More on the great hotel caper
Just why did the Tampa Bay Rays end up staying last night in Wilmington, Del., and not Philadelphia?
We asked the general manager of the Westin Philadelphia, where the team had been staying, for an explanation. Here's what GM Mike Manzari had to say.
The Rays had booked about 100 of the hotel's 294 rooms through Monday, Manzari said. When the team finished checking out of the downtown hotel around 5 p.m. Monday, no one -- not the Rays, Major League Baseball or the Westin -- thought the team would be coming back.
So, Manzari said, the rooms were made available to other customers. And within hours, they sold.
"They filled up pretty quickly," he said.
When the game was postponed around 11 p.m., Westin staff reached out to the Rays to find an alternative. But the Rays were already on their way to a hotel in nearby Wilimington, Del.
"Somebody said we evicted them," Manzari said, referring to one Florida radio report. "That's not true. We loved having the team here."
The Westin provides rooms for about five MLB teams during the regular season, Manzari said. And he said the Rays are welcome back.
Grant Balfour walks through the team's new residence, the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, Del., on Tuesday. After Monday night's World Series game was delayed, the team scrambled to find 86 hotel rooms in the city about 30 minutes from Philadelphia. [Brian Cassella, Times]
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Just came from the Hotel and the bus pulled out. One problem - here comes BJ Upton walking out. The team left him behind. Hotel DuPont quickly furnished him a ride in a luxury SUV. Too bad!!
Better Luck next year TB. This Series is ours.
Go Phils!!
Posted by: Mark | October 29, 2008 at 04:02 PM
If you really want to know (and trust me, you really don't) may I suggest upper-decker.com.
Posted by: Research Dept. | October 29, 2008 at 03:35 PM
I have a feeling you don't want to know.
Posted by: | October 29, 2008 at 11:27 AM
What is an "Upper Decker"?
Posted by: Al | October 29, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Lived 15 mins from the hotel most of my life. That place is immaculate! It makes the Vinoy look mediocre. Fantastic choice by the traveling sec.! Check it out and see: http://www.hoteldupont.com Hopefully, this upper-echelon experience will make them more than ready for the 3.5 innings left tonight (or tomorrow night, or Friday night, or...). Bring it home, gentlemen!!!
Posted by: Jimbo | October 29, 2008 at 09:35 AM
They're so much better off there than being stuck in Phil. with nothing but negative nellies.
GO RAYS!
Posted by: SJ | October 29, 2008 at 08:36 AM
Upper Decker's rule.
Posted by: Jeff | October 28, 2008 at 08:53 PM
They probably left a couple of "upper deckers" behind. That's the risk you take when you leave the hotel a surprise.
Posted by: Philanthropist | October 28, 2008 at 07:05 PM
This guy, Mike Manzari sounds a lot nicer than many of the hoteliers I've had "the pleasure" of dealing with in Philly.
Posted by: karl | October 28, 2008 at 05:35 PM
People in Delaware as so much more civilized than those people who live to the north
Posted by: W.C. Fields | October 28, 2008 at 05:29 PM
And given the rooms to Boston Fans
Posted by: Harold | October 28, 2008 at 05:21 PM
It would have made for a better story if they would have given the Rays the boot
Posted by: | October 28, 2008 at 05:15 PM