There are a bunch of firms in TN that are involved in the short and long term leasing of entertainment-shell type coaches. They range from some pretty shabby conversions to very slick star coaches. The daily rental rate on an XLII is $1600 a day, with driver and fuel.

The star entertainer tour operators often rent several of these coaches for a tour, one for the star, one for the band, one for the dancers, and sometimes others for key grips and top technical personnel. Then they rent a couple of straight trailers for the equipment and sets.

There's a guy UP the road from us who owns 200 of these coaches. It is his claim that he doesn't make any money from the rental of the coaches, but instead it is a beneficial tax deal and makes a few bucks when the coaches are flipped at the end of use to lesser 'stars.'

It is probably cheaper to rent a bus for a tv production, even on a daily basis than to trash a new conversion that would significantly depreciate after use on television. And a bit more: It probably doesn't make sense to promote a conversion brand on National television on a cost/thousand basis when you can do the secret handshake at a camper show.