Local Romans not entertained by Colosseum becoming an Airbnb

The Roman Colosseum is a battleground again. The New York Times reports that local Romans are none too happy about Airbnb moving in and putting a lockbox on the front door of the 2000-year-old amphitheater. A partnership between Colosseum Archaeological Park and Airbnb, which contributed $1.5 million toward the restoration of the building, will welcome as many as 32 people to spend a night training to be gladiators from historical re-enactors. Massimiliano Smeriglio of Rome’s City Council told the Times that he and many in the city are “against transforming the Colosseum into a theme park.” The sharks in Gladiator II probably didn’t do his position any favors.

The event will be divided into two three-hour experiences, running from May 7 through May 8 next year. Each event has space for eight guests and their plus ones. The experience allows participants into the hypogeum, the bowels of the Colosseum where gladiators prepared for battle, and choose which type of gladiator to cosplay as (murmillo, thraex, provocator, retiarius, or contrarete.) Finally, after a spread of grapes, pomegranates, almonds, and walnuts, guests train in gladiator combat and do a little fight with other guests.

Opposition to the event has less to do with the activities and more with who runs them. As it has been throughout the world, Airbnb has been disastrous for Rome’s housing market, making affordable, long-term rentals a rarity in Italy’s largest city. With the support of the Italian government, Airbnb says it hopes to “support the restoration and enhancement of the Colosseum’s heritage, including an ongoing project to restore the permanent exhibition at the Colosseum.” Critics say the company’s paltry donation is a drop in the bucket to the turmoil Airbnb-fueled tourism has caused for the city.

“Airbnb sponsorship would have been quite controversial,” writes Massimiliano Tonelli in Italy’s Art Tribune. “Rome is experiencing years of unsustainable tourist assault and Airbnb is becoming in the city (as in other mass tourism destinations) more of a problem than an opportunity.”

Airbnb has spent the last few years trying to find new profit sectors as users grow tired of paying cleaning fees and dealing with unresponsive hosts. The short-term rental service that has been driving up rents worldwide is trying to let you sleep in the movies. In addition to another Italian getaway at the Ferrari museum the company is offering, they’ve also built an Up house for people to fall out of.