All right. If you're still looking for hotels, do this.
Go to priceline.com. Click the "Name Your Own Price, Save Up To 60%" link. When it gives you a map of greater Ft. Worth, click areas 5 and 12 (Stockyards and Downtown) and nothing else. Highlight the 3 1/2 star selection (highest one you can do). Put in your credit card info and bid the lowest possible rate a 3 1/2 star hotel in those areas will accept: $143. (Make sure this is what you want to do, because if your offer is accepted it will automatically charge your card. Make sure your other friends haven't also booked a hotel but not told you yet, make sure you're cool with potentially staying in either of those areas, etc.)
I did this and got the Worthington Renaissance Hotel for $173 total with tax. Apparently it's the nicest hotel in downtown Ft. Worth. Way cheaper than booking through any hotel's website. If you're looking for cheapish and nice but aren't too picky, this is the route to take.
If $173 total is still too much, well first of all, you're
. Act like it. Secondly, Priceline will also let you bid in other areas of the city, and also in the same areas but on cheaper, shittier hotels.
*EDIT* If you're leery about potentially having Priceline stick you in The Stockyards, just click the downtown area and don't click Stockyards when you bid. This may raise your price a bit, but who knows.
