70.3 steelhead, Im in

Based on where the race site is, there aren't many hotels that are close (like walking distance).  So, assume you're driving to Jean Klock park no matter what.

• Choice 1:  Expensive, but kind of a destination...Get a B&B on the shore somewhere.  This is good if you're going to make the weekend a family vacation of sorts...  prolly $200/night.  It likely won't be very close, but it will certainly be nice and a pretty good place for the family to hang out.
  
• Choice 2:  Cheap.  Last year I stayed at the Red Roof Inn for maybe $70 a night...it was about a 12 minute drive to the race site, clean, cheap, with plenty of eating choices around.  I saw plenty of other triathletes there, too.
  
• Choice 3:  Social.  I'm not familiar with these options.  Talk to folks you want to be near, and see where they are staying.  Alternatively, you could stay in Downtown Benton Harbor and it will be closer to nicer restaurants, etc.  Again, though, everything is pretty much a drive in that town, and the town is small, so you're not very far from anything.

I'm planning the el-cheapo option again this year.  The pizza hut buffet right next to the hotel sold me, and there's a good breakfast place nearby.

Maybe CerveloP3 will weigh in.  He knows the town pretty well and can offer up some decent advice....

Rick's lodging advice is right on, but he also appears to have a steel pre-race stomach so careful of his dining suggestions.

I stayed at the Hampton Inn last year which was not nearly as close as where others stayed, but they had their breakfast out at 4:00 a.m. because there were so many triathletes.  We also decided to go home instead of using our reservation the night of the race.  We checked out around 5:00 p.m. which was hours after the checkout time and they didn't bill me for the night.  Worked for me. 

The host hotel, holiday inn express St. Jo., was full so I'm at the holiday inn express Benton Harbor.  Splurged and got the suite with a whirlpool, fridge and microwave for the family. Had a look at a map and the Benton Harbor hotel actually looks closer to the race than the host hotel.

Last year we stayed at the Clarion downtown. Nice location near restaurants and the family was able to walk to the swim start on race day. However it was expensive and not well maintained.

I'm IN, and I'm geeked.  This race is going to be phenomenal - I can't wait.   

I'll probably stay out on Pipestone near the interstate in that gaggle of restaurants and hotels.  It's just easier, cheap, convenient, and there's a McDonalds right there.

Hello all! Steelhead was a great race last year, but really hot at the end. August sucks, but aside from that, it was a fantastic race. I met rkreuser past year at the race! It is always great to put a face with a name.

With 2000 athletes and jock strappers, don't count out Niles, MI; South Bend, IN; or Mishawaka, IN. You will be 20-40 minutes away, all highway.

If anybody needs some tips, please PM me, and I will do my best.

G

2000 athletes? The notice that I received indicated that they may go to 3000. This is going to be a very large race.

 Dave

If it fills completely, it'll be the biggest 70.3 ever.  The venue is big enough to hold it, for sure...the only thing I worry about is parking, congestion on the shuttle from T1 to the start, and shade at the finish.  There isn't much.

Now the tricky part:  trying to predict when/if it will fill.  Last year was it's first year as a 70.3, and they started with a cap of 1000.  Since it was a 'new' 70.3 (only announced in April for the Aug race), it didn't have the benefit of a full year of the IM marketing machine going, nor did people know it was going to be a 70.3 BEFORE the season, so (I'm guessing) lots of folks had already established their race schedules for 70.3 events BEFORE they knew this was going to be a qualifier, or even a 70.3 event.

And as it played out, they hit the 1000 cap in June (or thereabouts), upped it to 1300, reached that shortly after, and ended up not capping it (a total of 1700? raced).  So compared to last year, this year will have almost DOUBLE the cap-space, but also a whole year of the IM marketing machine behind it - and athletes that now know the race is 70.3 and can put it in their full-year plan. 

Your guess is as good as mine.  

I have to agree with the comments about the Clarion. It was in very poor shape and over-priced last year, but the location was great. If it has changed hands perhaps they will put some work into it.

Dave