World Cup lifts some Seattle businesses but not others

(The Center Square) – The Silver Cloud Hotel-Stadium’s location within 500 feet of Lumen Field, home of the FIFA World Cup Games played in Seattle, helped the hotel transform empty rooms into a sell-out at the last minute.

“It wasn’t easy by any means, and it did not go in the traditional path,” said K.J. Roff, general manager of the hotel.

Roff said rosy projections after Seattle was one of the cities awarded the World Cup in 2022 were that the hotel would sell out every one of its 211 rooms two years before the 2026 games.

“It didn’t come to fruition,” he said.

A report by the American Hotel & Lodging Association in May said that FIFA was canceling room blocks at Seattle hotels and at lodging establishments in other U.S. cities scheduled to host the World Cup.

It said tougher visa rules and entry requirements for international travelers may have scared away some v...