Names & Notes: April 2006
Published: April 6, 2006
Names
Chairman-elect Mark Andrew, CMP, took a leave of absence from his role as general manager of the Westin Bayshore Resort & Marina in Vancouver to pilot Meeting Professionals International (MPI). Former President and CEO Colin Rorrie Jr. stepped down last month; a search for a new CEO is underway.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts named Chad Waetzig senior vice president of marketing for Sheraton Hotels.
The Scottsdale (Ariz.) CVB hired Curt Moroney as a national sales manager.
Steve Olson was selected Community Information Director/Public Information Officer (PIO) for Seminole County (Fla.) Government.
Cynthia Coto was named county manager of the Seminole County (Fla.) Board of County Commissioners.
Jamie Oristano, formerly of Galaxy Productions, was named sales manager of Quest Drape in Hollywood, Fla.
Marcy Adams was named general manager for the Atlanta Marriott Gwinnett Place hotel, the largest hotel in Gwinnett County (Ga.).
Kelly Schulz was named vice president of public relations, communications and advertising of the New Orleans CVB.
At Tennessee’s The Chattanoogan, three sales executives received Benchmark Hospitality International’s (BMI) highest acclaim. Sales manager Christi Hall was awarded the Award of Excellence and inducted into Benchmark’s Platinum Club. Amber Buckels, sales manager, was nominated for Sales Executive of the Year and received the BMI’s Selling Edge Star. Senior Sales Manager Kris Reagan was nominated as BMI’s Sales Leader of the Year.
Wayne Chappell was promoted to executive vice president of business development and citywide sales of the Greater Houston CVB; Kendrick Middleton was promoted to vice president of convention sales.
Notes
International
LXR Luxury Resorts is investing $1 billion to renovate and make capital improvements to its 24 properties, including the Boca Raton (Fla.) Resort & Club, Puerto Rico’s El Conquistador Resort in Las Croabas, and the Boulders Resort in Carefree, Ariz. LXR also renamed the Registry in Naples, Fla., the Naples Grande Resort.
Caribbean
The 250-room Fiesta Americana Grand Los Cabos opened in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, with a 10,000-sq. ft. ballroom, seven outdoor function spaces, five restaurants and bars, a private sand beach, five heated infinity pools and a spa with indoor and outdoor treatment locations. Part of the upscale resort development Cabo del Sol, the hotel is close to seven golf courses.
National
Delta launched nonstop service from two new markets: Pinehurst, N.C., and Wilmington, Del.
AirTran Airways began daily nonstop service between Greater Rochester International Airport and Boston’s Logan International Airport.
Advantage Rent-A-Car was sold to ARC Venture Holding Inc., a private investor group. Among its investors is Rosedale Leasing Inc., which has had a long-term relationship with Advantage as a fleet service provider.
Global hotel brand Regent Hotels currently has four properties under construction: Regent South Beach (Fla.), scheduled to open in summer 2006, will have 80 suites; the 124-suite Regent Bal Harbour (Fla.) is scheduled to open in December. The Regent Winter Park (Fla.) Hotel and Residences is scheduled to open in early 2008 with a 20,000-sq. ft. spa. The 150-room Regent Boston (Mass.) at Battery Wharf Hotel and Residences is scheduled to open in late 2007/early 2008.
The Memphis-based Hampton brand expects to open 90 to 100 hotels in 2006 and set a record for openings in 2007, expanding its Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites holdings in the western United States as well as in urban markets.
Alabama
The 148-year-old, AAA Four-Diamond, 405-room Grand Hotel Marriott Resort, Golf Club & Spa reopened last month in Point Clear. Amenities include the Azalea and Dogwood golf courses on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, an award-winning spa (scheduled to reopen in late spring) and a private stretch of beach. Renovations to meeting space and restaurants are expected to be complete by late 2006.
Arizona
The 1,000-room Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel is under construction one block from the new convention center. Scheduled to open in late 2008, the hotel will have a spa and more than 80,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 15,000-sq. ft. ballroom, a 30,000-sq. ft. ballroom and 28 meeting rooms.
The AAA Four-Diamond Pointe South Mountain Resort in Scottsdale added two Certified Meeting Planners (CMP) to its staff, bringing the total number of CMPs on staff to five.
The James Hotel Scottsdale was sold to the Morgans Hotel Group and will be re-branded the Mondrian on May 1.
The Center for Well-Being at the Phoenician in Scottsdale added a naturopathic physician to its staff.
Renovations to Scottsdale’s The Borgata upscale shopping center are complete; the Dolce Salon and Spa is expected to open in the center late 2006 or early 2007.
California
The Embassy Suites Hotel-Lake Tahoe Resort in South Lake Tahoe completed a renovation that expanded its meeting space to nearly 10,000 square feet, added wireless technology throughout the property, and enhanced dining service for indoor or outdoor weddings, banquets and business meetings of up to 300 guests.
Ritz-Carlton plans to open the 172-room Ritz-Carlton Highlands, Lake Tahoe, in late 2009 as part of a $300 million resort in Truckee with ski-in, ski-out town homes and condos, 11,000-sq. ft. of meeting space and a spa.
The W Los Angeles added a 7,000-ft. Bliss spa to its property.
In Palm Springs, construction is underway on Remington Hotel Corporation’s first branded hotel/condominium development, the $200 million Remington Las Montanas Resort Hotel & Spa, expected to open in 2008. Amenities include 65,000 square feet of meeting space in ballroom, private screening and pre-function rooms, a 530-room hotel and 265 condominium units.
Construction began on a $230 million, 1,190-room Hilton San Diego Convention Center Hotel, scheduled to open in 2008 with its own public park, 165,000 square feet of interior meeting space, a grand ballroom, a junior ballroom and pre-function lobby space. Other amenities include 32 meeting rooms, a conference center, a business center, a health spa, upscale retail shops, and four food and beverage outlets. The hotel will be adjacent to the San Diego Convention Center, across the street from Petco Park.
Colorado
In Denver, a 367-room Embassy Suites is being converted into a 202-room Ritz-Carlton hotel with condominium units. Downtown, the number of hotel rooms is expected to grow by more than 1,000 rooms over the next five years.
The $3 million, 5,200-sq. ft. Spa at the Brown Palace opened in Denver. All water on premises is provided by a720-ft. spring water well. Amenities include a private couples and celebrity suite with a dual reclining hydrotherapy tub; six massage and skin treatment rooms; and a nail and hair salon. It is the only U.S. spa authorized to carry Auriège, a French anti-aging and chronobiology program of skincare, as its official skin care line. Downtown Denver’s Brown Palace is the city’s only Mobil Four-Star, AAA Four-Diamond hotel and is a member of the National Trust of Historic Hotels of America.
The Aspen Skiing Company (ASC), which operates four ski mountains and two hotels in Colorado, purchased renewable energy certificates from wind farms to offset 100 percent of its electricity use, the largest purchase in the history of the U.S. ski industry.
Florida
The 292-room Crowne Plaza hotel in Jacksonville-Riverfront opened with nearly 12,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including 13 meeting rooms and an 80-ft. yacht for business meetings and social functions.
The recently remodeled, 394-room Royal Plaza hotel at Downtown Disney became the first Luxe hotel in Central Florida, reopening with 17,500 square feet of meeting space and a 5,000-sq. ft. outdoor courtyard.
The $800 million Palazzo del Lago mega-resort is scheduled to break ground in Orlando this fall with an initial opening date of early 2009. It will have a 1,260-unit InterContinental hotel (the largest in the world), a 994-villa development, 114,000 square feet of meeting space, a spa, a beachside swimming area and five themed restaurants.
Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom Lodge became the sixth Disney hotel to be certified “green lodging,” a distinction for environmentally friendly practices.
Hilton Hotels Corp. is planning to build and manage the Hilton Orlando Convention Center, a 1,400-room hotel near the Orange County Convention Center. Construction is scheduled to begin by the end of this year, with a grand opening scheduled for 2009. Other new construction by the convention center includes the Westin Imagine Orlando Residences — the first phase of the Village of Imagine, a residential village with luxury accommodations for both business and leisure travelers expected to open in early 2008.
Construction is scheduled to begin this summer on a new 160-suite Doubletree Hotel in Tampa, at the corner of I-75 and Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
The City of Tampa is beginning work on the Riverwalk project, a 2.4-mile continuous pedestrian walkway extending from the Channelside area to Tampa Heights, expected to open by 2010.
The 75-room, surfing-themed Four Points by Sheraton Cocoa Beach opened 300 feet from its namesake beach with a live shark tank, a surfing school and camp, and a surf shop.
The Palm Beach CVB added a real-time, nonprofit reservation system to its Web site at palmbeachfl.com, allowing planners to choose from an inventory of 35 local hotels; the ability to book flights, rental cars, attraction tickets and additional hotel rooms will be online soon.
The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach is undergoing a $60+ million renovation/expansion, scheduled for completion by the end of 2006, that will upgrade its foyer and spa and add a 3,000-sq. ft. terrace, private cabanas, guest rooms and suites. The hotel is the city’s only Mobil Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond property.
The Four Seasons Palm Beach expects to open a new, 8,000-sq. ft. spa by late 2006.
Hilton Hotels Corporation named the Hilton Palm Beach Airport in West Palm Beach the “2005 No. 1 Hilton Airport Property in the United States.”
In Coral Gables, the 157-room Colonnade Hotel is being converted to the Westin Colonnade Coral Gables. Scheduled to debut as a Westin in late 2006, the property will have 23,000-sq. ft. of meeting space, including two ballrooms and a 6,000-sq. ft. historic rotunda.
The Great Calusa Blueway in the Fort Myers and Sanibel area opened with nearly 100 miles of clearly marked waterways and trails, many of which follow the course charted 2,000 years ago by the area’s earliest residents, the Calusa Indians. Both Paddler and Canoe & Kayak magazines recognize the blueway as among the best U.S. kayaking destinations.
Other openings in the Fort Myers and Sanibel area include the 3,700-ft. Calusa Heritage Trail at the Randell Research Center on Pine Island. The interpretive pathway takes visitors around and over the top of mounds, remnants of an ancient canal, and other features of the historic Calusa Indian village.
The Sheraton Suites Key West has been sold to Ocean Properties, but will remain a part of the Starwood franchise.
Georgia
Atlanta Arrangements won “Best Corporate Event” for the fifth time in the past six years at last month’s Allie Awards for an event that incorporated more than 50 sports games in six sporting areas at the Georgia Dome. The company also won for “Best Logistical Achievement” and “Best Team Effort.” Atlanta-based caterer and special events facility Divine Events won for “Best Plated Menu.”
The BlackStock Winery opened this month in Dahlonega. Owner David Harris is a 20-year veteran of Georgia wines who’s won several awards for Georgia-grown premium wines.
The Buisson Arts Center in Dahlonega opened its Resident Artist Gallery, with the intention of creating a place where artists, students and consumers can interact.
The Marietta Storm, a professional World Basketball Association team, is scheduled to begin play in Marietta on April 22.
Louisiana
Carnival Cruise Lines and Norwegian Cruise Lines are expected to resume operations from the Port of New Orleans in October; Royal Caribbean is expected to resume operations on Dec. 2.
Mississippi
Plans are underway to rebuild the Grand Casino Biloxi, with a projected opening date this summer. The existing land-based facilities will be redesigned; features will include a casino, a 500-room hotel, a steakhouse with a 300-seat buffet, and a 16,000-sq. ft., full-service spa.
Pan Am Clipper Connection is scheduled to begin thrice-weekly service between Tunica Airport and Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta (Ga.) International Airport May 2.
Plans are underway to develop the Myriad Botanical Resort in Tunica, a multi-attraction themed resort designed to be an international destination with a covered 18-hole golf course; an 80,000-sq. ft. casino; a 1,200-room, 4-star hotel; a 375,000-sq. ft. convention center; a luxury spa; a water and snow park; and 750,000 square feet of retail.
The Mississippi Tourism Association presented Tunica with three awards during its 2005 awards for tourism achievement: the “Event of the Year” award for the Tunica Air Races and Air Show; the “Tourism Achievement of the Year” award for Tunica RiverPark; and Bill Canter, director of marketing and sales for the Tunica CVB, was named “Mississippi Community Volunteer of the Year.”
Nevada
The Platinum Hotel and Spa is expected to open this July near the Las Vegas Strip with 7,000 square feet of meeting space catering to small groups. Amenities include five contiguous meeting rooms and a 3,350-sq. ft. rooftop terrace with 360-degree views of the Vegas skyline, accommodating groups of up to 250.
South Carolina
Over the next several months, North Charleston will add 3,330 new guest rooms in seven properties to its inventory, increasing city’s number of rooms by 28 percent.
Tennessee
CKX Inc. is in talks with Memphis officials about turning Graceland into a tourist attraction and potential convention destination.
Texas
In Houston’s historic Warehouse District, special events venue Warehouse Live opened with two separate event spaces: the 1,500-capacity Ballroom and the 250-capacity Studio, which can be combined for larger events.
The Doubletree Hotel Houston Intercontinental Airport (formerly the Hyatt Regency Houston Airport) begins renovations this month to its banquet hall, restaurants and all 314 guestrooms, which will be furnished with “Sweet Dream” bedding.
The San Jacinto Museum and Monument in Houston is scheduled to complete renovations to the building’s infrastructure later this spring. The San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Reenactment is still scheduled for April 22.
Also in Houston, The Weather Museum, an educational museum about the weather, its history and public safety, is scheduled to open this month. Other scheduled openings include restaurants SaBor, a casual seafood eatery in Montrose, and Morton’s, The Steakhouse, scheduled to open downtown later this year; and the upscale jewelry store Valobra Jewelry and Antiques.
InterContinental Hotels Group is converting a Holiday Inn into a 14-story Hotel Indigo in downtown Dallas. The Hotel Indigo Dallas Aristocrat is expected to open in mid-June with 170 guest rooms, 3,300-sq. ft. of meeting and function space, high-speed Internet access in all guest rooms and wireless access in all public areas.
Gatebridge Hospitality is developing five “aloft” hotels by W in the Dallas-Fort Worth area — in Plano, Las Colinas, Frisco, downtown Dallas and in Fort Worth’s downtown arts district. The hotels will have a communal lobby area, a backyard and a gourmet food area for guests. Hotel rooms will have loft-like accommodations with oversized windows.
At the Houston Zoo, there’s a new baby Masai giraffe.
Omni Hotels bought two San Antonio hotels, the La Mansion del Rio Hotel and Watermark Hotel and Spa. La Mansion will become the Omni La Mansion del Rio Hotel, and the Watermark will keep its name.
A 105-suite Homewood Suites by Hilton opened in Grapevine.
Virginia
The Williamsburg Lodge and Conference Center, in historic Colonial Williamsburg, is renovating its 323 guest rooms and adding new guest houses as well as a conference facility with 45,000 square feet of flexible space and 31 function rooms.
The Westin Arlington Gateway, a $75 million, 336-room upscale hotel in Arlington, opened last month with 10,000 square feet of meeting facilities; a 6,800-sq. ft. ballroom; a state-of-the-art business center; and wireless and high-speed Internet throughout the hotel. The hotel is connected to a 441-unit condominium building and the Arlington Gateway, a 325,000-sq. ft. Class-A office building.
