417 Emporia State dorm rooms will be rented to approximately 600 paying guests during race week this summer for the Unbound Gravel bike racing event. Registration opened last Tuesday through the Memorial Union on Marketplace and sold out in less than ten minutes.
“I heard last year from a guest that they took off work to get signed up… they know how competitive it can be, how quickly the rooms fill up,” said Kayla Smith, Director of Residential Life Administration.
Rooms will be rented by racers, vendors, audience members, and other interested parties from Towers Complex and Schallenkamp Hall.
Abigail Morse will host summer residents and will not be available for the event.
The rooms will cost a flat-rate of $315 for private and two-person rooms and $715 for suites for the entire four nights. Guests are welcome to arrive and check out at any point.
During the week, residence halls will be fully staffed with professional staff, facilities, custodial staff, and student workers.
Meals will be provided in the cafeteria for dinner on Thursday, breakfast, lunch, and dinner on Friday, and an early breakfast on Saturday before the race.
In the past, Dining Services has worked with dietitians and others to decide on menu items according to the nutritional needs of riders.
Residential Life has been renting out dorms for the event since 2013.
“It’s an event we’ve been doing for a while, but that we really enjoy doing,” Smith said. “There’s a good community amongst the guests that come, so although some of them may be competing [against each other] in the race, they’re still really supportive of each other. We really enjoy participating.”
Emporia State’s Residential Life hosts guests in dorms for other events including summer camps and conferences.
This summer, dorms will also host guests for the Kansas Shrine Bowl football game. In order to rent out dorms for events such as these, and in order to operate throughout the summer, Residential Life relies on summer staff and student workers.
Applications for summer staff and summer student staff positions open in March through Handshake.
