Aggies game forces evacuees to move

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, Sept. 19 (UPI) -- Hurricane Ike evacuees staying in College Station, Texas, hotels were being asked to vacate rooms pre-booked for Saturday's Texas A&M's home game.

Aggie fans reserve hotel rooms up to a year in advance for home football games, so hotel managers have been asking evacuees to leave for the weekend, the Houston Chronicle reported Friday.

L.C. Ruiz of Galveston said he went to extend his stay at Manor House Hotel Thursday and was told he had to leave Friday -- but was welcome to return on Monday, the Chronicle said.

"We were told we have to get out because they're having a football game," said Ruiz, who evacuated Sept. 10 with his ailing wife, his wife's nurse and her family.

Canceling hotel reservations would have constituted a breach of contract, said Scott Joslove, president and chief executive officer of the Texas Hotel & Lodging Association. College Station hotels, he added, are trying to help the evacuees.

"Hotels that have booked reservations are calling their guests and asking them to cancel their reservations in deference to the evacuees," Joslove said, adding hotels "can't just cancel without the guests' permission."