TAMPA, Fla. — Hundreds of Taylor Swift fans lined up outside Raymond James to get in as soon as the gates opened.
The Eras Tour means big business to the Tampa Bay area.
Swift is playing at the stadium for three consecutive nights. Fans came from all over the country, including some from South Carolina.
"It was quite the investment. Our tickets were around $350 each. We flew here. We have a hotel. We also rented a car, so I mean, this is probably a $2,000-$3,000 trip when it's all said and done for us," said Veronica Hill, who traveled from South Carolina.
The last time Swift played at Raymond James Stadium was during her Reputation Stadium Tour in 2018.
"She’s all about supporting other women, and even when people put her down, she comes out here even bigger and better. She literally closed down Ticketmaster," said Kelly Uphold, a Taylor Swift fan.
Santiago Corrada, the President and CEO of Visit Tampa Bay, said hotels were nearly sold out the last time Swift was in town. He expects a similar story for this tour. He said for the past 22 consecutive months, the Tampa Bay area has seen record-breaking hotel revenue numbers.
"Preliminary numbers already show it's going to be a record-setting weekend for the industry and for our community, and that's obvious. We're the only show in Florida, three nights in a row, sold out," said Corrada.
Hotel Haya in Ybor City opened during the pandemic about two years ago. Peter Wright, Hotel Haya General Manager, said hotel occupancy has increased this weekend.
"The impact Taylor Swift has had to Tampa Bay and the outside areas has been pretty significant," said Wright.
Kelly Uphold said she has been a fan for more than a decade.
"I just spent $100 to park, so there you go, so it’s great for the economy, great for Tampa, it’s great for Florida and I spent a lot of money. We won’t talk about the ticket prices," laughed Uphold.
