Texas is bringing the No. 2 team in the country to War Memorial Stadium in Laramie on Saturday, with thousands of devoted fans in tow.

Tourism officials hope those Longhorn lovers bring their cash and cards as well.

What is being labeled the biggest home game in Wyoming Cowboys football history may only be matched by the expected economic windfall for the state's merchants and businesses, tourism and travel officials said this week.

"I really do expect a huge economic benefit with this game," said Fred Ockers, executive director for the Albany County Tourism Board in Laramie.

"This is going to be great for Laramie, the surrounding areas and really the whole state," he said. "I think it's going to be really good (for business) around here. Hopefully we'll showcase well."

No one can really provide a reliable estimate of how many thousands of Longhorns fans will descend upon the Cowboy State, said Tim Harkins, UW associate athletics director for media relations, public relations and broadcasting.

But between ticket and memorabilia sales alone, it should be a big money day for the university.

"Oh, sure, any time you can sell your stadium out, it's a big boost to your budget ... I think a lot of the great response has come through the Wyoming fans," Harkins said.

"We won't have a dollar figure, of course, until after the game, but there's no doubt it's a big positive for us," he continued. "It's the biggest game in our history ... and Texas is the highest ranked team to ever play here, so it's going to be a huge day for us."

Ockers said most every lodging facility in the county is full, and most rooms have been booked for months.

"That alone is huge for us. And that includes the overflow into places like Centennial, which is 22 miles west of Laramie, and guest ranches in the area," Ockers said. "But the lodging is obviously the first big benefit, and everything kind of filters down from there."

Ockers said area restaurants and bars are adding extra staff in preparation, and nearly every service industry is gearing for the influx of both Wyoming and Texas fans.

Rental car agencies have added extra vehicles to their fleets, and airports are anticipating an increase in private jet traffic, he said. RV parks were filling up by Thursday.

"A lot of the Laramie merchants are planning on catering to those people with later hours ... and there's a lot of entertainment venues that are going to be in town for Friday and Saturday with bands and so forth," he said.

Ockers said tourism officials expected some Texas fans to arrive a few days early and stay a few days after the game.

"I think a lot of the Texas people are going to not only filter out here, but maybe tour some of the rest of the state ... take the opportunity to see the West, so to speak," he said.

Hilton headquarters

Many Texas fans have already invested heavily in the game.

One rabid Texas booster bought 50 Cowboys season tickets -- at $168 a pop -- to ensure a seat.

He wasn't the only one, according to Greg Koteen of the UW ticket office.

"We gave Texas an allotment of 3,500 tickets to sell," he said. "And they have bought some season tickets as well, but not a whole lot."

It appears the new Hilton Garden Inn -- located just across the street from War Memorial -- will be Longhorns headquarters. The Texas team, coaches and many Longhorns fans have reserved about 135 rooms, Ockers said.

Harkins said UW began a new tradition this season: The team will spend the night before home games at a local motel.

"The overnight stay is something new for this year, and normally we would be staying at the Hilton Garden Inn," he said. "But for this game ... when we signed this contract with Texas, they actually booked the Hilton right away. So for this week, the team is going to Little America in Cheyenne, but it's back to the Hilton for the rest of the season."

On the Cowboys' end, the game is officially sold out for only the fourth time since War Memorial was expanded in the 1970s. The last time was two years ago against Virginia. A record 34,745 watched the game against Colorado State in 1997.

Ockers said about the only way business could be better is if Wyoming wins the game.

"I don't know if there's enough beer in Laramie for that to happen, but wouldn't that be something?" he said.

Contact southwest Wyoming bureau reporter Jeff Gearino at 307-875-5359 or gearino@tribcsp.com.