Little Rock Reaps Financial Windfall From Ivan
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
Gulf Coast residents who poured into Little Rock pumped money into the local economy.
Hotels throughout the city were packed to capacity and restaurants noticed a bump in foot traffic.
"They actually were talking about how worried they were about the hurricane moving in and Little Rock was the closest place they could come to stay," said Shawn Massey, manager of Coconut Bay Cafe.
Managers at the Radisson Hotel on Broadway said all 251 rooms were filled to capacity -- and profits rose 35% in two days.
"We`re already saturated for the 17th, but then this started on the 14th so it`s been really good for us," said Sarah Bailey, comptroller of the Radisson.
Some of those evacuees may have to give up their rooms to people who already booked them for Saturday`s Razorback game.
