Students, recent grads and even some local property managers are hoping to lease their campus spaces on Airbnb during Super Bowl weekend.
Those hoping to cash in on Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis this weekend hope to use the short-term rental service to make money from the influx of visitors. But not all have found success in their pursuit for profit.
“My roommates and I decided to try Airbnb for the Super Bowl to make some extra cash because the rates are usually really high for events like this,” said Marcy-Holmes resident Max Boyle, who graduated from the University of Minnesota last May.
Boyle and his two roommates are running a joint Airbnb account where they’ve listed their home for $990 per night. They plan on staying with Boyle’s uncle in Wayzata or his friend in Golden Valley if they successfully rent out their home.
So far, Boyle said he has received interest from two groups of visitors. But one group opted to rent somewhere else, while the other wasn’t willing to pay the asking price — leading Boyle to continue his last-minute search.
“It seems like we’re getting a lot of action, so I think within the next few days there will be more offers, and hopefully [we can get] higher prices,” he said.
When the three initially floated the idea of posting their Marcy Park home on Airbnb, Boyle said their landlord was in favor of it.
“He wants half of the profits we make, and his only rule [for Super Bowl weekend] is no parties,” Boyle said.
But not all landlords are open to the idea of residents renting out their units for the Super Bowl.
Stadium View Apartments Leasing Manager Mariah Miser said residents who lease their apartments on Airbnb would directly violate their lease.
“It says right in everyone’s leases that subleasing through sites like Airbnb is prohibited,” she said.
Miser said that a violation would result in a fine, though they haven’t had any people attempt renting yet.
“We have our marketing team looking for images of our building online from anyone posting their apartments for the Super Bowl,” she said.
Other property managers have taken it upon themselves to rent vacant apartments to visitors during Super Bowl weekend.
According to several residents of The Arrow Apartments — formerly known as Prime Place — property managers have been posting empty apartments on Airbnb for $65 per night during Super Bowl weekend.
Property managers of The Arrow declined requests for comment.
When some residents of The Arrow discovered their property managers’ use of Airbnb during the Super Bowl, they decided to try posting their own apartments.
Aaron Williams, a resident of The Arrow, said he advertised his apartment on Airbnb but had to take it down because it conflicted with his lease.
“In our lease it states that subleasing isn’t allowed, and talking to management is like negotiating with the wind, so I just took it down about two weeks ago,” he said.
Other residents of The Arrow are considering alternatives to Airbnb. Robin Jung said that once he learned the property manager was using Airbnb, he didn’t feel inclined to follow his own lease’s rules.
“I may put it on Craigslist instead, but I’m still deciding right now,” Jung said.
