Analysis-Companies Boost Social and Climate Reporting Amid ESG Backlash
November 4th, 2024
Choice Offers Development Incentive for Conversions to Quality Brand; Up to $85,000 in Savings for Conversion Properties / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report Choice Offers Development Incentive for Conversions to Quality Brand; Up to $85,000 in Savings for Conversion Properties Silver Spring, MD (August 8, 2002) – Capitalizing on a conversion-oriented marketplace, Choice Hotels International (NYSE:CHH), franchisor of Quality brand hotels, today announced a conversion incentive package that nets up to $85,000 in potential savings for certain Quality Inn and Quality Inn & Suites franchisees. Terms of the incentive offer a rebate of initial fees, signage costs, logo and amenity items costs and fees associated with linkage to ChoiceÂ...
Electronic Procurement System for Choice Franchisees Evolves to New Version; ChoiceBuys.com Launched in April 1999 / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report Electronic Procurement System for Choice Franchisees Evolves to New Version ChoiceBuys.com Launched in April 1999 Silver Spring, MD (August 20, 2002) – Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH) has launched a new version of its e-commerce website, ChoiceBuys.com, that greatly simplifies the ordering process and enhances the site’s research, tracking and budgeting capabilities. The newest version of ChoiceBuys.com is powered by Comergent Technologies® Inc., one of the industry’s leading providers of sell-side e-business software. Comergent’s e-business clients include suc...
Chicago Hotel Workers Union Seeking New York Wages; Sets Strike Date for August 31 / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive  Chicago Hotel Workers Union Seeking "New York" Wages; Sets Strike Date for August 31 By Stephen Franklin, Chicago Tribune Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 21--The picket signs are nearly ready. So too, are large banners for a march up Michigan Avenue on Friday. And union members have already begun signing up for picket duty. Is it just high-level theatrics by the hotel workers or is the union dead set on a strike by its 7,000 members on Aug. 31? What is clear is that the hotel workers union, which has not staged a strike in Chicago in recent history, is send...
Thai Hotel Firm Central Plaza Hotel Plc Eyes Investments in Prime Resort Destinations / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Thai Hotel Firm Central Plaza Hotel Plc Eyes Investments in Prime Resort Destinations By Nondhanada Intarakomalyasut, Bangkok Post, Thailand Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 23, 2002 - Central Plaza Hotel Plc (Centel) is looking to acquire more properties in resort destinations, particularly in southern Thailand, according to executive vice-president Gerd Steeb. The company had received many proposals from owners to sell their hotels, he said, adding that it was eyeing four- and five-star hotels in destinations such as Krabi, Trang, Ko Lanta and Ko Phi Phi. Th...
Cendant Corporation to Expense Stock Options in 2003 / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report Cendant Corporation to Expense Stock Options in 2003 Board Amends and Extends Employment Agreement of CEO, Henry R. Silverman; Mandatory Stock Option Grant Eliminated / Reported Total Compensation of Company's CEO Expected to be Reduced By Over 50%     NEW YORK, Aug. 28, 2002 - Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) today announced it will expense future stock option grants beginning January 1, 2003.     The Company anticipates that it will reduce the issuance of stock options for employees in the future and instead utilize grants of restricted stock. The Company estimates the p...
Miami Businessman Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Banned Caviar into the U.S.; The Roe of Caspian Sea Sturgeon Have Been Protected Since April 1998 / Aug 2
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Miami Businessman Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Banned Caviar into the U.S.; The Roe of Caspian Sea Sturgeon Have Been Protected Since April 1998 By Larry Lebowitz, The Miami Herald Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 27--A Russian businessman from North Miami Beach pleaded guilty Monday to orchestrating a scheme to smuggle more than 1,300 pounds of black-market caviar into the United States. Viktor Tsimbal, 41, president of Beluga Caviar Inc., faces between three and four years in federal prison when he is sentenced Nov. 6 by U.S. District Judge Federico Moreno. ...
Reporting In at Six Months…./ Canadian Lodging Outlook / July 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report Reporting In at Six Months.... CANADIAN LODGING OUTLOOK June 2002 Year to date The Canadian Lodging Outlook is a joint monthly publication of Smith Travel Research and HVS International, Vancouver and Toronto, Canada By: Elizabeth D. MacDonald, MAI, AACI - HVS International - Canada Well, here we are June 2002, where does the time go? For the first six months of 2002, Canadian hotel occupancy is down by two occupancy points, from 58.6% to 56.6%. The average room rate is up slightly, from $100.94 for the first six months of 2001, to $101.82 for the first six months of 2002. Overall, Rev...
Non Profit Callaway Gardens Planning a Second Hotel / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Non Profit Callaway Gardens Planning a Second Hotel By Janet Frankston, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 26--PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga.---With the opening Friday of a new conference center, Callaway Gardens is looking to new revenue sources to rejuvenate the 50-year-old West Georgia landmark. The nonprofit attraction is retooling with a plan to ensure enough money to operate for another half-century, at least. It's starting with a name change --- "Callaway" instead of "Callaway Gardens." Plans also are under way to open to the publi...
CNL Hospitality Corp. Acquires 6 Hotels in First Half of 2002, Another 5 Hotel Development Projects In Process / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report  CNL Hospitality Corp. Acquires 6 Hotels in First Half of 2002, Another 5 Hotel Development Projects In Process ORLANDO, FL – CNL Hospitality Corp. (“CNL”) completed six hotel acquisitions in the first half of 2002, valued at $260 million, including one hotel owned through a joint venture. The company also has another $460 million of development projects in its acquisition pipeline. In 2001, CNL acquired, directly or indirectly, 13 properties with a total value of more than $450 million. “CNL’s consistent access to capital, accompanied by the extraordinary efforts of our ho...
Candlewood Hotel Company Reports 2nd Qtr Loss of $6.2 million; Occupancy Increases to 78.9% / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report  Candlewood Hotel Company Reports 2nd Qtr 2002 Loss of $6.2 million; Occupancy Increases to 78.9% WICHITA, Kan., Aug. 13, 2002 - Candlewood Hotel Company, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNDL), a leading owner, manager, and franchisor of high-quality, value-oriented, business-travel hotels, today announced results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2002. Second Quarter 2002 Results Comparing the operating results of the Candlewood hotels owned, leased and managed by the Company for the second quarter of 2002, occupancy increased 5.3 points to 78.9 percent, compared to 73.6 percent in the secon...
Carlos Molinet Named General Manager of the Wyndham Grand Bay – Coconut Grove / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report  Carlos Molinet Named General Manager of the Wyndham Grand Bay - Coconut Grove Thomas Carney Appointed Director of Sales DALLAS (Aug. 5, 2002) - Wyndham International, Inc. (NYSE:WYN) is pleased to announce the appointment of Carlos Molinet to general manager of the Wyndham Grand Bay - Coconut Grove, Florida's landmark Four-Star, Four-Diamond luxury property. Molinet's hospitality experience spans more than 20 years including his recent post as general manager of the prestigious 200-suite Wyndham Bel Age, located in the hills of West Hollywood, Calif. Molinet's previous positions ...
Dallas Real Estate Developer Craig Hall Making Plays in the Depressed Hotel Market / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Dallas Real Estate Developer Craig Hall Making Plays in the Depressed Hotel Market By Steve Brown, The Dallas Morning News Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 12--When developer Craig Hall bought two downtown Dallas office towers in the mid-1990s, he didn't have to worry about the competition – there wasn't any. Most investors were still avoiding the battered downtown market when he snapped up the skyscrapers for about $60 million. Three years later, he almost doubled his money when he sold the Harwood Center Tower at Harwood and Bryan streets and the St. Paul T...
Key California Lodging Markets Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego Now Improving / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report Key California Lodging Markets Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego Now Improving Los Angeles, CA (August 28, 2002) – The California Hospitality Services Industry is beginning to improve. After surviving what may be its toughest 12 months in the past decade, the hospitality industry is beginning to show signs of life. After absorbing the deadly combination of the dot com meltdown, energy crisis, state budget deficit, 9/11attacks, drop in the stock market, and prolonged reductions in corporate travel, the key markets of Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego are now improving. In a...
Larkin Hotels Acquires the 173-room Holiday Inn in Burlington, Vermont for Approximately $9.5 million / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report Larkin Hotels Acquires the 173-room Holiday Inn in Burlington, Vermont for Approximately $9.5 million Holiday Inn to be Renovated, Retain Flag New York, NY - August 15, 2002 - Harper Hotels, a Muncie, Indiana-based hotel investor, has sold the 173-room Holiday Inn in Burlington, Vermont, to Larkin Hotels in a transaction valued at approximately $9.5 million, including renovations. Insignia/ESG Hotel Partners was the owner's exclusive representative in this sale. David McElroy, managing director in Insignia/ESG Hotel Partners' Boston office, oversaw the marketing and disp...
The Renaissance Suites Denver Broomfield Hotel, Managed by White Lodging Services, Set to Open / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report The Renaissance Suites Denver Broomfield Hotel, Managed by White Lodging Services, Set to Open WASHINGTON – August 26, 2002 – Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) announced today that the 232-room Renaissance Suites Denver Broomfield Hotel is scheduled to open on September 20, 2002. Situated within walking distance of the FlatIron Crossing Shopping Center, the new Renaissance Suites Denver Broomfield Hotel offers convenient access to several hiking/biking trails and three championship golf courses. Located at 500 FlatIron Blvd., the 10-story hotel is managed by White Lodgi...
The Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel & Conference Center in Bremerton, WA Undergoing Multi-year Renovation / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report  The Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel & Conference Center in Bremerton, WA Undergoing Multi-year Renovation New Furnishings, New Restaurant, New Amenities BREMERTON, WA – The Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel & Conference Center in Bremerton, WA has completed the second phase of a multi-year renovation program designed to expand amenities and provide an enhanced guest experience, announced Frederick C. Roozen, Vice President, Asset & Facility Management, for Northwest Lodging International (USA) Inc., operator of the AAA-approved hotel. “We are most pleased with the results of our con...
Adam Schlesinger Acquires Historic Brazilian Court Hotels for $18 million; Plans to Convert to a Condominium Hotel / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Adam Schlesinger Acquires Historic Brazilian Court Hotels for $18 million; Plans to Convert to a Condominium Hotel By Paul Owers, The Palm Beach Post, Fla. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 24--PALM BEACH, Fla.--The new owner of the Brazilian Court Hotel is seeing stars -- five, to be exact. Local developer Adam Schlesinger this month completed an $18 million deal for the hotel and is working on the newest phase in the long life of the landmark Palm Beach property. Schlesinger hopes to turn the Brazilian Court into a condominium hotel where residents would buy ...
Boutique Hotels Hit Harder than Other Segments; Recovery Will Take Longer / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Boutique Hotels Hit Harder than Other Segments; Recovery Will Take Longer By Tony Fong, The San Diego Union-Tribune Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 21--With their unique designs and hip amenities, boutique hotels were the rage of the 1990s. So what if the nightly rates often exceeded $200? For the cool crowd or those who wanted a different kind of lodging experience, boutique hotels were the antidote to the big chains. But during the past year, in the wake of Sept. 11 and the economic chill, boutique hotels have been hit harder than any other part of the hote...
In Industry Slump, Boutique Hotels Try to Be Cool / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive In Industry Slump, Boutique Hotels Try to Be Cool By Randy Diamond, The Record, Hackensack, N.J. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 5--Two years ago, they were the place to stay. Cool boutique hotels were where your whole visit was an experience -- from lobbies that resembled swank lounges to rooms with fancy furniture, ionized air, filtered water, and fancy linens. But the boutique hotel industry has taken a beating for the past year. The recession and the dot-com bust, followed by the events of Sept. 11, cut occupancy levels to 45 percent or lower at many h...
More Boston Hotel Restaurants Face Wait Staff Lawsuits Alleging Tip Skimming / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive More Boston Hotel Restaurants Face Wait Staff Lawsuits Alleging Tip Skimming By Douglas Belkin, The Boston Globe Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News Aug. 2--Three more lawsuits were filed this week by Boston area food servers against restaurants that allegedly kept tips that customers left for waiters and waitresses. The suits, filed in Suffolk and Middlesex superior courts, bring to eight the number of area restaurants that have been sued since March. The attorney general's office has characterized the practice of "tip skimming" by restaurants as widespread in the...
Best Western International Adds Vacation Homes to Portfolio / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report Best Western International Adds Vacation Homes to Portfolio CLERMONT, Fla., Aug. 15, 2002 - Best Western International expands its unique offering of hotels by welcoming IPG Florida Homes to its hotel base in the Orlando area. IPG offers vacation homes as a new option for Best Western customers. Best Western IPG Florida Homes consists of 50 detached single-family homes, each with its own private fully screened swimming pool and averaging only one to two years old. Fifty additional homes will be added to the system by the end of 2002. Homes are offered with three, four or fi...
Best Western Adds 41 Hotels in North America and 33 International Hotels in 2002 Second Quarter / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report  Best Western Adds 41 Hotels in North America and 33 International Hotels in 2002 Second Quarter PHOENIX, Aug. 5, 2002 - Best Western, The World's Largest Hotel Chain(tm), added 41 hotels in North America and 33 new international hotels in the second fiscal quarter ended May 30.  In North America, Best Western opened 37 hotels in the United States and four hotels in Canada. Second quarter US hotel additions include: Best Western Palm Desert Resort (152 rooms), Palm Desert, Calif.; Best Western Coeur d'Alene Inn (122 rooms), Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; Best Western University Plaza (159...
Bellagio Planning $375 million Expansion; 925 room Tower, 60,000 Sq Ft Meeting Space / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report Bellagio Planning $375 million Expansion; 925 room Tower, 60,000 Sq Ft Meeting Space LAS VEGAS, Aug. 27, 2002 - The $1.6 billion Bellagio, which has earned resounding applause as the most spectacular and romantic resort in the world, will soon delight visitors around the globe with a meaningful encore: the addition of a 925-room spa tower to create an unprecedented oasis of privacy in the elegant and exciting world of Bellagio.  The ambitious, $375 million expansion will begin construction in mid-2003 and is scheduled for completion in December 2004. In addition to the new roo...
Kirby Payne and Scott Anderson Team to Manage and Market Colorado Timeshare, Resort / Aug 2002
March 30, 2002
Hotel Online Special Report Kirby Payne and Scott Anderson Team to Manage and Market Colorado Timeshare, Resort Minneapolis, MN and Telluride, CO — (August 2, 2002) Hospitality Industry Veterans Kirby D. Payne, CHA, President of Minneapolis-based American Hospitality Management Company and Chairman of the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and Scott W. Anderson, President of Telluride, Colo.-based High Country Hospitality, joined forces this month to open Bear Creek Lodge at Mountain Village in Telluride, a timeshare/resort. Smiling Hospitality Inc., an affiliate of American Hospitality Management Company, was...
