Originally Posted by hockeyinsider

That's absurd. Corporate Marriott pays hotels for your stay, when you redeem points. It isn't money lost, though the rate paid could I suppose be lower than rates the hotel might command during peak season. Still, this was a brand new hotel located in a largely off-the-map destination. Whatever was lost was certainly negated by the publicity and reputation the hotel received by guests who otherwise wouldn't have stayed there.