Hey, all - I just booked an AMAZING $258 non-stop fare from Los Angeles to Minneapolis for AmCup1 through Orbitz. Just yesterday the best I could do was $550. Even with taxes and fees this is still under $300.

On another note, the special rate at the Doubletree (the host hotel) for Nationals in St Louis is expected to be $89 plus tax, with free breakfasts and access to the hotel's exercise facilities, plus free wi-fi and in room internet access (for our reports back to our 'posse's). This is the same rate we got at the Red Lion for last year's World Cup, but last year it didn't include breakfast. The rate is available to both fans and skaters. (Yeah, I asked, so we don't have another mixup like last year when they booked us in the skaters' block of rooms!) Keep checking USS and mospeedskating.org for bulletins later this week or early next week.

Ticket info for Nationals probably won't be available 'till September...

Also, I'm hearing that there's a convention in town, so the Red Lion is booked for the SLC World Cup - check out Anthony's post about the Hilton Garden Inn!

If anyone has info about the host hotels for Minneapolis or Vancouver, please post!