Empty rooms and Fifa cancellations - US hotels fear World Cup washout

The AHLA said hotels spent years preparing and have made "significant investments" based upon official projections. A study commissioned by Fifa, , external released last year, predicted that in the US the World Cup could create 185,000 jobs, adding $17.2bn (£12.7bn) in gross domestic product. The hotels were planning for an influx of international travellers, who book longer stays with a higher spend. But the AHLA said fewer overseas fans "threatens the broader economic impact" with just over three weeks until the opening game on 11 June. The AHLA said the large-scale bookings made by Fifa in all cities "shaped revenue forecasts, staffing plans and preparations". It said this booking policy "manufactured artificial demand" and masked the fact that tourist flow is going to be lower than predicted. Up to 70% of rooms reserved by Fifa in Boston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Seattle have been cancelled, the AHLA said. In a statement Fifa rejected the AHLA's claims and said it had followed agreements made with hotel chains. "All room releases were conducted in line with contractually agreed timelines with hotel partners - a standard practice for an event of this scale," a Fifa spokesperson said. "In many cases, room releases were made ahead of established deadlines to further accommodate requests from hotels. …