I want to respond to the price-gouging articles concerning the furniture market.

I went to Syracuse, N.Y., for the basketball regional games, and our rate at the Marriott Courtyard was almost doubled. Syracuse's population is more than 140,000, and the Carrier Dome seats less than 42,000. Was this price-gouging? Did the NCAA care? Nothing else was going on in Syracuse over Easter weekend.

When you travel, you pay the going rate, whether it is seasonal or not. If you travel to resorts in season, the rates are more. The furniture market reflects our seasonal rates for lodging. High Point is being treated unfairly by the travelers and the media.

Vegas will not give its rooms away if its market gets successful and brings in more than 100,000 people for a week or so. Vegas is known for gambling, and I suspect its rates will reflect gambling or furniture market.

Herman Hunter
High Point