ORLANDO, Fla. — As the year starts to come to a close, so does the college football season. With the end of the season comes bowl games, which could mean an increase in the local economy.

For the past few days fans of Ohio University and Jacksonville State have been in town spending money, staying in hotels, and driving on Central Florida roads.

Ohio University got the 30-27 victory in the game at Camping World Stadium, holding off a 13-point surge by Jacksonville State in the fourth quarter. Bobcats quarterback Parker Navarro, a former UCF Knight, rushed for three touchdowns in the first half — of 17, 8 and 7 yards — and threw an 11-yard pass to Anthony Tyus III as Ohio led 27-7 at halftime.

One of the Cure Bowl sponsors Ole Red on International Drive says the final two weeks of the year is usually one of their best portions of the year.

“This time of year we see about a 130% that we are up when bowl games are here,” Ole Red Marketing Manager Jessica Balsamo says. “Everybody is staying on I-Drive.”

The Cure Bowl is just now kicking off a busy time. Visit Orlando reports hotel bookings for the holiday week between Christmas and New Year’s are pacing ahead of the 2023 holiday period. Marketing manager of Ole Red in Icon park says they know what’s coming starting Christmas week with two more bowl games to go.

“We’re busier between the week between Christmas and new years,” Balsamo says before laughing. “It’s called our hell week.”

Steve Hogan, the CEO of Florida Citrus Sports, says between the three bowl games and last months Florida Classic, these four games bring up to $150 million dollars to the area.

Visit Orlando also expects to end the year on a high note. They report December hotel demand levels are surpassing this same time last year.