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Bill Foussard Inducted into the Minnesota Lodging Association’s Hospitality Hall of Fame
December 16, 2013
Dec. 16--A businessman with St. Cloud ties has been honored by the Minnesota Lodging Association. Bill Foussard was inducted into the Minnesota Hospitality Hall of Fame on Thursday for his work in the lodging industry. Foussard began his hospitality career in 1976 at a family hotel resort in Carefree, Ariz. When that hotel was sold, he came to Minnesota and managed the Leamington Hotel in Minneapolis until 1985, when he bought the Best Western Americanna Inn in St. Cloud. Foussard acquired the Country Inn by Carlson in White Bear Lake in March 2000 and converted it to the Best Western White Bear Country Inn. That hotel was named Propert
Bankrupt Atlantic Club Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ to be Sold this Week at Auction
December 16, 2013
Dec. 16--The bankrupt Atlantic Club Casino Hotel in Atlantic City is on a fast track to be sold this week. Bids are due Monday by 4 p.m., an auction for bidders is scheduled for 11 a.m. Tuesday, and a hearing to approve the sale is on the slate for Thursday. It's not clear how many bidders, if any, will emerge for the Atlantic Club, which has been owned by a California private equity firm since 2005 and has been for sale since at least 2011. Since the Nov. 6 bankruptcy filing, the company's investment bankers have failed to line up a so-called stalking-horse bidder, which would have set a minimum price in the auction. Bids are due Monda
Waterpark Ventures Management to Develop $163 Million 453-key Waterpark Resort in Poconos of PA
December 16, 2013
Dec. 16--A Wisconsin Dells company has announced plans to develop a $163 million waterpark resort but it won't be in the "Waterpark capital of the World." Waterpark Ventures Management Services, a resort and waterpark development and management company, has partnered with Camelback Mountain Resort in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania to develop a 453-room resort with 170,000 square-feet of indoor entertainment, including a 125,000-square-foot indoor waterpark. The eight-story resort, which will include conference space, dining and spa facilities, is scheduled to open in February of 2015 at the base of Camelback Mountain in Tannersvil
Is TRevPAR the Most Effective Metric for Revenue Managers?
Jean Francois Mourier | December 15, 2013
By Jean Francois Mourier There has been a great deal of discussion as of late as to the value of the revenue management metric TRevPar (Total Revenue per Available Room). TRevPAR is calculated by dividing the total net revenues of a property (room revenues plus ancillary revenue streams such as food and beverage, rentals, etc.) by the total available rooms. Many industry experts are saying that TRevPAR is a more valuable metric than RevPAR in determining pricing strategies, but I'm here today to offer a different opinion. TRevPAR is a fantastic metric for accountants, hotel owners and even the general manager, as it helps to determine t
Mythbusters: Online Distribution
Erik Munoz | December 15, 2013
By Erik Munoz In my daily interactions with hoteliers and revenue managers, I encounter many people who find the huge number of different online distribution channels overwhelming. Most hotels have questions about the best practices of this very valuable and profitable channel. In an attempt to demystify online distribution, I wanted to share with you some of the most common myths – and offer insight into the truth behind each myth. Myth: Hotels should reduce their reliance on OTA bookings. There are many hoteliers who are adamant about avoiding OTAs (online travel agencies) unless absolutely necessary – primarily because of
Tampa Bay Hoteliers Cautiously Optimistic as Business Spending on Holiday Events on the Rise
December 15, 2013
Dec. 15--Ron Alicandro is afraid to say it too loud, but the general manager of the Westin Tampa Bay thinks his hotel and others will enjoy a turnaround in holiday parties, events and bookings this year, thanks largely to an improving economy. Alicandro anticipates 30 percent to 40 percent growth in parties this holiday season year over year. He's also created holiday specials for individual business, including a Ring-in-the-New-Year package with access to the private BluVu rooftop party, 18 floors up overlooking the bay with a view of the area's fireworks. "But we take it one holiday at a time," Alicandro said. "First Christmas, then N
With About $2 billion Spent on New Hotels and Renovations in 2013, Competition in Las Vegas Heats Up
December 15, 2013
Dec. 15--LAS VEGAS -- With about $2 billion in new hotels and renovations in 2013 and continuing into the new year, Las Vegas wants to make sure its rooms are the nicest in the country, as competition for tourists intensifies. Casino hotels up and down the Strip have done more than freshen bedsheets. They've either remodeled, refurbished, or rebranded; added amenities and topflight chefs; or, as in at least one example, added a hotel within a hotel -- to be different. "What makes Las Vegas a premier tourist destination is the fact that it is always changing, adding new attractions, and enhancing older ones with the goal of providing gue
What Has Our Restaurant Dining Experience Turned Into?
Steve DiGioia | December 14, 2013
By Steve DiGioia Being in the hospitality business for over 25 years, I have seen some of the best and worst at their trade. From the hardworking, studious college kid that was very driven and worked as a waiter 6-days a week to put himself through school; the gravelly-voiced divorced mom of 4 grown kids that needed to pay her bills and get her life back on track; the "hot" chick that thought her looks was her ticket to fame and fortune and that being a waiter was only a temporary setback for her; and the overweight nerdy-guy that really couldn't relate well with his customers, continually came in late and never got a close shave but al