Kentucky was selected as one of 16 regional host sites for the NCAA Division I tournament, and many are questioning whether that was the right decision.
Kentucky, West Virginia, Indiana and Ball State are the four schools taking part in the Kentucky Regional. The three visiting teams have run into a bit of an issue with lodging, as there are several big events going on in Lexington this weekend. The biggest is the Railbird Music Festival, which is a massive country music festival. There is also the Great American Brass Band Festival in nearby Danville, which brings in more than 40,000 people annually.
As a result, hotel rooms are at a premium. Officials from Indiana and Ball State told ESPN’s Myron Medcalf that they have been given a choice between staying at hotels in Louisville, which are more than an hour away from Lexington, or using the dorms at the University of Kentucky.
Kentucky officials insist the “dorms” are actually apartment suites that are comparable to hotel accommodations. You can see a copy of the information that was sent to teams below. It includes a floor plan that shows Kentucky’s “residential suites,” which can house up to four players with a shared restroom.
Each suite costs $185 per night. According to Kentucky, the buildings will be staffed 24 hours a day by university personnel who can provide any services needed.
Kentucky can sell it any way they want, but that seems like a raw deal for the players and coaches. While other teams are staying in hotels, those in Lexington will either be an hour from where they are playing or have to stay in dorm “suites.”
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