoming is going to bebusy.
Restaurants find that Homecoming weekend is one of the busiesttimes of the year. Applebee's Neighborhood Bar and Grill and CarlosO'Kelly's, both located on McGalliard Road, see plenty of customersduring the weekend.
Business at Applebee's goes up 15 to 20% on average during thisweekend every year, general manager Tom Mewsom said. He said theonly time he sees a slight decline in business is during the gameitself. Even Sunday afternoons are busy with visiting families.
"I wish every weekend was Homecoming weekend," Mewsom said.
Carlos O'Kelly's hospitalities supervisor Lonnie Cox said therestaurant usually serves a lot of families on Friday and Saturdaythis weekend.
Scotty's Brewhouse, located on University Avenue in the BallState Village, has been a hot spot every year during this weekend,Scott Craddock, general manager, said.
"This is the biggest weekend of the year," Craddock said. "It'sa good time; we see a lot of the same people from year toyear."
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