I have travelled across the pond for the last three US-hosted Walker Cups, at Merion, NGLA and LACC. All three were some of the most fun golf-related weekends I have ever spent, with a troop of good friends both British and American to walk round with and enjoy convivial dinners after play. I paid for the 'posh' package at both the National and LA, which cost rather less than $500 and was I thought money perfectly well spent. Obviously there will be almost zero Brits attending Seminole, save (I suspect) for the players and R&A staff, and what was already a tricky contest (in terms of seasonal timing) for the GB&I side will become even harder. Not sure what the odds currently are on a home win, but they must be pretty strongly odds-on.
Here in the UK payment of a 'facility fee' for hosting R&A or (in the old days) LGU or home union amateur events was always standard practice, in essence to compensate host clubs for lost green fee income (which tells you a lot about the financial structures of many of the British championship venues). Incidentally the $500 weekend spectating fee at Seminole will pay for at least half of the annual membership subscription at Conwy, where the Curtis Cup will follow in August, where I very much hope to be and where I very much hope to see some GCA friends.