PHOENIX (AP) – Hundreds of people gather every year to hobnob with A-list celebrities at a charity bash thrown in the Super Bowl’s host city. But instead of heading to a trendy nightclub or swanky restaurant, organizers this year are throwing the party inside a private home.
The location reflects a trend in the Phoenix area, where homeowners have been renting their houses and condos to out-of-towners, a move that can bring big earnings for those willing to take the risk.
Vacation home rentals have been available in the Phoenix area for years privately and through websites such as Vrbo and Airbnb, but the focus on the Valley of the Sun has never been sharper than this week, with the Super Bowl and Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament attracting tens of thousands of visitors on the same weekend.
Amanda Thomas, a small-business owner, has been leasing her home and her condo for nearly two years. This coming weekend, she will rent out her house to Super Bowl attendees for $1,700 a night.
She said home rentals are attractive for tourists who travel in big groups.