Providence Readies for 10,000 Scottish Fans as Lodging Runs 40% Below Boston
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 29
Providence Readies for 10,000 Scottish Fans as Lodging Runs 40% Below Boston
6 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 29
About 10,000 Scotland supporters are expected to base themselves in Providence next month for World Cup matches at Gillette Stadium, even though the Rhode Island capital is not an official host city.
Providence courted the influx by helping arrange hotel deals and opening college dorms, betting that cheaper rooms and easier access would draw the Tartan Army.
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough sits 25 miles from Providence but nearly 30 miles from downtown Boston, giving the city a geographic edge for fans attending the seven matches there from June 13 to July 9.
Rhode Island officials say many supporters will stay in local hotels, dormitories and Airbnbs, with fan organizers estimating accommodation costs at roughly 40% below Boston rates.
The move shows how cities outside the 16 official World Cup hosts are trying to capture spillover tourism when the tournament opens on June 11.
How did Providence become the World Cup's unofficial hub, saving fans millions while boosting its own economy?
With fans chartering school buses, is the official World Cup transport system failing visitors before games even begin?