WASHINGTON, DC

The latest Labor Department report, on January 2012 employment numbers, shows a very emboldening fact: the travel industry is outpacing other sectors when it comes to growth.

"Posting its thirteenth gain in the past 14 months, the travel industry added 7,000 jobs in January 2012,” according to David Huether, senior vice president of economics and research at the U.S. Travel Association. “That means 7,540,000 U.S. workers are directly employed by travel, and these jobs cannot be outsourced.”

He continued, "Since the employment recovery began in March of 2010, travel industry employment has expanded by 223,000, marking a 3.1 percent increase; meaning the industry is growing faster than the 2.4 percent rise in employment in other sectors of the economy. As a result, the travel industry has already made up for 45 percent of the job losses that took place during the recession. By comparison, the job gains in rest of the economy to-date have offset just 35 percent of the job losses during the recession."

And this growth points up another important hiring trend, Huether noted.

“The travel industry employs a larger share of workers with less than a college degree than other sectors of the economy,” he said. “The quicker employment recovery in the travel industry has helped the unemployment rates for those with less than a college degree come down faster over the past year than those with a college degree.”

CAPE MAY, N.J.

Thanks to a relatively mild winter, crews working on the new Cape May Convention Center should have no trouble completing the $10.5 million, 20,000-foot structure in time for its May 26 grand opening.

Mayor Ed Mahaney said the great value of the convention center will be its ability to bring in conventions, trade shows, educational conferences and social events, and keep visitors coming almost year-round.

A concrete subfloor was laid last week. It will be overlaid with insulation and topped with a bamboo floor, which is green, renewable, and will make for great acoustics, said Mike Whipple, the city’s director of marketing and communications.

The performance area at the new hall is backed by a 42-foot by 18-foot glass window overlooking the ocean; the layered glass conforms to Miami-Dade code requirements and is strong enough to withstand hurricane-force winds. The glass is tinted to keep out excessive heat. The building also is equipped with solar panels for greater energy efficiency. There is no fixed stage; stages of varying sizes will be rented to make the center adaptable to many kinds of events. The audience area will include 700 seats, with 250 additional seats on telescopic risers, for good viewing.

Also, a 75-foot by 25-foot outdoor deck on the west side of the hall will be equipped with rocking chairs so people can relax and enjoy the ocean view. Two 1,000-square-foot retail spaces will be included in the front of the building.

MIAMI

A consortium consisting of affiliates of Starwood Capital Group, the LeFrak Organization and Invesco Ltd. announced it jointly purchased the South Miami Beach mixed-use hotel that was formerly known as the Gansevoort.

Slated to be renamed The Perry South Beach, the property--featuring 334 guestrooms--will get a $100 million renovation that will be completed by  late 2013. The repositioning will also include several new local and national stores and restaurants in the retail corridor along Collins Avenue, where the hotel is located.

The Gansevoort includes 90,000 square feet of retail space, three outdoor swimming pools, and multiple indoor and outdoor food and beverage venues. The property also offers a 26,000 square foot rooftop pool and lounge with sweeping ocean views, a 32,000 square foot elevated pool plaza and restaurant, and a 48,000 square foot private beach.

Courtesy of hotelsmag.com

NILES, Ohio

The Cafaro Co., owners of the Eastwood Mall here, have announced that preliminary discussions are under way to build an 85,000-square-foot, four-story, 100-suite, nationally branded hotel at the mall, and an adjacent 24,000-square-foot banquet and conference center.

“This is large enough that we could accommodate up to 1,000 people,” said Joe Bell, director of corporate communications for Cafaro. “It really is something that other facilities nearby just don’t have.” The city of Niles is in the Youngstown area, near the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The Trumbull County Convention & Visitors Bureau said there are between 1,700 and 1,900 hotel rooms in the county and that the hotel, in conjunction with the conference center, will be a much needed addition. The facility has an anticipated opening of early 2013.

Eastwood Mall is considered the largest shopping center in America, according to the Directory of Major Malls. In addition to the enclosed mall that features about 130 tenants, the Eastwood complex includes five centers with 14 anchor stores, 20 theater screens, more than 30 eateries, an Expo Center, a hotel and a minor-league baseball stadium.

CLEVELAND

Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants has announced its plans to enter the Cleveland, Ohio market with the management of a 161-room hotel. Housed in an historic, adaptive reuse downtown building, the hotel is slated to open in early 2013.

The boutique-style hotel will sit in the city’s landmark Schofield Building, which was built in 1902 and served as a prominent office building for more than 100 years. The new Kimpton will feature more than 7,400 square feet of meeting and event space, including a ballroom and outdoor roof terrace. It also will offer a chef-driven destination restaurant and--as part of a mixed-use development--there will be retail offerings on the building’s ground floor.

“For us, it’s especially exciting to see the demand for the boutique concept in general spreading to more mainstream cities in the Midwest and other areas of the country outside the urban centers of New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco,” said Kimpton CEO Michael Depatie.

Courtesy of hotelsmag.com

Site joins the travel and meetings industry in praising the establishment of the US Travel and Tourism Advisory Board.  The Site International Board of Directors has also urged the organization to ensure that growth and representation of the motivational events and incentive travel industry are included in its strategies.
 
Site President Alejandro Verzoub, President of AV Business & Communication based in Argentina stated, “Site recognizes the distinguished leaders called to serve on the Advisory Board, but also encourages the Board to include stakeholders committed to the motivational events and incentive travel segment. These should be individuals who represent not only the views of American business but also hold extensive global experiences.”
 
Incentive programs may be smaller in quantity than other types of visible meetings or travel groups but they stand powerful in impact.  The 2011 report The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy documented 1.8 million US meetings with 66,000 classified as incentive meetings.  The incentive segment accounted for 25 million travelers and 13 million room nights in the US alone. Around the globe, motivational travel programs represent a multi-billion dollar investment in the world economy.

Allison Summers, Managing Director for Site & the Site International Foundation added, “Easing visa requirements and US tourism promotion are positive moves that we welcome.  However, Site encourages the Advisory Board and US Congressional leaders to broaden their views to recognize that motivational programs that employ travel as a key motivator can have a compound effect on the US economy.”

WASHINGTON, D.C.

The U.S. Travel Association launched a targeted campaign to lobby specific members of Congress about the value that meetings, events, trade shows and incentives bring to their states and districts.

“The campaign that were undertaking on the Hill is a continuation of our effort since 2009, but the difference with this campaign is we’re going to take a more targeted approach on the Hill, with the 12 states that are the top meetings and events markets in the United States,” said Erik Hansen, director of domestic policy for the U.S. Travel Association. “We’re going to go out to these members and make the case that meetings matter, not only to their districts and to their state, but to the economy as a whole.”

 

Hansen said the effort will have three key objectives: communicating the number of jobs and amount of economic spending meetings and events produce for a state or district; showing the value of those meetings and events to the broader economy; and connecting Congressional representatives with meetings, conventions and trade shows that are happening in their state or district so they can get a “back-of-the-house” tour to see first-hand the power of the industry and its impact on local communities.

The campaign will target the top 12 states for meetings and events: the Washington, D.C., metro area, New York, Florida, Nevada, Illinois, Louisiana, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, Texas, Hawaii and California. Meetings industry partners that are joining the effort include MPI, PCMA, IMEX, IACC and CIC.

Hansen said the campaign, in conjunction with hospitality industry research firm Smith Travel Research (STR), developed a “dashboard” to illustrate the economic impact of meetings.

“We plan to follow up with each of these members quarterly and provide them with a dashboard of economic indicators so they can tell how the meetings and events industry is doing in their district in the past quarter, compared to the rest of the country and overall on the year,” Hansen said, adding that STR will provide real-time hotel booking information that will be supplemented by economic impact data from the U.S. Travel Association.

ATLANTA

The Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway, adjacent to one of the world’s busiest U.S. airports, has earned Silver LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification by the United States Green Building Council.

The eco-savvy, 403-room property is among the greenest hotels in the city and is one of only 41 LEED Silver hotels for new construction in the U.S. to earn this level of accreditation.

Said Robert Woolridge, General Manager, “Our contributions in making the environment a healthier place by reducing waste, conserving energy and water and using ‘green power’ provided by the city of College Park are paying off and will continue for years to come.”

The Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway was created with ten percent of recycled materials and a landscape and irrigation design that reduces water consumption by 50 percent. The hotel uses 30 percent less water and 28 percent less energy than a non-LEED hotel. Twenty percent of all hotel supplies are sourced locally, within a 500-mile radius, and a white roof reduces heat absorption. The eco-friendly venue uses non-coal produced energy, low-flow plumbing and shower fixtures, energy efficient lighting and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, sealants and carpets.  The Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway regularly monitors and tests indoor air quality to ensure the best level and provide guests access to thermostats to control personal environments. Additionally, guest will discover recycling in centralized locations, hybrid rental cars, premium parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles, paperless billing, green meeting options and materials.

WASHINGTON, DC

The U.S. Travel Association has announced its endorsement of new legislation to help expand the Visa Waiver Program (VWP).

The Visa Waiver Program Enhanced Security and Reform Act, introduced by Sens. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Reps. Mike Quigley (D-IL) and Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), enhances security measures while extending the VWP framework to welcome additional countries.

Among the legislation's key components are updated eligibility criteria, updated refusal rate criteria, exercise of waiver authority and synchronized probation and termination provisions.

The VWP is designed to improve standards for air security, travel documents and international information sharing, and to stimulate the U.S. economy by removing entry obstacles that discourage overseas travel to our shores.

MIAMI

InterContinental Miami has announced it formed a partnership with Greenlight Energy to purchase 15,467,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of wind power in 2012. The purchase is part of a broader corporate-wide sustainability strategy and makes InterContinental Miami the largest green power purchaser in Florida to be named to the most recent 100 percent Purchaser’s List, maintained by the EPA’s Green Power Partnership. The purchase also earns the luxury hotel membership in the EPA Partnership’s prestigious Leadership Club.

The EPA's Green Power Partnership is an industry-government partnership that helps increase the use of green power among leading U.S. organizations. Currently, there are over 1,300 EPA Green Power Partners that are collectively buying nearly 21 billion kWh of green power annually.

Beyond the use of renewable energy, InterContinental Miami has a broader sustainability focus that covers design, operations and technologies that reduce energy, water and waste, cut carbon emissions, improve guest health and comfort, reduce operating and maintenance costs and raise guest and staff awareness of sustainability issues.

CHICAGO

Mayor Emanuel today launched a new tourism organization for the city of Chicago, with the goal of attracting 50 million visitors per year by 2020 and resulting in nearly $4 billion a year in additional annual revenues for Chicago’s economy.

By combining the efforts of the current Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau and the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture, the new organization will save $1.3 million in administrative costs that will be reinvested in national and international marketing campaigns.

The Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau will join forces with the tourism-focused portion of the Chicago Office of Tourism and Culture to form the new organization. CCTB CEO and President Don Welsh will be CEO and President of the new organization.

“Mayor Emanuel’s decision to streamline Chicago’s tourism marketing strategy makes strong financial and logistical sense,” said Welsh. “Our ultimate goal is to make Chicago the premier destination for domestic and international business and leisure travelers. Today’s decision will help the city more cost effectively advance and achieve this vision.”

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA

Hyatt Regency Indianapolis has announced the completion of a $20 million transformation that features 499 newly appointed guestrooms, suites and a completely redesigned rooftop restaurant, The Eagle’s Nest. The renovation is the most extensive in the 35-year history of the downtown conference hotel.

The new residential-style guestrooms feature ergonomic and spacious workstations, custom woodwork and bright, contemporary bathrooms including 170 glass-showers. Rooms also have the latest in wired and wireless technology.

Indiana’s only revolving rooftop restaurant, The Eagle’s Nest, has also been completely transformed with a new contemporary design and custom furnishings that create a vibrant lounge and dining room. In addition, a new executive chef has been hired to helm the eatery.

The renovation also includes a new Regency Club. The Hyatt Regency Indianapolis features over 35,000 square feet of function space.

TORONTO

The Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto, at 65 stories tall and topped with an articulated spire, will launch January 31 as one of the tallest structures in all of Canada.

The hotel will boast 261 guest rooms and suites, and offer meeting facilities that include 12,000 square feet of function space, a Grand Ballroom & Foyer, a large pre-function area, and upscale catering.

Elegant guest rooms include black lacquered doors leading to expansive rooms, crystal wall sconces and Italian Bellino bed linens. A 4,000-square-foot Presidential Suite on the 30th floor holds status as the largest and highest hotel suite in Toronto. One floor up is the hotel’s fine dining restaurant, STOCK, with a 135-seat space showcasing farm-raised meats and fresh seasonal produce.

Another highlight is the amazing views. With the hotel taking full advantage of its position 900 feet above the city, plenty of the rooms offer a floor-to-ceiling look at Lake Ontario.

CALGARY, Alb.

Marriott International, Inc. is scheduled to open the 171-room Courtyard by Marriott and 157-suite Residence Inn by Marriott in Calgary, Alberta, Canada on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012.  Located in the 2500 block of 48th Avenue NE, the hotels are owned by The Mitchell Group Alberta Inc. and managed by Marriott International.

Located about eight miles from the Calgary International Airport, the hotels offer convenient access to downtown Calgary, TELUS Spark and the Crossiron Mills Mall.

The new six-story Courtyard hotel features The Bistro restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, an indoor swimming pool, 8,000 square feet of meeting space, fitness centre, guest laundry, business centre and The MarketTM, a 24/7 shop for snacks, beverages and sundries.    

The new Residence Inn includes an indoor swimming pool, fitness center, 8,000 square feet of meeting space that is shared with the Courtyard hotel, a social room, weeknight social hour and faxing/copying/printing services.

OWENSBORO, Ky.

Officials in Owensboro, Kentucky are in the last stages for breaking ground on a 169,000-square-foot, $48.4 million convention center, slated to launch next year.

 The city’s Downtown Convention Center Steering Committee and the Owensboro-Davies County Industrial Development Authority will meet on January 31 to review final design changes to the facility scheduled to break ground on April 1st.  The design of the convention center—a glass-fronted, two-level structure along the Ohio River—has already met approval.

Clarksville previously rejected a referendum on a convention center following debate among city and county officials on the financial wisdom of such an investment.  Neighboring Oak Grove and Hopkinsville both have their own convention centers.

Global Spectrum, the firm hired by Owensboro to operate and manage the convention center, will guide the project through the final design stages before actual construction commences.

MARSHFIELD, Wisc.

According to a report from the Marshfield News-Herald, Clearwaters Hotel and Convention Center's overnight guests awoke Friday morning to an unpleasant surprise: The hotel was closing, and they effectively were being booted from their rooms.

At least one Clearwaters’ guest booked a room with Marshfield's Holiday Inn Hotel and Conference Center for Friday night, after a note from Clearwaters management was slipped under the guest's door announcing the hotel was shutting down at 10 a.m. Friday, said Steve Luchik, Holiday Inn general manager.

By 11 a.m. Friday, the doors of the financially troubled Clearwaters Hotel, at 2700 S. Central Ave., were locked, and all the window shades were drawn.

Signs posted on the doors said Clearwaters was "closed until further notice."

Co-owner Fred Scherle of Panora, Iowa, did not return a phone message seeking comment by press time Friday. The hotel's phone rang unanswered. Several people standing outside the hotel entrance Friday morning identified themselves as hotel employees but declined to comment.

Three Marshfield Police Department squad cars responded at about 11 a.m. to a report of looting at Clearwaters, which proved unfounded because it was employees removing their personal property, Lt. Darren Larson said.

Marshfield Mayor Chris Meyer said he is confident the hotel "won't stay closed forever." He said the city will continue to work with hotel owners to "expedite any transfer of ownership" in order to get the hotel running again.

"We certainly want to see a successful hotel operating out of that building," Meyer said.

Click here to read the story in full.

Courtesy of the Marshfield News-Herald

WINSTON-SALEM, NC

Renovations could be on the way for the Benton Convention Center, the Winston-Salem Journal reports.

The Forsyth County Tourism Development Authority is hiring a consultant to recommend renovations for the facility, which was last renovated in 2006 at a cost of $2.9 million. Those upgrades are described as a “band-aid” and any new changes would likely center around technology enhancements to the facility.

The city-owned convention center is managed by Noble Investment Group, which owns the adjacent Embassy Suites and Marriott hotel.

The convention center first opened in 1968. It was expanded in 1986 and currently has about 100,000 square feet of space.

MONTGOMERY, Ala.

The former Madison Hotel in downtown Montgomery, which has struggled to reinvent itself over the years, will undergo a $5 million overhaul and reopen later this year as Doubletree Hotel, a 130-room facility.

John Tampa, who bought the beleaguered hotel site late last year, said he plans to gut the hotel. He hopes his investment and the drastic renovation project will return the hotel to its former glory of the 1970s. It was most recently called the Clarion Hotel.

"Nothing will stay except the walls," Tampa said Thursday, adding that he hopes to open the new hotel this summer.

This Doubletree Hotel will serve as an overflow hotel for the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa at the Convention Center, but that does not mean it is skimping on features. The hotel will have a fitness center, a full-service restaurant and bar, and 10,000 square feet of meeting-room space that would accommodate up to 500 people.

HEI Hospitality LLC, a closely held lodging investment and management company, is in talks to buy the upscale Hotel Palomar Arlington for about $45 million, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

An agreement for the $292,200-a-room purchase is likely to be completed soon, said the person, who asked not to be named because the discussions are private.

The hotel, located near Washington, is owned by JBG Cos., a Chevy Chase, Maryland-based developer. The property is run by Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group LLC, the San Francisco-based operator of 52 boutique hotels and 56 restaurants in the U.S. HEI owns 42 high-end properties with such brands the Le Meridien, Crowne Plaza and Westin.

“Over the long term, Washington is a good market with not much new supply coming in,” said Patrick Scholes, a New York- based analyst at FBR Capital Markets.

Courtesy of Bloomberg Businessweek

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.

It starts with the parking and ends with the meals: Changes are everywhere at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek; to the tune $150 million.

At the grand opening for an extensive expansion this week, numerous upgrades made to the casino--which is a sister property to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla.--will be revealed.

Among the additions: three restaurants, including a high-end steakhouse, a mid-priced Italian restaurant and a New York-style deli; a 1,220-seat indoor concert pavilion (replacing the casino's temporary slot area that was known as "The Site,"), and numerous casino improvements.

"You could take this casino as it sits today and drop it onto Las Vegas strip or in Atlantic City and it would be very successful and popular," said general manager Steve Bonner.

SEATTLE, Wash.

W Seattle has commenced a renovation of the hotel’s “Living Room,” Bar and Restaurant with the closure of its first floor public spaces.

The 26-floor W Seattle, featuring 424 guest rooms and 11 meeting spaces--inluding a 4,554-square-foot ballroom--is situated in the heart of the city’s financial, retail and entertainment district, crowned by an illuminated steel and mesh pyramid visible throughout the city. W Seattle’s first floor is being concealed from public viewing during the three months of construction; however guests are able to catch a glimpse of the hotel’s future via a custom-created Peek-a-Booth, an interactive kiosk and video experience located near the property’s welcome desk.

The hotel’s dramatic re-opening is planned for early March 2012 and upon completion, W Seattle will reveal TRACE, the hotel’s new restaurant and bar.

Said Tom Limberg, general manager of the hotel, “At W it is all about what’s new, what’s next, so naturally we are thrilled with the complete re-imagining of our restaurant, bar and Living Room space. While it is a tad premature to offer up specific details, I am able to both repeat and reiterate our original pre-opening promise, ‘Worth the Wait.'”

CHICAGO

PCMA’s Convening Leaders annual meeting set an attendance record for the association, with 3,751 delegates meeting in San Diego for the Jan. 8-11 event, squeaking by 2010’s Las Vegas show to claim the honor—by a razor-thin eight delegates.

Although the association did not release the official numbers during the meeting, statements made by PCMA President and CEO Deborah Sexton during Convening Leaders were bullish, and as it turns out, on the mark if only by eight.

“We have a record number of planners for this meeting,” Sexton said at the meeting’s press conference. “We’re fairly certain we’re going to set a record for total attendees as well.”

The association’s definitive statement on setting a record for the total number of planner attendees was even more spot-on, as the year-over-year number of Professional Planner participants increased 9 percent over 2010, when the previous record was set.

The association’s second-year push for the virtual version of Convening Leaders was also deemed a success, with 300 of the 2012 registrants indicating they were influenced to attend the face-to-face event following their participation in a previous PCMA virtual or hybrid meeting. Of those, 112 responded that they had never attended PCMA’s annual meeting, or had not done so in the past six years.

For this year’s event, PCMA expanded its hybrid broadcast coverage to include four General Sessions, two Masters Sessions, two hour-long segments from the event’s Learning Lounge, nine of its 64 concurrent sessions, the event’s press conference and Town Hall, and daily interviews with conference speakers and industry leaders.

Top hybrid sessions will be rebroadcast for free Jan. 31 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central time. Those who wish to attend can register at www.conveningleaders.org/hybrid.

The PCMA Education Foundation’s Party With a Purpose also set a record by selling more than 1,600 individual tickets for the event, aboard the USS Midway Museum, which benefitted San Diego’s Reality Changers and Network for the Needy, as well as helping fund the foundation’s ongoing efforts.

--Tyler Davidson

AUSTIN, Texas

The Austin Convention Center is the first convention center in Texas, and the second in the U.S. to be awarded the LEED Gold Certification for Existing Buildings.

The 881,400-square-foot facility has worked for four years to complete the accomplishment, awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council.

Sustainable design features and practices at the center include diverting 66 percent of all waste from landfill; composting 250,000 pounds of organic waste in 2011; reducing its carbon footprint by 93 percent since 2007; reducing electric consumption by 20 percent; using carpet made from recycled materials, generating zero emissions and installed without using glue; and using crushed glass, native and adaptive plants in landscaping to minimize water consumption.

“This achievement signifies Austin’s commitment to the environment and will further Austin’s reputation as a premier destination for meetings and conventions,” said Bob Lander, president and CEO of the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Even in the face of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s plan to build a brand new center in Queens, the Borough President is going full steam ahead on her own plans to bring a massive meeting house.

In her recent State of the Borough speech, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall reiterated her commitment to a proposed convention center at Willets Point, near LaGuardia Airport. It has been planned as part of a broad area redevelopment effort, in the works since 2004.

“Let me be clear about the convention center at Willets Point,” said Marshall. “It is meant to complement the Javitz Convention Center. And now it can complement the convention center at Aqueduct.”

Recenty, a new convention center was proposed by Cuomo in his State of the State speech as another option --not to complement but to replace the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in Manhattan. He suggests building the new facility at the Aqueduct racetrack-casino in Jamaica, Queens, adjacent to one of the city’s airports, John F. Kennedy International.

The convention center would be 3.8 million square feet – four times the size of the Javits Center – and is tentatively named the New York International Convention and Exhibition Center, or NICE. �

PROVO, Utah

There is still a lot of work to do, but the new Utah Valley Convention Center is starting to take shape.

Later this spring, the $41 million facility will be hosting corporate conventions. The building is state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly.

The five-floor venue features 83,578 square feet and it will have an exhibition floor, a ballroom, and several meeting rooms, including a rooftop garden.

Commissioner Larry Ellertson says the building was designed to be versatile.

MIAMI

In this economy, you don't see many five-star luxury hotels opening. That's not stopping the St. Regis Hotels and Resorts, a high-end brand owned by Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, from expanding.

The latest U.S. addition: The St. Regis Bal Harbour in the North Miami Beach section of Miami. The 243-room hotel opened after a six-year re-development—costing more than $700 million-- from what was once a Sheraton. It features a restaurant created by world-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

In 2007, St. Regis had 13 hotels globally. By the end of this year, the brand will have 32. Upcoming openings include The St. Regis Doha, The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort in Abu Dhabi and The St. Regis Mauritius Resort.

Courtesy of USA Today

LOS ANGELES

From the American Lodging Investment Summit here, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. announced it opened 27 hotels in North America in 2011, more than it had predicted at this time last year, with the addition of several high quality conversions that were signed and opened during the course of the year.

In addition, in 2011 Starwood signed more new deals than in the previous two years.

Looking ahead to 2012, Starwood is slated to open 20 new properties in North America, not including late breaking in-the-year conversions which are expected to result in additional new hotels this year.

"Our nine unique and differentiated lifestyle brands are all conversion friendly and Starwood has an unsurpassed ability to match the right brand with the right development opportunity in the right market,” said Simon Turner, president of global development at the company.

Star Alliance, of which United, US Airways and several foreign carriers are members, has become the first global airline alliance to offer online booking and ticketing to convention delegates. The new booking tool allows convention organizers to direct their participants to a dedicated online booking and ticketing site for all air travel contracted under Star Alliance Conventions Plus.

The new online booking tool complements the existing traditional fulfillment channels. Organizers can use the new tool to inform the delegates of travel options offered by the participating airlines for the selected convention. Delegates can then check real time availability and fares for their required itinerary, book the appropriate flights, and purchase the corresponding ticket.

A test phase of the tool with selected customers began in October 2011 as part of the Alliances’ presence at IMEX in Las Vegas.

Said Roswitha Clement, senior manager of conventions and meetings at Star Alliance, “We have now successfully completed booking and ticketing for several events using the new tool and the feedback we have received from customers is very positive.”

LAS VEGAS

Smart City Networks has completed the installation of a permanent digital signage network at the Las Vegas Convention Center, offering new opportunities for digital advertising at the center.

The digital signage network consists of 12 video walls throughout the North, Central and South Hall public areas. The new digital signage network can present content to thousands of visitors in multiple locations, while also offering a show the flexibility to purchase advertising on the video walls that are most pertinent to their event space.

In the Grand Lobby, a feature video wall with 36 video screens, spanning a space 21 feet long by 12 feet high, is suspended from a ceiling beam. In total, the digital signage network at the LVCC consists of 87, 46-inch high-definition monitors.

“This network offers a great opportunity for exhibitors and show managers to publicize their products and services directly to the thousands of event attendees in a high impact manner,” said Mark Haley, president of Smart City Networks.

DALLAS

MPI has released the latest version of its business barometer, based on information collected last month. For this latest research, the association expanded its Business Research Panel globally to more than 300 senior level professionals—with a strong showing in Europe and Canada—to allow for greater insights.

Among the findings, MPI found a sharp jump in employment numbers within the meeting and event industry; the U.S. and Europe are currently trending higher than Canada. In addition, the association said hoteliers, venues and destinations should note that while corporate business is up, meetings are focusing on customer satisfaction rather than sales meetings or incentives.

Also of note, the data showed that Europe and Canada are seeing their largest gains in international association meetings, while the U.S. sees its greatest gains in corporate domestic business.

A session at MPI’s European Meeting & Event Conference--taking place next week in Budapest, Hungary—will delve into the research further; it will be led by the study’s chief researcher.

HONOLULU

Gambling proponents are eyeing the Hawaii Convention Center as a possible venue to allow gaming in the state. It has been 15 years since the state built the convention center, and some say it is overdue for a facelift.

Gaming proponents think gambling could be one way to pay for it and to provide income during lean times. And Randy Tanaka, the assistant general manager of the convention center said bookings are down this year. There are only about 40 events scheduled so far. But he was not aware anyone was pushing gaming proposals for the center.

"It’s news to me," said Tanaka.

The Hawaii Tourism Authority said it has not taken a position on gambling, but Maui lawmaker and longtime gambling supporter Joe Souki said the convention center is under consideration.

For the first time in Site’s history, the Site Executive Summit will take place in a South American destination. From March 3 to 7, Argentina will welcome professionals from the global incentive travel and motivational events industry, including leaders of the Site International Board of Directors.

Organized by the Bariloche Bureau, with the support of the INPROTUR, the Ministry of Tourism of Argentina; the Ministry of Tourism of Rio Negro, the EMPROTUR and Site South America, the week of activities will begin with one night in Buenos Aires at the Alvear Palace Hotel, and will continue with the 1st Board Meeting of 2012 at the LlaoLlao Hotel in Bariloche.

Site’s 2012 Executive Summit will take place in Bariloche March 4 to 6 at the Edelweis Hotel in Bariloche. The event promises to gather professional representatives from South American countries like Chile, Brazil, Colombia and Peru along with distinguished Site members from North America, Europe and other parts of the globe. Education is provided by the Site International Board of Directors and will deliver relevant business information on marketing a destination, trends and an overall outlook for the motivational events industry.

Concurrently, the Latin American Meeting’s Summit will take place in Bariloche. LAMS gathers the Site Executive Summit and the XII Encuentro Nacional de Destinos Sede de Eventos organized by the INPROTUR and related organizations.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.

One of the oldest and largest hotels in Colorado Springs, the Crowne Plaza Colorado Springcs, could end up in new management hands as the result of financial and legal battles.

The hotel’s owners, Stamford Real Estate LLC and Harrell Colorado Operating Co. LLC, defaulted in July after failing to repay a $30.8 million loan used to buy and remodel the property. The 500-room hotel remains open but the default prompted Wells Fargo, the bank, to ask a judge to put the property in receivership. Wells Fargo wanted to name David Buddemeyer, president of Driftwood Hospitality Management LLC, as receiver for the 38-year-old hotel.

Driftwood manages 32 hotels in 13 states, the Bahamas and Costa Rica, and specializes in acquisition, development, management and receivership of hotels.

Stamford and Harrell bought the Colorado Springs hotel, with 43,000 square feet of meeting space, in 2007, converted it from the Sheraton to the Crowne Plaza brand and spent $12 million remodeling the property.

FORT WORTH, Texas and SAN DIEGO

Two convention centers have debuted free Wi-Fi service. Now available at the Fort Worth Convention Center and the San Diego Convention Center.

In Fort Worth, the service is available in public areas of the center, including the concourse, hallways and pre-function areas. The facility features a 28,160-square-foot ballroom, a 13,000 seat arena, a 250-square-foot exhibit hall and 41 breakout rooms.

Meanwhile, the San Diego Convention Center rolled out the service in its ground floor areas, including the Tides restaurant. The facility provides 2.6 million square feet of meeting space.

At both buildings, a two-tiered Internet service is still available to purchase for visitors with more advanced connectivity needs, like streaming video and downloading large files.

Airline passengers have gained new rights, including the ability to hold a reservation without payment — or cancel one with a full refund — within 24 hours of making the reservation; as long as it’s made at least a week before the departure date. Some airlines were doing this voluntarily but now it’s a requirement.

It’s one of several new regulations the U.S. Department of Transportation announced in April 2011 that take effect now. The new rules also require airlines to promptly notify passengers of cancellations, diversions and delays longer than 30 minutes and generally prohibit them from increasing the price of a ticket after it is bought. The new rules apply to all airlines, foreign and domestic, operating in the United States and to ticket agents operating here.  

Airlines and ticket agents also must disclose baggage fees to consumers when they book a flight online. Information on baggage fees also must be included on all e-ticket confirmations. For most trips the same baggage fees and allowances must apply throughout a passenger’s journey, the transportation department said.

Further, new advertising rules require airlines and ticket agents to include all mandatory taxes and fees in published airfares.

ANAHEIM, Calif.

The biggest event at the Anaheim Convention Center squeezes into every inch of the massive building and even wiggles into nearby hotel ballrooms each January.

This year, the city-owned center expects to push forward with plans to create more room, now that convention business is bouncing back: A new outdoor plaza is set to break ground in May. The center also hopes to revive plans to add more meeting space.

By the time the NAMM Show’s 90,000 guests  return in a year, the show will be able to use the Grand Plaza, a 100,000-square-foot, outdoor area for parties, concerts, festivals and casual gatherings.

The plaza will hold 10,000 people. Crews plan to break ground May 1 on the plaza and finish it by the end of the year. The Grand Plaza will sit along Convention Way in front of the Hilton and the Marriott, on the center's southeast side.

Shortly after the plaza breaks ground, the city plans to launch a new proposal to construct 200,000 square feet of space along Katella Avenue, across from Disney California Adventure. The new building would go where a parking garage now sits. There would be a link between the two buildings, perhaps a bridge.

DALLAS

As part of the continued brand expansion of the Luxe Hotels' portfolio, CEO Efrem Harkham has announced the addition of the historic Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa in Dallas, Texas, making it the newest Luxe branded property. The announcement was made at The Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS).

"This addition underscores an incredible time in our organization's history, as we continue our expansion of branded properties," said Harkham.  The Stoneleigh Hotel & Spa will be converted into a Luxe branded hotel and be renamed The Luxe Stoneleigh Dallas Hotel & Spa in the second quarter of 2012, he said.

Originally opened during the roaring 1920's, the property recently underwent a $36 million renovation which restored its historic grandiosity and added a chic new personality and energetic vibe.

The Luxe Stoneleigh Dallas Hotel & Spa includes 170 guest rooms. The lavish junior suites offer stunning views of downtown Dallas, art deco elegance, soaring ceilings and antique fireplaces. The hotel's popular penthouse suite features a private 590 square-foot rooftop terrace, music room, dining room and library.

INDIANAPOLIS

An enclosed pedestrian walkway connecting the Indianapolis Artsgarden to the PNC Center is now open.

“This connector creates an essential link between Circle Centre Mall, PNC Center and the Indiana Convention Center,” said Mayor Greg Ballard.

The $1.2 million skywalk is the fourth to be built from the glass-enclosed dome over Washington and Illinois streets, which is managed by the Arts Council of Indianapolis. The Artsgarden links the Conrad Indianapolis, Circle Centre Mall, Claypool Court and now PNC Center.

“Indianapolis offers 4,700 hotel rooms connected via climate-controlled skywalks to our convention center, more than any city in America,” said Leonard Hoops, president & CEO of the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association. “This is a major selling point with meeting professionals."

LEESBURG, Va.

The National Conference Center’s acclaimed Executive Chef, Craig Mason, has made his food forecast for the New Year—and sees plenty of new and growing trends on the way to watch out for.

With several Culinary Institute of America certifications and a repertoire for cooking great food and including locally fresh, locally grown ingredients, Mason is in tune with customer demands. 

For 2012, he says, “Goodbye Thai food and burgers. Those crazes have come and gone.”  Last year, his predictions were like hitting the bull’s-eye in a game of darts. Mason’s 2011 Food Predictions included more quasi-meal places like Chipotle would appear on the map and chefs would prepare food with less seasoning, sticking to the basics – salt, pepper and garlic. Executive Chef Craig Mason’s 2012 food predictions are a list of commodities and concepts he views as popular in the next year:

Farm-to-table and more of it – Mason predicts a continuation of the current farm-to-table movement. He says local will begin to make strides towards becoming “the normal,” and almost expected. He doesn’t necessarily believe organic will be the standard in consumers’ food purchasing but foresees shopping at farmers markets to grow in popularity.

Flavored Vinegars – “We’ll see it more in restaurants first,” Mason explains, “Weird flavored vinegars, such as pomegranate vinegars, house-made vegetables and fruit pickles will be among those to start the movement.” Watch out for the follow up in grocery stores.

More heirloom food – You’ll begin to see fruits and vegetables that aren’t common or have disappeared from the produce section. Among those uncommon fruits and vegetables, Mason says will be honey crisp apples.

All about value! – People spending money on dining out will be looking for the best experience with their money. He states, “People want to go out and be seen. The intrinsic need to go and be seen is human nature, but people will be looking for more value for their money in terms of service experience.” One trend the Executive Chef foresees, more restaurants incorporating amuse bouche, which Mason describes as little “snacks” to whet the appetite and awaken your taste-buds. Unique, up-scale establishments typically serve these single, bite-sized hors d’oeuvres; but in 2012, you may see them in places offering more value and experience for your money.

 Imported wines – In 2011, Mason predicted an emphasis on local wine, but in 2012 Mason says there’s going to a high demand for higher-quality, value-priced wines from places like Spain and South America.

The explosion of special diets – Mason says there’s already a confusion of preference versus dietary restrictions. In 2012, consumers will be even more caught-up in diary-free, gluten-free, soy-free, rice-free menu options as a personal preference, rather than a dietary restriction.

 A great whole-grain explosion - Not only will 2012 see the trend in special diets but Mason predicts diners will begin to see different grain varieties on the menu. Quinoa will be a staple on many menus, barley will begin to replace rice and whole-wheat pizza will be a new menu addition for pizza-lovers.

More atmosphere – The Chef who enjoys grilling outdoors, predicts (and probably has secret wishes) that new restaurants will cater to people who enjoy a fun atmosphere. Mason says, “2012 will be the year of leaving behind the stuffy restaurants and sitting outside in a fun atmosphere, a place where people can have great food in jeans.” He also says beer gardens will become more popular.

Small chocolate treats – Dessert-lovers will see a resurgence of chocolate in main-stream dining. Tiny desserts such as chocolate truffles on a smaller dish will become the new trend.

ORLANDO

In his speech at Walt Disney World last week, President Obama didn’t just call for visa reform. His remarks, and his issuing of an Executive Order, gave a huge shot in the arm to the travel industry, according to Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.

The organization, which sent out a letter to the travel industry following the speech to applaud—and summarize—said the talk indicated that the government wants to play a role in cultivating tourism.

“President Obama gave tremendous visibility to our industry and priorities today when he called for the development of a national travel and tourism strategy,” said Dow. “The President’s remarks provide us with a unique opportunity to establish our industry as key to our country’s economic prosperity, and to make travel issues relevant during this year’s Presidential campaign.”

U.S. Travel also promised in the letter to announce a new national campaign this week.

It will “engage the industry and seek support for our issues from candidates during this political season,” Dow said.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.

Carlson and its majority-owned Rezidor Hotel Group have officially become a single company and will go by the name Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group.

The combined company has more than 1,300 hotels under the Radisson, Radisson Blu, Park Inn, Park Plaza and Hotel Missoni brands in 80 countries. The company's new website, www.carlsonrezidor.com, will launch Feb. 1.

Minneapolis-based Carlson and Brussels-based Rezidor first worked together in 1994, when Rezidor signed a license agreement for Carlson's Radisson brand in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Carlson was founded in 1938 as a stamp-trading company. The company acquired its first Radisson hotel in 1962 and opened its first T.G.I. Friday's restaurant in 1965.

CARLSBAD, Calif.

KSL Resorts has unveiled the re-designed La Costa Resort and Spa here, and no part of the Spanish mission-style resort went untouched.

The property’s 474 guestrooms and suites were updated with a lighter contemporary theme, mirroring the outdoor scenery of the campus. Meanwhile, the hotel’s 110,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space were expanded and refurbished.

A top-to-bottom makeover was completed of La Costa’s conference center, which has been renamed The Coastal Events Center. Capitalizing on the panoramic views that characterize the Coastal Events Center, a new palette of blues, greens and oranges provides a contemporary California feel. New technology, including interactive maps and reader boards, as well as built-in large screen TVs in boardrooms contribute to productivity and efficiency.

A brand new series of Meeting Planner Suites have also been introduced for groups. Four spacious guest suites have been transformed into connecting live/work space conveniently located near the Coastal Events Center. In addition, the Valley Promenade and the Legends Lawn, two new outdoor function venues, provide dramatic views of the scenic rolling hills.

The resort also redid its spa and golf courses, while adding an adult pool and cocktail venue.

NEW YORK

Following an extensive renovation of the International JFK Airport Hotel, the property has been rebranded as the Hilton New York JFK Airport 

Guests can choose from 356 contemporary rooms, including standard, executive, and 11 junior suite accommodations.

Amenities include 6,334 square feet of meeting space, Restaurant 144, a coffee bistro in the lobby, an indoor pool and a fitness facility.

ORLANDO

Speaking at Walt Disney Resort here, President Barack Obama announced a national strategy to boost international arrivals in the United States.

The number of travelers from emerging economies with growing middle classes in China, Brazil, and India are projected to grow by 135 percent, 274 percent and 50 percent, respectively, by 2016 (compared to 2010). With the goal of bringing more of these potential tourists to the U.S., Obama said he will sign an executive order and charge several government agencies to take part in efforts and new initiatives to increase travel.

Some of the initiatives include: a new pilot program and rule change for visa processing in China and Brazil, a final rule to expand and make the Global Entry program permanent, the appointment of new members to the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board, and the nomination of Taiwan to the Visa Waiver Program.

Obama also directed the Department of Commerce to create a task force to develop a “National Travel & Tourism Strategy.” The task force will coordinate cross-departmental efforts and ensure private sector participation.

“Every year, tens of millions of tourists from all over the world come and visit America, Obama said. And the more folks who visit America, the more Americans we get back to work,” said Obama.

BETHESDA, Md.

Marriott International has reaffirmed its commitment to its lifestyle Edition brand--created with Ian Schrager--with the announcement of five hotels.

The locations include the Clock Tower building in New York City, which Marriott bought for $165 million from prior owner Africa Israel USA last year. Renovation and conversion of the Clock Tower will begin later this year.

Other locations announced include buildings under construction in Bangkok and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and a hotel in Los Angeles and Gurgaon, India. The Bangkok Edition will be part of a mixed-use development, while the Abu Dhabi Edition will be part of the Al Bateen Harbor complex within the Abu Dhabi Marina, a mixed-use development including luxury residential and retail.

The announcement bolsters Marriott’s stated commitment of  $800 million to develop the Edition brand, an atypical move for the company that is primarily focused on managing hotels. The Edition brand has had a rocky start with only two Edition-branded hotels opened so far in Istanbul and Honolulu, and the Honolulu hotel has since rebranded amid legal acrimony between the hotel’s owner and Marriott.

Marriott has previously announced two other Edition locations: The London Edition, set to open next year in the historic building formerly known as the Berners Hotel, is in the city's Fitzrovia neighborhood. Meanwhile, the Miami Beach Edition, under construction in the former Seville Hotel, is expected to open in late 2013.

SAVANNAH, Ga.

A new 165-room hotel is being designed for Savannah's historic downtown riverfront.

Plans by Ohio-based company RockBridge Capital call for a seven-story building on the west end of River Street, the city's popular promenade of restaurants, bars and souvenir shops along the Savannah River.

The Savannah Morning News reports that an abandoned 1962 building will have to be demolished to make way for the new hotel, which would cover an entire city block and include two levels of parking and retail space.

Before construction can begin, plans for the hotel must be approved by Savannah's Historic Review Board. Some members say the hotel would be too tall to comply with historic district guidelines.

DENVER, Colo.

Meeting planners looking for a source of content—or those who are responsible for getting their executives to speak or publish material publicly—may want to take note of a new education option. 

Copper Services, a global provider of conferencing, online event management and business content, recently launched Convey, a free business content catalog that connects professionals searching for business expertise and continuing education.

All of the material on Convey is prescreened to ensure that it's focused on business, is informative or educational. Content can be delivered as articles, white papers, reports, podcasts, presentations, webinars, e-books or videos. Convey features an expanding list of providers from hundreds of industries and disciplines.

"Individuals and organizations can earn money by offering informative and educational content for sale and letting Convey manage the payment process,” said Carolyn Bradfield, CEO if Copper Services. “There are no fees to post content on Convey. A small percentage of revenue is charged only when content is sold."

Convey users can search for content by topic, industry or keyword, viewing it online or downloading it. They can register for continuing education webinars or participate in live or recorded events. Much of the content on Convey is offered for free, while some is available for purchase using a credit card.   Providers on the Convey Platform decide if they want to offer their content for free or for purchase and define how much to charge for it. Providers can customize pricing, offer specialized discounts, develop refund policies and offer free content previews.

Convey acts as the merchant to collect and manage all payments, and it will attract members encouraging them to create a profile, customize preferences, write reviews and store payment information.

NEW YORK

Loews Hotels & Resorts has a newly affirmed commitment to growth with more than $500 million in discretionary capital committed to the acquisition of existing hotels and the development of new properties.

President and CEO, Paul Whetsell who recently joined the company, will be leading the effort as Loews is focusing on key urban markets and top-tier resort destinations ideally suited to discerning business travelers and pleasure seekers.  "We will be aggressive in our pursuit of new and existing hotel and resort properties to grow our portfolio," said Whetsell. "Loews has a long tradition of owning and operating high-quality properties and delivering great guest experiences. Our objective is to further develop the brand while producing superior financial operating results for our owners and investors."

Added Troy Furbay, executive vice president of acquisitions and development, "Loews is seeking four and five star quality full-service hotel assets and portfolios including group-oriented urban hotels, commercial transient urban hotels and destination resorts. We are targeting cities such as Chicago, Boston, Washington DC, San Francisco, Dallas, Seattle, New York and Toronto, as well as top-tier sun, ski and golf resort destinations."

Loews also holds significant capital for joint ventures, incentive capital and new developments in primary and secondary markets.

SAN ANTONIO

A Convention Center expansion that would add 100,000 square feet of space, give the facility a new entrance and keep San Antonio competitive for major conventions is on the drawing board.

Michael Sawaya, who oversees the city's Convention, Sports and Entertainment Facilities Department, unveiled a general outline of the planned expansion at a San Antonio Hotel & Lodging Association luncheon.

He said the proposed expansion is not as much about increasing the size of the center as it about increasing the flexibility city officials have to meet customer needs.

The proposed expansion calls for two new exhibit halls and a multi-purpose hall and banquet area added to the east side of the facility. That would give it 528,000 square feet of exhibit space, 25 percent more than it has now.

AMResorts, provider of sales, marketing and brand management services for Zoëtry Wellness & Spa Resorts, and Secrets, Dreams, Now and Sunscape Resorts & Spas, will introduce the Secrets Resorts & Spas brand to Cancun's popular Hotel Zone with the opening of adults-only Secrets The Vine Cancun in August 2012. The resort becomes AMResorts' twenty first property in Mexico and tenth for the Secrets brand.

The newly built Secrets The Vine is located on the golden Yucatan Peninsula coastline. The property features 495 luxurious guest rooms, all with ocean views, and 17,000 square feet of meeting space. It also offers a spa, seven restaurants and three bars.

Additionally, guests have access to a range of activities including land and water sports, daily special events such as movies on the beach, dance classes, nightly shows, evening entertainment and more.

BOSTON

Marriott Hotels & Resorts has announced the completion of a four year, $30 million full property renovation of the Boston Marriott Long Wharf.

Anchoring this extensive renovation is the reinvented lobby, and the adjoining new Waterline restaurant and bar. The 412-room landmark hotel also renovated its 21,000 square feet of meeting space, and it now offers an expanded health club and concierge lounge, and completely renovated meeting space, guest rooms and suites.

All guest rooms have been appointed with ergonomic furnishings, luxurious bedding, iPod clock radios and HD LCD televisions with split screen technology and plug-in connectivity for digital devices. Twelve “executive king suites” and two “luxury waterfront suites” with private balconies have been added, while the hotel’s largest suite, the Long Wharf Suite, has been completely redesigned. An expanded Concierge Lounge provides comfortable dining and lounge seating, complimentary high speed wireless internet access, a laptop station and color printer.

On the lobby level, Waterline restaurant offers a bar, communal dining table, cozy booths, and a private dining room. The restaurant also provides service to the reinvented lobby, where WiFi service and plentiful electrical outlets are available.

CLEVELAND

Starwood Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to introduce the Westin brand to Cleveland, Ohio. The Westin Cleveland Convention Center will open in summer 2013 in a prime location, adjacent to the Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center complex. Owned by Sage Hospitality, the former Crowne Plaza will undergo a $64 million renovation prior to re-opening as a Westin. The Westin Cleveland Convention Center will offer 481 guest rooms, 26,000 square feet of meeting facilities and a full-service restaurant.

Overlooking Lake Erie, The Westin Cleveland Convention Center will open in the city’s financial district, close to the Cleveland Clinic and the offices of PNC Bank, Easton Corporation and Sherwin Williams. Guests will be right next door to the brand-new Cleveland Convention Center and Medical Mart complex scheduled to open in 2013.

The hotel also will offer convenient access to top attractions including Brown’s Stadium, Progressive Field, Playhouse Square, the Cleveland Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the shops and restaurants at the Galleria at Erieview. Hopkins International Airport (CLE) is just 12 miles away.

BUDAPEST, Hungary

Leading-edge meeting design components at the  European Meetings and Events Conference (EMEC) will demonstrate how new ideas in room layout, technology, collaboration techniques and even catering can be put into practice immediately by EMEC attendees, driving business performance and attendee success from their own events.

“We are committed to demonstrating ‘innovation’ to our EMEC attendees because the business challenges facing meeting professionals are unprecedented,” said MPI President and CEO Bruce Macmillan. “Our array of speakers and experts will showcase unique new elements within EMEC’s event design that compliment the educational program.”

"Delegates will encounter a Meeting Design Area with demonstrations of meeting-room innovations and opportunities to participate in a meeting-design experiment focused on the impact of physical positions on groups of participants."

Elevating the mobile experience, MPI will offer EMEC 2012 mobile phone applications, available on iPhone, iPod Touch and BlackBerry Smartphone, that allow delegates to evaluate speakers and sessions in real time, access social networking sites, direct message other delegates and maintain a customized diary for the conference.  

KENT, Ohio

The builders of the new Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center have the city's approval to start construction.

The city issued a building permit for the more than $15 million project, which will add 95 rooms, a 300-seat banquet center and other amenities to the downtown area. Ground was broken on the project in September.

Construction is expected to finish by the spring of 2013.

CHICAGO, Ill.

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place announced that the first phase of a multi-million dollar expansion and renovation has begun. The hotel’s owner, Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA), will be investing approximately $110 million in the construction and furnishings of the hotel, which will be completed in phases.

Phase one will involve construction of the new tower. It will offer 460 guest rooms, including 12 suites and two premium suites.  It is slated for completed in mid-2013. Phase two of the project begins in spring of 2012 with the redesign of Hyatt Regency McCormick Place’s coffee shop, Daily Grind.  An expanded seating area will be created adjacent to the spot, complete with WiFi internet access, to allow for work space or relaxing. Phase three begins in late 2012 with the expansion and renovation of the main lobby, followed by the renovation of the existing 800 guest room tower in January, 2013.

The redesign and renovation of the 25,000 square foot Hyatt Conference Center will include a redevelopment of the 4,000 square foot Prairie Center into a more flexible meeting and catering space, along with the addition of 3 new boardrooms and a new business center.�

SAN DIEGO

The Hotel Motel Association of San Diego County has given conditional approval to a measure that would raise the bulk of funding for a proposed $520 million San Diego Convention Center expansion through a surcharge on hotel rooms.

Association President Jim Durbin said the group’s approval came with the condition that the makeup of the Convention Center’s governing board be changed to include four representatives from the hotel industry. There are currently no hoteliers on the center’s board.

The hoteliers group has proposed a setup where the Convention Center board would include four hotel representatives, two members from organized labor, two at-large members, and one member from a local tourist attraction.

Under the city proposal, San Diego hotels with at least 30 rooms would finance approximately three-quarters of the Convention Center expansion cost through room surcharges. Downtown hotels would add 3 percent to the price of rooms, with 2 percent added at hotels in Mission Valley, Mission Bay and Harbor Island, and 1 percent at all others.

ORLANDO

In the heart of one the nation's biggest hotel markets sits a downtown where a new hotel hasn't opened in more than a decade. That's about to change.

Buoyed by the year-old Amway Center, a new performing-arts center set to open in 2014, and a commuter-rail line slated to start operating that same year, developers plan to open three new hotels in downtown Orlando during the next two years. At least one of the developers see the three projects as racing each other and questions whether the city center, with an office-vacancy rate of 18 percent, can support three more hotels.

Starwood Aloft has contracted with Baker Barrios Architects, which as offices in Orlando, to transform the former Orlando Utilities Commission headquarters building at Orange Avenue and North Lucerne Circle into a 118-room hotel. Rida Development, with Orlando-area offices, intends to expand its Central Florida portfolio with a 100- to 150-room hotel tied to the planned Sunrail station near the county courthouse. And Concord Eastridge, of Arlington, Va., is pushing to demolish law offices on Lake Eola to make way for a 155-room Cambria Suites.

Each of the projects is small compared with a resort hotel in the attractions area. All three will be aimed at business travelers, with room rates below those charged by the luxury Grand Bohemian Hotel, downtown's newest hotel.

DENTON, Texas

Interest from a Missouri company has revived a dormant project to bring a hotel and conference center to the University of North Texas campus.

A proposal called for a 250-room, full-service hotel — either a Hilton Embassy Suites or a Marriott — on university property near where the Radisson Hotel was located, Price said.

The project also would include a 120,000-square-foot conference and exhibition center on behalf of the city. The company is planning a second 100-room hotel on the property, officials said.

City officials confirmed that the talks were under way but said no agreements have been signed yet.

CASPER, Wyo.

The city of Casper will have to wait a little bit longer before finding out how big, where and what kind of conference center to build.

City Manager John Patterson said the Strategic Advisory Group's market study won't be available until February because of delays created by the holidays. The group will present its findings to the Casper City Council on Feb. 27.

"Then I think it's gut-check time as far as location," Patterson said. "This is going to answer the 'what' question, and now the community needs to answer the 'where' question."

After the council receives the study results, Patterson said the city will solicit a proposal for construction and search for partnerships. He said both public and private partnerships will be sought to manage the conference center's construction and operation.

Sapphire Princess has arrived at the Victoria Shipyards drydock in British Columbia to begin a dramatic, four-week transformation. The drydock continues a multi-year fleet renovation process that has brought Princess Cruises’ signature features to most of its ships.

When the ship re-enters service again on February 4, passengers will be able to enjoy a brand-new Piazza atrium with the International Café and Vines wine bar, plus the new Alfredo’s Pizzeria. On the top decks, passengers will enjoy poolside movies on the new giant Movies Under the Stars screen, and an opportunity to relax in the ship’s “pocket of tranquility,” the adults-only Sanctuary.

“It’s been an incredible process over the past few years to retrofit these popular features onto our earlier-introduced ships, but we know our passengers appreciate that they can now find their favorite amenities on virtually any vessel in our fleet,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president.

Throughout the drydock, Princess will be featuring a daily photo highlight of the transformation on its social media outlets, including Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Google+.

LAS VEGAS

The Siegel Group Nevada has announced that it closed on a deal to acquire the six-story, 202 room hotel on Paradise and Flamingo roads for $4.2 million.

According to Siegel Group, the property once known as the Crowne Plaza had been closed to make way for a large scale renovation around 2007 after it had been bought by its former owners. The lender to those former owners, Lehman Brothers, filed for bankruptcy protection leaving a $66 million debt tied to the Atrium Suites Hotel.

Renovation halted and the place laid empty as the debt note tied to the hotel was acquired in bankruptcy court by the current seller, Siegel Group said. The property had been foreclosed upon in July of last year. The company, which operates boutique hotels including Rumor Hotel, the Artisan, the Resort on Mt. Charleston and Gold Spike Hotel and Casino, said it expects to release plans on what it will do with the property in the first quarter of this year.

Options include revamping the property into its well-known boutique motif or operating the property under a national hotel flag. The hotel will operate a block away from sister property Rumor Hotel.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky.

A federal grand jury meeting in Bowling Green, Kentucky, has indicted the former executive director and vendor of the Paducah-McCracken County Convention Center Corporation on charges of theft or embezzlement of property exceeding $5,000 from a state or local government which receives $10,000 in benefits from the federal government in one year, announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

The Indictment alleges that defendant J. Patrick Kerr Jr., 43, of Paducah, acting as executive director of the Paducah-McCracken County Convention Center Corporation aided and abetted by defendant Susan H. Wilson, 52, of Paducah, embezzled and stole without authority around $200,000 in convention center funds beginning around Sept. 20, 2010, and continuing to Oct. 6, 2011.

The affidavit accompanying the complaint alleges that Kerr, while executive director of the convention center, aided and abetted by Wilson, devised a scheme to embezzle at least $200,000 from the center’s business account to support his dependency on pain medication.

ST. LOUIS

The Board of Directors of the International Association of Conference Centers has announced that Tom Bolman, CAE, Executive Vice President of IACC, will retire from his position at the end of 2012.

Bolman began his tenure with IACC as Executive Director in 1986 and was promoted to Executive Vice President in 1996, just after IACC’s global restructuring, which created separate chapters in Europe, Australia and North America.

As IACC’s chief staff executive, he helped build membership from 66 member conference centers in the United States and Canada to 300 facility members in 13 countries along with 125 allied, affinity partner, corporate headquarters and individual members.

Bolman has served on the Council of Delegates of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) for 25 years and currently serves as a member of the CIC Board of Directors. He has held every officer position of CIC including Chairman of the Board.

The newly expanded Kalahari Resort Convention Center here is a benchmark for how new audio/video technology can best be applied in area businesses. The convention center recently completed a $22 million expansion that includes a 38,000 square feet grand ballroom/expo center, a 12,000-square-foot junior ballroom, 14 meeting rooms, and 30,000 square feet of pre-function space. The resort selected Crestron DigitalMedia for state-of-the-art digital AV distribution throughout the facility. With the new expansion, the Kalahari Resort now boasts the region's largest convention facilities with 215,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space, in addition to America's largest indoor water park and over 900 guest rooms.

“DigitalMedia helps us to do more with fewer people, at a lower cost, while providing better service and the highest quality presentation systems for our clients,” says Matthew Dick, Kalahari Resort Convention Center Information Technology Manager. “We couldn't be happier with the performance of the Crestron systems to handle our facility's meeting and event needs."

Staff technicians can configure the meeting space and control all of the AV systems, including a fully digital house sound system using Crestron touch screens and the Crestron Mobile Pro app for iPad.

The help desk and support benefits of the fully integrated Crestron system are of the utmost importance to resort staff. Should a client need assistance during setup or when a meeting is in session, the organizer can simply dial "3-HELP" on the phone and receive immediate assistance. Right from their iPad, technicians can view the touch screen for the room the client is working in, and solve the problem immediately from wherever they are, even if the technician is offsite.

PETERSBURG, Va.

A $50 million hotel and conference center could be coming to downtown Petersburg soon, if all goes according to plan.

Petersburg Mayor Brian Moore and Virginia State University President Dr. Keith Miller today announced that the city and local university have formed an economic development partnership to explore the feasibility of a hotel-convention center in the city of Petersburg.

"A hotel-convention center is key to Petersburg's plan for the complete revitalization of the Downtown, Old Towne and Harbor areas," Moore said.
 
Added Miller, "Virginia State University is committed to contributing to the growth of Petersburg and the region through partnerships."

INDIANAPOLIS

Dolce Hotels and Resorts and Buckingham Companies announced the new business hotel they are creating will be named The Alexander, in honor of Alexander Ralston, the engineer and architect who in 1820 spearheaded the creation of the city’s plan. The Alexander is part of CityWay, a new neighborhood that will encompass a public park, high-quality residences, office space and retail.

The Alexander will be managed by Dolce and feature  209 guest rooms and 16 meeting rooms totaling 16,000 square feet of function space. Also on tap for the hotel is a 2,200-square foot lounge, with a commanding view of the downtown skyline.
 
Construction of The Alexander has progressed steadily following groundbreaking ceremonies last August and will open this fall.  In addition to the hotel, the $155 million CityWay project covers eight blocks and includes multiple buildings framing a public plaza.

SANTA FE, N.M.

Benchmark Hospitality International has announced the addition of Eldorado Hotel & Spa here to its portfolio of destination properties.

Eldorado Hotel & Spa, a Four Diamond property situated in Santa Fe’s downtown, is steps away from a host of local treasures, including the historic Santa Fe Plaza, the renowned Georgia O’Keeffe Museum, and Canyon Road art galleries.

The property features 219 guestrooms and suites, The Old House restaurant and the newly installed Agave Lounge, as well as meeting and event facilities for groups of 10 to 400 guests.

ANAHEIM, Calif.

The Hilton Anaheim has been awarded the Green Seal Bronze certification for its dedication to environmental stewardship. Featuring 1,500 guest rooms and 120,000 square feet of meeting space, the property is the largest hotel in Southern California to receive the Green Seal nod.

In order to receive certification, a hotel must meet and adhere to stringent guidelines set out by the standard.  These include requirements in waste management, energy efficiency, water conservation, wastewater management and green procurement. A certified property’s records, processes and procedures are evaluated and an on-site audit of the property is conducted. Certified hotels submit to annual monitoring to assure continued compliance.

Hilton Anaheim met the requirements for the award by establishing initiatives that include, but are not limited to: launching a recycling program throughout the entire hotel, waste minimization via the donation of any leftover food to approved local shelters or food banks, replacing of all TV’s, DVD players, alarm clocks, hair dryers, coffee/tea makers in all its rooms with energy efficient products and updating all indoor lighting.

DES MONES, Iowa

A big renovation of the existing Veterans Memorial Auditorium has been completed and the building has been renamed Veteran's Memorial Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center.

With a museum-quality exhibit, a 28,730-square-foot ballroom (the largest in the state), 34,000 square feet of new meeting space and interactive technology, the renovation allows Des Moines to compete regionally for convention and conference business. Part of the Iowa Events Center complex that includes Wells Fargo Arena and Hy-Vee Hall, the new convention center opens this week.

The original Veterans Memorial Auditorium was dedicated in 1954 to honor the World War II veterans of Polk County, Iowa. The renovation continues that tradition with museum quality exhibits in the refreshed Memorial Hall honoring Iowans who served their country. The original 7,200 seat arena was transformed into twenty seven flexible meeting rooms, able to be resized to fit a wide variety of occupants. In the west lobby, seven new glass panels display events from the original building's past including a historic visit from Elvis Presley.

The concourse linking the two lobbies features state-of-the-art projection capabilities on a series of 30 feet tall by 16 feet wide, full height movable wall panels – a first of its kind installation for video display.

GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga.

Gwinnett County is seeking proposals from private firms interested in building a 300-room hotel at Gwinnett Center.

Though previous efforts to develop a hotel at the convention facility fell victim to the Great Recession, interest has picked up in recent months, said Lisa Anders, executive director of the Gwinnett CVB. She expects two to four firms to submit proposals by the Jan. 20 deadline.

Gwinnett Center includes 23 meeting rooms, a 21,600-square-foot ballroom, a performing arts center and the 13,000-seat Arena at Gwinnett Center. But
convention officials say the lack on an on-site hotel has cost them business, especially for larger conventions.

And while Gwinnett Center has about 250 hotel rooms within easy walking distance, that’s far fewer than nearby competitors in Athens, Cobb County and Atlanta.

MILWAUKEE, Wisc.

With three new hotels being built, and another expected to resume construction, downtown Milwaukee will add around 550 hotel rooms over the next two years--the most in well over a decade. Construction of the hotels--a Marriott, a Hilton Garden Inn, a Staybridge Suites and the independent Brew House Inn & Suites –is driven mainly by business travel, and it will increase by nearly 15 percent the number of hotel rooms within one mile of the Frontier Airlines Center convention facility.

Two hotels will open by the end of this year: the 90-room Brew House Inn and the 128-room Hilton Garden Inn. Both projects involve converting historic buildings: the former Pabst brew house, and the Loyalty Building. Meanwhile, work is about to start on the 200-room Marriott near E. Wisconsin Ave. and N. It will take two years to complete the hotel, which combines new construction and renovated buildings.

Finally, there's a good chance construction will resume this year on the largely completed Staybridge Suites. Work on the 126-room hotel stopped in December 2008, when the project ran short of cash.

There are now 3,774 hotel rooms within one mile of the convention center, says Visit Milwaukee, the city's CVB.

SAN FRANCISCO

As part of the global Hyatt brand, and as a special feature for travelers who want to quench their fitness resolutions for the new year, each of the San Francisco Hyatts encourages guests to stay active during their time on the road by enjoying the hotels’ StayFit regimen, including full-service 24-hour fitness facilities, YogaAwayTM and diet-friendly StayFit menus.

Participating hotels include: Hyatt Regency San Francisco (at Embarcadero Center); Hyatt at Fisherman’s Wharf and Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airpott-Burlingame.

Each of the hotels offers a fitness concierge who is on hand to assist in acquiring work out gear, including exercise wear, swim goggles and more. They can also supply detailed maps of running and walking trails, as well as GPS watches, for those who prefer outdoor workouts.

LaTour Hotels and Resorts, which offers hospitality management services for four-and five-star properties worldwide, has announced the opening of Celeste Beach Residences, Resort & Spa, located in Huatulco, Oaxaca, which has been called the hidden jewel of Mexico. The resort carries the first LaTour Signature Group private label, reserved for five-star properties.

Celeste Beach Residences, Resort & Spa offers a collection of two- and three-bedroom residences with an average of 2,384 square feet. Located in Huatulco, Celeste is situated in the Tejoncito Bay, just steps from the beach.

Amenities and activities at Celeste Beach Residences, Resort & Spa include a beachfront pool, relaxation pools, a spa, Palapa Bar and Grill, golf course privileges, boating excursions, eco tours, a wellness center, a fitness and yoga center and classes, a members' wine lounge, wine program and in-residence chefs. The resort's signature restaurant will be market-based, taking advantage of Oaxaca's bountiful offerings from land and sea.

In line with Huatulco's dedication to environmentally friendly practices, Celeste has created one of the cleanest developments in Mexico through a low-impact and eco-friendly master plan.

MIAMI

The market’s already strong hotel rebound picked up steam this fall. Miami-Dade just released its November hotel tax report, and it includes some startling numbers. The countywide hotel tax is up 35 percent, while hotel taxes charged mostly on the Miami-Dade mainland are up 47 percent.

This may be a fluke of timing or big events, and the jury is still out  on whether those gains came back in December. But there’s no mistaking that the hotel industry as a whole has left the recession well behind in Miami-Dade.

In Miami-Dade, room rates and occupancy levels both climbed about seven percent in 2011, even as room inventory crept higher by about one percent, according to Smith Travel data.

Room rates haven’t kept up with inflation in Broward, posting a less than 2 percent gain over 2010.

Courtesy of the Miami Herald

SAN DIEGO

After the meetings industry has navigated a few of the roughest years in its history, PCMA’s Convening Leaders, held Jan. 8-11 in San Diego, is perhaps heralding good things to come, at least if you take into account an attendance level that may set a record for the association. 

“We have a record number of planners for this meeting,” said PCMA President and CEO Deborah Sexton. “We’re fairly certain we’re going to set a record for total attendees as well.”

PCMA will release the official attendance numbers 10 days after the event. The attendance for last year’s conference, which was held in the traditionally strong-draw destination of Las Vegas, was 3,743.

“There are more professionals at this conference than in the history of PCMA,” Sexton emphasized.

The association’s membership retention rate was also strong, according to Sexton.

“At this point we have a record number of members,” she said. “An 83 percent retention rate, especially in a down economy, says a lot about the education and value that we provide to the industry.”

Sexton said PCMA continued in its mission of taking calculated risks with the program by mixing up the length of education sessions—offering classes of 30, 60, 75 and 90 minutes in duration—juggling the timing of general session addresses and offering a “TED-light-style” session on the last day of the event.

“We want to continue to take risks so our members can see the results immediately,” Sexton said, “to see if they can incorporate them into their events.”

The virtual broadcast of various Convening Leaders sessions—which was also seen as a risk when it was launched during last year’s conference—is also trending good in terms of attendees, according to Sexton, who said she expects the total number of virtual participants to be several thousand, when factoring the number of people using the same computer portal to view the content.

In other PCMA Convening Leaders news, meetings and exhibition industry pioneer Donald S. Freeman Jr. was recognized with a PCMA Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to both PCMA and the meetings and exhibition industry. It was only the third time in the association’s history that a Lifetime Achievement Award was given.

WISCONSIN DELLS, Wis.

Kalahari Waterpark Resort has announced it will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony to open its newly expanded convention center. The expansion increases the facility’s capacity from 2,200 people to 5,200 people.

The property budgeted $22 million to boost its existing convention space.

The convention center’s addition makes Kalahari Waterpark Resort the only under-one-roof complex in the Midwest to offer a convention center and hotel of such scope.

NORFOLK, Va.

A developer wants to transform the downtown waterfront here to include a new conference center, two additional hotels, an office building, marina and seafood restaurant.

Harvey Lindsay Development, a Norfolk-based company, pitched its $200 million plan recently in response to a request for proposals to redevelop Waterside.

Under the proposal, the dated and struggling facility would be a thing of the past. In the proposal, one of five city leaders said they've received, much of three city blocks would get a makeover and all would connect to the waterfront through an elevated walkway with massive views of the Elizabeth River.

A 180-room, 16-story hotel would be constructed adjacent to the Slover Library.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va.

Mayor Will Sessoms has stated that the financial deal for the proposed $109 million convention center hotel is not a good deal for the city.

"After talking with council during deliberations...the deal that is on the table won't fly," Sessoms told a local television network. He does still want a headquarters hotel to be built, it seems, but doesn’t feel the right deal has been presented just yet. "The door to a headquarters hotel needs to be kept open,” he said in a letter to City Council , “but we must work toward a proposal that provides a win-win for Virginia Beach.”

The proposed Hyatt Regency Convention Center Hotel was going to be next to the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

The least expensive cost to taxpayers would likely be expanding the Double Tree Hotel—also next to the Convention Center--but Sessoms said he can't support that. “A Double Tree to a Hyatt Regency is not comparing apples to apples when comparing quality of the product," Sessoms explained.

SAN DIEGO

Active Network, an international provider of organization-based cloud computing applications, based here, has acquired StarCite, the operator of corporate strategic meetings management systems.

News of the acquisition comes days after Active Network launched its Business Solutions Division, which will work to create an end-to-end global ecosystem for the events industry.StarCite will be incorporated into the new division and Active Network anticipates StarCite giving it access to a vast online marketplace of the top hotels, destinations and venue suppliers worldwide.

“Through this strategic acquisition, we’ll be in a position to offer our customers the industry’s most robust, fully-scalable technology platform and a broad range of solutions to successfully run meetings and of all sizes and types said JR Sherman, senior vice president and senior general manager of Active Network Business Solutions.

Active Network says it is also helping the events industry move beyond a focus on meetings logistics and spend management to one that includes community engagement.

ANAHEIM, Calif.

Otis Huemmer, executive chef at the Anaheim Convention Center, prefers locally grown foods. So when he's looking for fresh rosemary, parsley or thyme to try out a new dish or dressing recipe, he walks no farther than the rooftop of the box office, scissors in hand.

That’s because convention Center executives, who already have a reputation –and awards – for being environmentally conscious, are taking the idea of locally grown food to the extreme. The most-recent example: a 2,000-square-foot garden atop the roof of the 1960s box office attached to the space-age-inspired arena. The garden includes an irrigation system, indigenous ground cover and 16 wooden boxes for growing herbs.

"If I need lavender for a beef tenderloin dish, or parsley for a chimichurri dish we make, I can get it right from here," Huemmer said, bending over to grab a fresh stalk of rosemary. The small garden can't provide all of the needed herbs for the center. "Not when I'm serving dinner for 10,000; but that's five to seven times a year," Huemmer said.

Meeting attendees at the center for other events may find ingredients from the roof landing on their plate—intentionally, he said. “During the rest of the year, what we yield from here [the rooftop garden] will go a long way."

Courtesy of the Orange County Register

SAN DIEGO

Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego will present the grand redesign of its guestrooms to select meeting planners attending the Professional Convention Management Association's 2012 Convening Leaders here, taking place Jan. 9 to 11. 

Slated to begin in May 2012 and be completed in fall 2013, the entire hotel will be renovated, including meeting : and public space, as well as food and beverage outlets and guestrooms. All guest rooms will receive new carpeting, curtains, wall coverings, bed coverings, lampshades and wall art. New paint and wallpaper will give the bathrooms a fresh look as well. The guestroom corridors will also have fresh carpet and new wall coverings, and in the hotel's public areas will also be updated.

The renovation of the downtown, waterfront Hyatt coincides with several recent, positive actions that cumulatively will play a vital role in the future of San Diego's tourism industry, including the current $1 billion airport expansion and the planned $29.6 million North Embarcadero improvement project.

Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego features 1,625 guest rooms and more than 125,000 square feet of meeting space.

SPOKANE, Wash.

Two former destination management organizations CEOs, and long-time industry leaders, have formed a new marketing company to serve both the destination marketing industry as well as meeting planners.

DRW Marketing, LLC, based here, will develop and deliver e-commerce solutions that simplify the meeting planning process. More specifically, the company plans to provide both destinations and prospective clienst with online content that simplifies the vendor selection and contracting process for non-hotel goods and services. DRW Marketing is also developing partnerships with DMOs to aggregate their buying power through purchasing cooperatives, and it will serve as a conduit linking suppliers and vendors with the DMO industry.

David Radcliffe served the DMO industry from 1977 to 2001 as the CEO in Eugene, OR, Tucson, AZ and Phoenix, AZ and has been an active consultant to DMOs nationwide since his retirement from the Greater Phoenix CVB. David Whitney’s CVB career began in Denver in 1985; he was appointed CEO in Dallas in 1990 where he served until his retirement from the DMO industry in 2003. David has consulted with numerous CVBs, specializing in web-based technology solutions.

ST. CLOUD, Minn.

Named for the mighty Mississippi River that runs beside it, the River’s Edge Convention Center keeps the waterway center stage. The building opened on Jan. 7.

At the heart of the building’s new expansion is a wall with a large-scale painting that highlights the ecosystem of the Mississippi River and 118 species of its plants, insects, birds and mammals. The wall is just one of many new features in the expansion of the civic center, now called River’s Edge Convention Center.

The $22 million project includes 32,000 square feet of trade show space, an expanded lobby and large catering kitchen. The city is requesting $10.1 million from the Legislature to add a parking ramp and riverfront features.

With travel demand continuing to grow, the nation's hotels are expected to raise rates an average of 3.6 percent in 2012, according to a study based on future bookings.

The projected growth in demand, up three percent over last year, in addition to the higher rates represent the latest sign that the travel and hospitality industries continue to recover from the economic meltdown of 2009 and 2010, according to the study by TravelClick, a company that provides booking software and business data for major hotel chains worldwide. Much of the rebound in the hotel industry comes from the resurgence of business travel.

Over the next 12 months, the demand will be highest in such cities as Detroit, Indianapolis, Houston, Miami and Charlotte, N.C., according to TravelClick. The rates in those cities are expected to climb between three to five percent. In California, demand will grow by about five percent in both Los Angeles and San Diego and nearly four percent in San Francisco.

Meanwhile, the average daily rates are expected to jump nearly two percent in Los Angeles, one percent in San Diego and a whopping 11 percent in San Francisco.

Courtesy of the Los Angeles Times

Sol Kerzner, chairman of Kerzner International Holdings Limited, has announced the appointment of Alan Leibman as Chief Executive Officer of the company, effective immediately. Kerzner will remain as Chairman of the hotel firm and will work closely with Leibman on the overall corporate strategy and planned growth of the Atlantis and One&Only brands worldwide.

Leibman joined Kerzner in 1994, and has held positions of strategic importance, including Chief Operating Officer of Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas, President/Managing Director of the early development phase of Mazagan Beach Resort, President/Managing Director of Atlantis, The Palm in Dubai and most recently, Regional President of Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Said Leibman, “I plan to continue executing on the same distinct entrepreneurial vision and spirit that [Kerzner] instilled in the Company. We will continue growing Kerzner as a management company, and getting back to doing what we do best – designing and managing world-class destination and luxury resorts.”

ST.CHARLES, Ill.

Interstate Hotels & Resorts has announced that it has entered into an agreement to manage the landmark 473-room Pheasant Run Resort, located just west of Chicago in historic St. Charles, Ill.

Nestled on a 250-acre setting in the scenic Fox River Valley, the Chicagoland hotel is easily accessible from both Chicago O'Hare International and Midway airports and is located near Dupage Airport. Accommodations range from spacious courtyard rooms with expansive views to lavish penthouse level suites and two-story whirlpool suites.

The resort features a number of unique amenities, including Zanies Comedy Club, two theaters and five dining options as well as more than 100,000 square feet of meeting space. Additionally, guests can enjoy Mario Tricoci Hair Salons & Day Spas and 36 holes of golf on two award-winning courses.�

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. The former R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. headquarters in Winston-Salem, which later inspired the Empire State Building, could be converted into an upscale hotel.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports the cigarette maker is giving a Greensboro developer most of this year to study the feasibility of renovating the 22-story building. The company moved its headquarters to another downtown Winston-Salem building in 2009 after 80 years.

Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants and Hotels says it's looking at converting the building into a hotel with 120 to 180 rooms plus restaurant, bar and event space.

Chief executive Dennis Quaintance says the hotel could open in about two years. And no, the building doesn’t smell like smoke, he promises, thanks to a ventilation unit installed in the 1950s that drew all the air from outside.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.

Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center has announced that construction of RiverView Terrace, the capital region’s newest premier, outdoor waterfront venue,  remains on schedule for a spring debut.

Workers have relocated the American flagpole that marks the hotel’s waterfront from the Potomac River, allowing the new venue to feature 15,000 square feet of unimpeded event space.  The flagpole can still be saluted adjacent to Riverview Terrace, and guests will now enjoy a completely unobstructed sunset or, if desired, private fireworks display above the skyline – Gaylord’s signature “Kiss Goodnight.”

RiverView Terrace is scheduled to open in April 2012 and will accommodate private events on a seasonal calendar through October 2012.

Gaylord National features 2,000 guest rooms, including 110 suites, and 470,000 square feet of meeting space.

NEW YORK, NY

LaSalle Hotel Properties has announced that it acquired The Park Central Hotel here. The 934-room, urban, full service hotel is located on Seventh Avenue, between West 55th and West 56th Streets, in midtown Manhattan.

The new owners plans to implement a renovation of the hotel, including its guestrooms, corridors and the hotel’s lobby. The renovation is expected to start late this year and get finished sometime in 2013. Highgate Holdings, which manages the hotel, has a portfolio of more than 20,000 rooms located primarily in New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Las Vegas and Paris.

The Park Central Hotel features 14,000 square feet of meeting and function space, including an 8,500 square foot ballroom. Additionally, the property has 4,800 square feet of retail space and two food and beverage outlets. It was originally constructed in 1928.

DETROIT

The Cobo Center has earned Green Venues Michigan (GLM) Steward certification from the Michigan Energy Office.

Green Venues Michigan encourages entertainment venues, convention centers, and similar facilities to implement environmental initiatives and cost-saving “green” practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality, reduce waste, and participate in environmentally preferred purchasing.

Cobo Center has implemented several environmental initiatives at their facility including: The Cobo Center Green Committee meets several times monthly to promote sustainability practices and Green initiatives, and has members from every department and in-house contracting company; property wide recycling effort; purchasing minimum 30 percent post consumer recycled content paper products; buy fresh, buy local initiative; HVAC controlled by a computerized Energy Management System; induction lighting in exhibit halls; majority of lighting controlled by photocells, timer, occupancy sensors or by the energy management system; air curtains on doors of exhibit floor vestibule; and the center recently conducted an energy audit to help identify other conservation opportunities.

“We are committed to environmental stewardship in our community,” said Thom Connors, SMG regional vice president and general manager of Cobo Center.

ANNAPOLIS, Md.

Loews Annapolis Hotel is scheduled to start a major, multi-year renovation this first week of 2012. The work will include renovating the lobby, guest corridors and guest rooms. Some of the other major changes include doing away with the current Weather Rail Lounge and Breeze restaurant and creating a new eatery.

The check-in area will be moved from its current location and the new restaurant, yet to be named, will be designed to have a casual vibe. Throughout the renovations, a dining facility will remain open, though how long it will take to open the new restaurant is not certain, said Ellen Gale, spokesperson for Loews Hotels.

"We're hoping late spring, early summer," Gale said. Meanwhile, the hotel’s adjacent building—called the Powerhouse--which serves as conference, banquet and meeting space, was recently redone.

She estimated the entire renovation, including the 216 guest rooms, will take up to three years. "It's just time for a good sprucing up.”

LAS VEGAS

Bellagio has completed a remodeling of all 2,568 guest rooms in its main tower. The hotel now offers three distinct color palettes and designs.

The Resort King rooms feature either an indigo and silver combination or a green tea and plum palette while the Resort Queen Rooms welcome guests with an amber and butterscotch motif. All three designs also are offered with the popular Lakeview option, overlooking the famous Fountains of Bellagio.

The remodel, totaling approximately $70 million, began in June 2011 and took six months to complete.

Waikiki, Hawaii

Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort’s $45 million makeover of the iconic Rainbow Tower is complete.

The transformation of all 800 rooms began in April with each room receiving a total makeover, Additionally, the corridors on all guest-room floors, three through 31, have been upgraded with new light fixtures, wall coverings, carpet and artwork.  Elevators lobbies also received new elevator door faces and frames, new flooring, lighting and wall treatment.

The tower’s signature suites, the Duke Kahanamoku Suite and the Niumalu Suite on the 30th and 31st floors, respectively, were completed with a total price tag of $1 million in upgrades.  The Duke and Niumalu Presidential Suites now feature contemporary and sophisticated interiors; a large living area and adjacent dining area and pantry with separate sitting area allow for the perfect layout for hospitality and elegant receptions.

The expansive resort features more than 90 shops and 16 restaurants, lounges and bars.

AUSTIN, Texas

The Austin Convention Center has been awarded LEED Gold Certification for Existing Buildings, established by the U.S. Green Building Council and verified by the Green Building Certification Institute. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, which was developed by the USGBC.

LEED promotes a whole-building approach to sustainability by recognizing performance in five key areas of human environmental health: sustainable site development, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. There are several types of certifications, but two primary ones for commercial facilities – New Construction (NC) and Existing Buildings (EB).

Among the Austin Convention Center’s sustainable design features and practices: 66 percent of all waste diverted from landfill; composted 250,000 lbs. of organic waste in 2011; reduced carbon footprint by 93 percent since 2007; facility powered by wind energy, reduced electric consumption by 20 percent, and more.

NAPLES, Fla.

Hilton Worldwide, the parent company of Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, has announced the Naples Grande Beach Resort, a Waldorf Astoria Resort is trading in its name for the more distinguished designation of Waldorf Astoria Naples. The change officially went into effect on January 1st, with property enhancements reflecting the latest Waldorf Astoria brand standards to be rolled out throughout the year.

The 474-room property has operated as a Waldorf Astoria Resort for some time, but the new name represents a meaningful step in the property’s evolution, said John T.A. Vanderslice, global head of luxury and lifestyle brands for Hilton Worldwide.

"The Waldorf Astoria name is synonymous around the world with the very best in luxury and hospitality,” he said. “It is natural to associate it with our Naples resort, which is an iconic landmark.”

NEW YORK, NY

The governor of New York has proposed tearing down the Javits convention center and replacing it with a new convention center and hotel in a joint venture with Genting Group, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The proposal would replace the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, located in Manhattan, with a new $4 billion convention center located adjacent to the Aqueduct Race Track in Queens and funded by Genting. The convention center would be the largest in the U.S. at four million square feet and include 3,000 hotel rooms. The casino space at Aqueduct would also be expanded.

Genting has already invested $800 million to turn the racetrack into the racino with the addition of Resorts World Casino New York City, which opened in October 2011. Under the proposal the former Javits site would be redeveloped as residential housing. “This will bring to New York the largest events, driving demand for hotel rooms and restaurant meals and creating tax revenues and jobs,” Gov. Cuomo said on Wednesday.

The proposal will need to pass the state legislature before moving forward.