With the College Football Playoff National Championship set to kick off Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami is buzzing-and not just because of the football. The city is already seeing a surge in visitors, and local businesses are feeling the impact.
Take The Sherbrooke Hotel on Collins Ave and 10th Street, for example. Owner Mitch Novick says he’s nearly booked solid.
“The occupancy is great, I have one unit available at the moment,” Novick said.
And he’s not alone. Hotels across Miami Beach are reporting high demand, with many already sold out for the weekend. That’s what happens when a national title game comes to town-especially one with a storyline like this.
For the first time in College Football Playoff history, one of the teams will be playing for the championship in its home stadium. That’s a rarity in college football, and it’s added a unique layer of excitement to an already massive event.
While half the fan base won’t need a hotel room, the other half is arriving in force. According to CFP executive director Rich Clark, Indiana’s massive alumni base-over 800,000 strong worldwide-is expected to show up in big numbers.
“Indiana travels well. They’ve showed up at every playoff game in mass, and they are going to be here without a doubt,” Clark said. “So the economic impact is going to be significant here.”
How significant? Estimates peg the total economic boost at over $300 million. That’s not just ticket sales and hotel bookings-it’s restaurants, rideshares, retail, and everything in between.
“This is a destination city,” Clark added. “Who doesn’t want to come to Miami to be a part of the College Football Playoff?”
Miami Beach has been transformed into the official fan zone for the weekend. The centerpiece is the CFP Playoff Fan Central at the Miami Beach Convention Center, a three-day fan fest running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday.
And this isn’t just for die-hard football fans. Ryan Allen Hall, CFP’s senior director of public events and sponsorship, says the event is designed to appeal to everyone.
“There’s something for everyone here-sponsor activations, food, games, former players, autograph signings,” Hall said. “You don’t have to like football and there’s something for you. We’ve got puppies, we’ll foster adoptions, we’ve got reptiles.”
Yes, you read that right-puppies and reptiles. Welcome to Miami.
And that’s just the daytime action. At night, the party moves to the beach behind Lummus Park, where the AT&T Playoff Playlist Live!
concert series will bring big names to the stage. Saturday night features Calvin Harris, John Summit, and XANDRA.
Sunday night brings Peso Pluma and Latin Mafia.
It’s a full-on entertainment experience wrapped around one of college football’s biggest stages.
“There’s going to be a lot of people here-probably the whole state of Indiana will drive down for a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Hall said. “And for the Canes, hey, it’s been a while, right? A couple of decades.”
Back at The Sherbrooke, Novick is hoping the good vibes stick around long after the final whistle.
“Hopefully those visitors will decide they like it here and come back and spend more,” he said.
For Miami, this weekend is more than just a game-it’s a celebration, an economic jolt, and a chance to remind the nation that when it comes to hosting big-time events, few cities do it better.