Names and Notes: October 2006
Published: October 2, 2006
Names
Dave Lutz, managing director of Velvet Chainsaw Consulting and former president of Conferon Inc. and ExpoExchange, was named to the board of directors of Passkey, an international, online group reservation system.
James Kasim was named executive vice president and chief financial officer of BentleyForbes Hospitality Group LLC.
James Jessie was promoted to vice president of sales for the Greater Phoenix [Ariz.] Convention & Visitors Bureau. John Harmon was named director of sales, resorts; Ted Pennison was named director of convention sales; Jan Thomas was named associate director of convention services; and Pamela Plonsky was named convention services and housing coordinator.
Julia Hansen was named director of sales and marketing of the Hilton Tucson [Ariz.] El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort.
Charles Scott was named regional account manager of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Arkansas for California-based Aztec Tents.
Cindy Snow was named regional sales manager for the San Diego and Los Angeles offices of Quest Drape.
Julio Villasenore was named event director of Town and Country Event Rentals, based in Van Nuys, Calif.
Mallory Anderson was named sales manager for the meetings and conventions department of the Daytona Beach [Fla.] Convention and Visitors Bureau; Gloria Bruno was named administrative and sales assistant for the travel industry sales and Golf Daytona Beach departments
Tammi Runzler was named vice president of convention sales and services of the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Patricia Clifton, chief concierge and guest relations manager of the Westin Grand Bohemian in downtown Orlando, was appointed a member of Les Clefs d’Or, the prestigious worldwide organization of hotel concierges.
Universal Orlando Resort restructured its sales team. Dan Cupertino was named senior vice president of sales; Gretchen Hofmann was named senior vice president of sales and marketing; Humphrey Simon became vice president of international sales; Gary Swanson was named vice president of in-market sales and Universal Parks and Resorts; Dennis Quinn was named vice president of travel industry sales; Paul Rothenberg was named vice president of specialty sales.
Charlotte Downs was named senior account executive of destination management in TBA Global Events’ Orlando office.
Cathy Jenkins was named special events manager for Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based concert venue Revolution.
Seminole County, Fla., received the “Digital Achievement Award” from the Center for Digital Government for its Emergency Whiteboard, a real-time, online emergency resource center for emergency management officials.
Marisol Rangel, Johana Mejia and Darrell Drason of Miami’s Landry & Kling Meetings at Sea were designated Certified Meeting Professionals. Landry & Kling specializes in ship selection and cruise event management.
Amy Clark was named tour and travel manager of the Athens CVB.
The Atlanta Business Chronicle named the Alpharetta [Ga.] Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) one of the “Best Places to Work.”
Tim Gaffney of the Alpharetta CVB became a certified WorkComp Advisor, enabling him to help companies locate costly errors in Workers’ Compensation coverage and gain refunds.
Jessica L. Shughart was promoted to director of group sales at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center in Atlanta.
Andrea Georgakopoulos was named executive chef of Atlanta’s Villa Christina, where he once worked as banquet chef.
Linda Davis Miyoshi was promoted to director of sales for PRA Destination Management in Las Vegas.
The Hyatt Regency DFW in Dallas was designated a Carlson Marketing 2005 “Partner of Excellence” for its employees’ efforts to proactively identify potential issues/challenges in order to reduce the risk of negative situations, give detailed and organized hotel information in a timely manner, and provide outstanding food and beverage service.
Dana Williams, CMP, was named regional sales manager in the Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Austin [Texas] Regional Office.
Rhys Lewis was named executive chef of the Williamsburg [Va.] Lodge.
Notes
Mexico
The Barcelo Tucancun Beach Hotel in Cancun now is managed by Playa Hotels & Resorts, although it will continue to be an all-inclusive Barcelo Resort. Renovations to guestrooms and beachside villas are planned.
The CasaMagna Marriott Cancun Resort reopened as a limited-service property with 24-hour room service, a spa, a gym, more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space and kid’s club programs.
Caribbean
The historic, 248-room La Concha Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, is undergoing renovations and is expected to reopen as the Renaissance La Concha in March 2007. The San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is undergoing a $35 million renovation to its casino, lobby, meeting space and guest rooms, scheduled for completion in March 2007.
National
Wyndham Hotel Group is planning a line of five-star properties called the Wyndham Grand Collection; plans are expected to be announced this month.
Conferon Global Services, the nation’s largest independent meeting planning and event management company, changed its name to Experient Inc.
AirTran Airways restarted daily, nonstop service between Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Service between Newport News/Williamsburg International Airport and Fort Lauderdale are scheduled to begin Nov. 7. The airline plans to begin daily, nonstop service between Detroit and Southwest Florida International Airport (SWFIA) on Dec. 21, and restart nonstop service to SWFIA from Akron/Canton, Ohio, and Flint, Mich., on the same date. Next year, the airline plans to become the only low-cost carrier to offer nonstop service from Chicago’s Midway Airport to Miami International Airport and Palm Beach International Airport; flights are scheduled to begin Feb. 7.
United Airlines began new nonstop service between Aspen, Colo., and airports in Chicago (O’Hare) and San Francisco, and expanded nonstop service between Aspen and airports in Denver and Los Angeles.
Arizona
Construction began on the Sheraton Downtown Phoenix Hotel. The property is expected to have 80,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 30,000-sq. ft. ballroom and 16 meeting rooms upon completion in October 2008.
In the Valley of the Sun, Wright’s at the Arizona Biltmore Resort & Spa reopened after completing a renovation. Ko’sin at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass introduced a five-course breakfast tasting menu. The Boulders Organic Garden is scheduled to open this month at the Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa with 5,280 square feet of landscaped gardens, two levels of outdoor dining and a mesquite-burning fireplace.
The Scottsdale Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Sedona Chamber of Commerce Tourism Bureau have united to cross-promote amenities and attractions in both destinations, launching the new Web site scottsdale-sedona.com, publishing a Scottsdale-Sedona brochure and offering combined FAM tours.
The City of Scottsdale’s Downtown Group launched a new Web site with two portals, scottsdaledowntown.com and downtownscottsdale.com, providing 24-hour access to information about the area, including maps, events and accessibility.
In Scottsdale, the Hyatt Place brand of select service hotels, formerly AmeriSuites properties, is scheduled to open its second location this month. (The first Hyatt Place opened in Lombard, Ill.) Amenities include complimentary WiFi Internet access, onsite dining, and guest rooms 20 percent larger than AmeriSuites rooms with wet bars, media centers, workstations, granite counters, sectional sleeper sofas and upgraded bedding. Targeted to Gen-X travelers, lobbies feature an open central gathering area with registration kiosks instead of a front desk.
The Phoenix Art Museum in Scottsdale is expected to open the 25,000-sq. ft. Ellen and Howard C. Katz Wing for Modern Art the weekend of Nov. 11 as part of a $41.2 million development project. Other ongoing project enhancements include the addition of a sculpture garden, a new lobby and entry plaza, and the growth of the museum’s store and endowment.
The Star Spangled Tavern opened in North Scottsdale. The turn-of-the-century-style “public house” serves a menu of classic American comfort foods and regional favorites, featuring artisanal ingredients from boutique vineyards and family farms. Next door, the Baroque Luxe Lounge, a European-style lounge with bite-size tasting plates, is expected to open later this year.
The Taneko Japanese Tavern, featuring organic, seasonal ingredients prepared using diverse Japanese techniques, is expected to open this month in The Borgata shopping center in downtown Scottsdale.
California
In San Jose, the Sainte Clare hotel completed a $5 million renovation, refurbishing its 10,000 square feet of meeting space.
Colorado
The Denver Museum of Art’s new 146,000-sq. ft. Frederic C. Hamilton Building, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, is scheduled to open this month, increasing the museum’s gallery space by more than 40 percent. The gallery will host large traveling exhibitions and showcase items from the museum’s permanent collections.
Florida
The Resort at Singer Island is expected to open in Palm Beach County in December. The $210 million all-suite property will have 239 one- and two-bedroom suites, a formal pool with private cabanas and butler service, an 8,500-sq. ft. ocean-inspired spa and 4,000 square feet of meeting space.
Orlando’s $300 million+ Rosen Shingle Creek Resort opened last month. Amenities include 1,500 guest rooms, a 95,000-sq. ft. column-free ballroom, a championship golf course, a full-service spa, 445,000 square feet of meeting and event space, and nine lounges and restaurants.
The Orlando World Center Marriott Resort and Conference Center opened its 38,000-sq. ft. Grand Ballroom after completing renovations last month. Improvements include 22-ft. ceilings, state-of-the-art technology and sophisticated lighting. The property, which is the largest Marriott in the world, has 214,000 total square feet of meeting space. The 105,000-sq. ft. Cypress Ballroom is expected to open next year.
The 390-room Sheraton Orlando North reopened after completing a multi-million renovation. Amenities include 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 7,500-sq. ft. ballroom and outdoor function space.
The Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau launched a new Web site for meeting planners, orlandoconventions.com.
Also in Orlando, the AmeriSuites Orlando is scheduled to reopen as a Hyatt Place hotel in late 2006. The Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort Hotel opened a garden gazebo for private receptions and dinners. The Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center opened Coquina Dunes, an on-site recreation park with croquet, beach volleyball and bocce ball facilities, and a 9-hole putting course.
The Villas of Grand Cypress is scheduled to begin a $3 million renovation this month to upgrade its 146 guest rooms, 40 rooms at a time. Renovated rooms are expected to begin reopening in late November; renovations are scheduled for completion by January 2007.
The AAA Four-Diamond Westin Grand Bohemian in downtown Orlando is scheduled to become an independent property named the Grand Bohemian Hotel-Orlando on Nov. 20.
The 150-suite Fort Myers-Estero Embassy Suites opened near the Southwest Florida International Airport and I-75.
The Gulfshore Playhouse, a 35,000-sq. ft., $20 million theater is expected to open in 2008 in the Estero on the River mixed-use development. Also in development in Estero is the Coconut Point Town Center, a 1.2 million-sq. ft. shopping center with luxury restaurants, a children’s play area, WiFi Internet access and outdoor performance space, scheduled to open in mid-November.
The landmark Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club, in celebration of its 60th anniversary, is offering limited-edition, signed and numbered prints of artist Paul Arsenault’s painting of the resort and its beach. The 125-acre resort has been owned and operated by the Watkins family since opening in 1946.
The Florida Keys History of Diving Museum in Islamorada opened last month. Open Tuesdays through Sundays, the museum has one of the world’s largest collections of diving equipment and exhibits exploring 3,000 years of diving history.
Georgia
The Georgia Gameday Center in Athens is under new management (Management South LLC); all staff remains the same.
The Crowne Plaza Atlanta-Marietta, the city’s first 100 percent African-American-owned, full-service hotel, opened with 218 rooms, onsite dining, a business center, complimentary 5-mile radius shuttle service and 7,000 square feet of meeting space.
A $1.5 million expansion is underway at Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium, which will add 10,000 square feet of function space. Plans include private meeting rooms, a green room for speakers, overflow seating areas and pre-function space. The expansion is scheduled for completion in April 2007.
The owners of Imperial Fez opened Ibiza, a Moroccan-Spanish tapas restaurant and lounge, next door to its restaurant in Atlanta. Tango, flamenco and salsa dancers will entertain diners Friday and Saturday nights. The Moroccan-themed Imperial Fez has regular belly dancing entertainment served in a sultan’s tent-like environment.
Vino Libro, a wine bar/wine shop and bookstore focusing on cooking, art, design and specialty bottles of wine, opened in Atlanta’s Glenwood Park neighborhood. Open during the day as a WiFi café serving wine and food pairings, the restaurant has wine tastings and book signings in the evening.
Kevin Rathbun Steak is expected to open in late spring 2007 in Atlanta. The steakhouse is the third venture from Chef Rathbun and his business partners and will be on Krog Street, next to sister restaurants Rathbun’s and Krog Bar. Amenities include two private dining rooms, an open kitchen, a full bar with eight tables and a 180-seat main dining room.
After undergoing investigation by Big Bend Ghost Trackers, Americus’ Windsor Hotel was certified an “Authenticate Haunted Hotel” due to significant paranormal activity recorded and documented on the hotel’s third floor.
Louisiana
Commander’s Palace restaurant is expected to reopen in New Orleans the first week of October.
Renovations at New Orleans’ historic Astor Crowne Plaza are scheduled for completion this month. Improvements include an additional 3,500 square feet of meeting space (bringing the total available space to 30,000 square feet), floor-to-ceiling windows along Canal Street, expanded bathrooms and bath amenities, and a Bloody Mary Bar.
The Fairmont New Orleans, previously scheduled to reopen spring 2007, is now expected to open in 2008. Groups booked to meet at the property in 2007 are being rescheduled.
Nevada
The MontBleu Resort Casino and Spa (formerly Caesars Tahoe) reopened on Lake Tahoe after completing renovations in May. Amenities include a 40,000-sq. ft. casino, a club with private cabanas, a full-service spa, and 16,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space.
South Carolina
A 140-room Aloft Hotel is scheduled to open in Charleston in 2008. Amenities will include loft-style rooms with one-stop connectivity for multiple electronic gadgets, 24-hour food and beverage service, a fitness center, and flexible meeting and function space.
A $16 million beach renourishment project on Hilton Head Island is underway. The project, scheduled for completion in May, will expand and build up the beach from the Westin Resort to South Forest Beach.
Texas
Hotel Indigo Dallas (formerly the Dallas Aristocrat) opened with 170 rooms. The one-of-a-kind historic property was the first branded Hilton hotel when it opened in 1925. Amenities include WiFi Internet access, a fitness center, 3,300 square feet of meeting space and a bistro-style restaurant.
In Irving, the Four Seasons Resort and Club at Los Colinas opened 40 new villa rooms and an event lawn for outdoor functions. The 400-acre resort has 397 guest rooms; amenities include two championship 18-hole golf courses, a full-service spa and salon, four restaurants, 12 tennis courts and a 34,000-sq. ft. executive conference center. Management company BentleyForbes plans to implement an improvement program at the property during the next 18 months that will enhance guest rooms, meeting facilities, golf courses and guest amenities.
The 81-room Best Western San Isidro Inn opened in Laredo.
New hotel brand Nylo plans to break ground on its first property later this year in Plano. The Atlanta-based boutique chain will cater to trendy business travelers with loft-style rooms featuring high-tech amenities including MP3 connection ports, Wifi Internet access and game rooms. The 176-room Plano Nylo will have 44 allergen-free rooms, a 24-hour restaurant, a bar, a library, a business center and a boutique.
Virginia
In Chantilly, a 131-room Aloft Hotel is expected to open in 2008 with a Bliss Spa, 24-hour food and beverage service, and flexible meeting and function space.
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