Lodging Prices Dropping, Some By 50%, 10 Days Before Start of Winter Olympics / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Lodging Prices Dropping, Some By 50%, 10 Days Before Start of Winter Olympics By Pat O'Brien, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jan. 29--The Winter Olympics start 10 days from now in Salt Lake City and there are still rooms and event tickets to be had. Even airfares are decently priced.  The big hurdle is lodging costs that soared to alpine heights after corporations reserved 60 percent of the rooms. For instance, the asking price for a midrange room was about $500 a night with multinight stays required. But there is a thaw occur...

Thakor Desai Opens First Wingate Inn® Hotel in California Located at San Francisco International Airport / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  Special Report Thakor Desai Opens First Wingate Inn® Hotel in California Located at San Francisco International Airport PARSIPPANY, N.J. (January 7, 2002) - Business and leisure travelers to San Francisco and the San Francisco International Airport will benefit from free guestroom high-speed Internet access, enabling technology and a 100% satisfaction guarantee policy at the new four-story, 88-room franchised Wingate Inn hotel at 373 South Airport Boulevard.    "When I learned what Wingate Inns had to offer, I realized it was the perfect hotel brand for the San Francisco area," says owner Thakor De...

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  .Special Report Former Mount Rushmore Superintendent Dan Wenk Receives South Dakota Visitor Industry’s Highest Honor - Ben Black Elk Award Pierre, SD - Jan. 18, 2002 - Former Mount Rushmore Superintendent Dan Wenk received the South Dakota visitor industry’s highest honor during a banquet Jan. 17 in Pierre.   Gov. Bill Janklow presented Wenk with the Ben Black Elk Award during the 2002 South Dakota Governor’s Conference on Tourism. Wenk was cited for his keen vision and strong leadership, as he oversaw a $56 million renovation project at the national memorial. Wenk also was commended for ...

Outlook 2002: A Roundtable Discussion / The Global Hospitality Advisor / JMBM / January 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  Special Report The Global Hospitality Advisor - Outlook 2002: A Roundtable Discussion January 2002 Jim Butler Chairman of the Global Hospitality Group at Jeffer, Mangels, Butler & Marmaro, recently spoke with several other leaders in the hospitality industry, exploring their outlook for the industry in the upcoming year and asking them to share their predictions with our readers. Here, Jim speaks with Bruce Baltin, Vice President, PKF Consulting, Bjorn Hanson, National Industry Chairman - Hospitality, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Randy Smith, Chairman, Smith Travel and Research, and Jack Weste...

Steve Romaniello Resigns As President & COO Of U.S. Franchise Systems / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  Special Report Steve Romaniello Resigns As President & COO Of U.S. Franchise Systems ATLANTA (January 2, 2002) -- Steve Romaniello, president and chief operating officer of U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc., (USFS) resigned today.  He will be leaving the hospitality industry to accept the position as president, Franchise and Food Service of Carvel Corporation.   Commenting on his departure, Mike Leven, ceo of USFS said, "Steve was one of the founding executives of USFS six years ago. He has worked with me for 12 years and has been a friend and confidant for most of his adult life. The industry will miss h...

Transcontinental Corporation Prepares for 2002 Opening of $170 million Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online Special Report    Transcontinental Corporation Prepares for 2002 Opening of $170 million Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa LAS VEGAS - January 14, 2002 - Construction of the $170 million Ritz-Carlton, Lake Las Vegas resort & spa officially reached its "topping off" today with the completion of the hotel's landmark Florentine-style bridge foundation. The topping off ceremony included the finishing placement of rolled steel on the bridge, followed by the creation of time capsule memorabilia by state and city officials, guests and local media.      Scheduled to open in November 2002, the 3...

Hotel Online: Hospitality News

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Former Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage, Renamed the Lodge at Rancho Mirage, Drops  Plan for Golf Course By Rick Burnham, The Press-Enterprise, Riverside, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jan. 1--RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif.--The new owner of the former Ritz Carlton Rancho Mirage -- renamed the Lodge at Rancho Mirage -- has decided not to build a controversial multi-million-dollar golf course in the Santa Rosa foothills adjacent to the upscale hotel.  Instead, Denver-based Vail Resorts Inc. said its luxury resort hotel company -- Rockresorts International LLC -- has closed...

Frits Huntjens, General Manager at Greater Richmond Convention Center, Discusses Challenges / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Frits Huntjens, General Manager at Greater Richmond Convention Center, Discusses Challenges By Valerie Hubbard, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Va. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jan. 22--Frits Huntjens paused briefly at the enormous windows lining the hall on the east side of the Greater Richmond Convention Center.  Squinting against the glare of midwinter sunlight, Huntjens looked across Fifth Street at the Richmond Marriott Hotel.  "They called it a white elephant when I first came here," he said of the hotel. "And anyone who knows Richmond knows the challenges."  ...

The Economy Will Eke Out Growth of 1% to 2 % by the End of 2002 / Atlanta Business Chronicle / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  .Special Report The Economy Will Eke Out Growth of 1% to 2% by the End of 2002  Atlanta Business Chronicle - January 25, 2002 - Economist Donald Ratajczak said Jan. 25 to pop any champagne left over from New Year’s Eve on Feb. 28, because he predicts that day will celebrate the last of the 2001 recession.  The former Georgia State University economist and current head of BrainWorks, a venture capital firm, believes the economy will eke out growth of 1 percent to 2 percent by the end of 2002.  2003, however, will take off, with growth of up to 4 percent or higher.  '2003 looks cracker jack...

Hotel Dilemma: Providing High Speed Access for 150 Attendees from 5 Conference Rooms / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  .Special Report Hotel Dilemma: Providing High Speed Access for 150 Attendees from 5 Conference Rooms Successful Integration of an MHU Solution Case Study – January, 2002 As business application technology improves, time sensitive issues seem to grow exponentially.  The days of out of office messages proclaiming “no access to email” are gone and have been replaced with the need to be connected while on the road, in hotels, and while attending conferences in far-flung locals. Not only is this a concern for traveling business people, it has become a major issue for those holding conferences and th...

RHW Companies to Build $10.5 million Marriott Residence Inn in Colorado Springs, Colo. / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive RHW Companies to Build $10.5 million Marriott Residence Inn in Colorado Springs, Colo. By Rich Laden, The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jan. 15--A Kansas developer plans a 113-room Marriott Residence Inn for the InterQuest office and business park on Colorado Springs' north side.  It's the developer's fourth Marriott property in the city, and it opens a new section of InterQuest for commercial development.  RHW Companies of Overland Park, Kan., plans to begin construction on the $10.5 million hotel in April and open the project...

Commonly Asked Questions & Answers on Leasing / RCR Capital / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  Special Report Commonly Asked Questions & Answers on Leasing RCR Capital Leasing, Inc. understands your business needs. We'll work closely with you and respond promptly to your requests. We approach each transaction with individualized care and personal service - taking the time needed to structure a lease that meets your needs. Contact: pasales@rcrcapital.com 215-340-1090  1) What is the equipment leasing process? The one page application to be completed signed and faxed (mailed or e-mailed) to RCRCapital.com.  Normal turnaround time for a credit decision is 24 hours (or less) dependin...

Tampa, Florida Hosting the Religious Conference Management Association; May Have Huge Impact on Future Bookings / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online Special Report Tampa, Florida Hosting the Religious Conference Management Association; May Have Huge Impact on Future Bookings Tampa, FL (January 21, 2002) -- Last January, Tampa Bay hosted the NFL's biggest game, Super Bowl XXXV. This year, Tampa Bay will host the largest religious meeting planner's conference of the year when Religious Conference Management Association's 30th Annual Convention comes to town January 29 - February 1, 2002. RCMA is an organization whose members are religious meeting planners or convention organizers.   Of the 1,282 convention attendees, approximately 400 are meeting p...

Pinnacle Advisory Group Establishes Hospitality Asset Restructuring Services Group / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  .Special Report   Pinnacle Advisory Group Establishes Hospitality Asset Restructuring Services Group January, 2002 - Rachel Roginsky, Principal of Pinnacle Advisory Group, has announced the formation of Pinnacle's Hospitality Asset Restructuring Services Group - dedicated to supporting lenders, investors, owners and operators through turbulent times. "As a result of September 11 and the economic recession, many hotels have experienced a dramatic downturn," states Roginsky. "Our clients, investors of all types, have begun to ask for professional support. With our vast experience and seasoned professional sta...

The Inn at Perry Cabin Embarks Upon US$17 Million Expansion Project / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online Special Report   The Inn at Perry Cabin Embarks Upon US$17 Million Expansion Project LONDON, Jan. 11, 2002 - The Inn at Perry Cabin on Maryland's Eastern Shore has temporarily closed from January 6 to May 30, 2002 in order to complete a $17 million improvement programme that will double the hotel's room count from 41 to 81 keys.   The scope of the project includes the creation of a more stylish entrance, increase the number of luxury suites and guestrooms with water views, re-design existing rooms, enhance public areas, restaurants and grounds, and add a conference facility for high-level boa...

People Really Do Make the Difference / Harry Nobles / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  Special Report People Really Do Make  the Difference E-mail:  info@optimumrating.com Harry Nobles & Cheryl Thompson,  January 2002 We were invited to participate in the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia (TIANS) annual conference in November; our topic being “People Make the Difference”.  Our trip to Halifax resulted in two incidents that reinforced this point far better than any example we could have created.   We arrived at Dulles Airport at 5:15AM  for a scheduled 8:00AM departure because current policy requires arrival three (3) hours prior to international flights.  The most ...

The Peninsula Hotel New York Earns the E-Marketer of the Year Award Presented at HSMAI Gala / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  .Special Report The Peninsula Hotel New York Earns the  "E-Marketer of the Year" Award Presented at HSMAI Gala Additional Three Runners-up Honored Chicago, IL (January 30, 2002) - The electronic distribution of hotel rooms is now a $15 billion marketplace, so hotels must understand tools required to maximize their booking performance in order to compete. To underscore the critical business importance of e-marketing, TravelCLICK has identified four hotel marketers for "E-Marketer of the Year" recognition. The four are: The Peninsula Hotel New York; Hilton Back Bay, Boston; the Sheraton Suites Orlan...

Boutique Hotel Group Selected to Manage Historic Peery Hotel, Salt Lake City / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  .Special Report Boutique Hotel Group Selected to Manage Historic Peery Hotel, Salt Lake City NEW YORK, NY, January 29, 2002 - Boutique Hotel Group, a leading hospitality management firm founded in 1999 and headquartered in New York, has assumed management of the Peery Hotel, a historic 73-room property in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.     The Peery Hotel management appointment signals the launch of the company's expansion into new and existing markets.  The Boutique Hotel Group's other properties include The Mansfield, The Roger Williams, The Shoreham, The Franklin and Hotel Wales, all located in ...

A Team of Famed Peabody Ducks Take Limo to Little Rock to Open the Refurbished 418-room The Peabody Little Rock / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive A Team of Famed Peabody Ducks Take Limo to Little Rock to Open the Refurbished 418-room The Peabody Little Rock By Christopher Barton, The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Tenn. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jan. 26--A team of famed Peabody ducks took their last walk down the red carpet to the lobby fountain in the historic Memphis hotel on Friday morning.  The ducks then waddled out the door to a limousine bound for their new home in Little Rock, where they'll make their public debut in February at a new Peabody hotel.  The Peabody Little Rock, a refurbished 418-room...

Avalon Global Group Expands the Payless Brand Within the Travel Industry with Launching of Payless Lodging Reservation System / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  .Special Report Avalon Global Group Expands the Payless Brand Within the Travel Industry with Launching of Payless Lodging Reservation System ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Jan. 24, 2002-- Avalon Global Group, Inc., the parent holding company of Payless Car Rental System, Inc., announced today the opening of a new division within the company, Payless Lodging, which further expands the Payless brand within the travel marketplace.      Payless Lodging is an innovative partnership of mid-priced independent lodging properties that provides travelers on-line Internet access to reserve accommodations worldwide. ...

China Nanshan (Group) Co. Appoints Century International Hotels to Manage the Panorama Century Court Shanghai / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online Special Report China Nanshan (Group) Co. Appoints Century International Hotels to Manage the Panorama Century Court Shanghai January 2002 … Century International Hotels will make its debut in Shanghai following the recent signing of a management contract for Panorama Century Court Shanghai, a 192-unit property owned by China Nanshan (Group) – Shanghai Chengnan Real Estate Development Company.  This strategic addition gives Century a highly visible presence in Shanghai, the centre of China’s economic resurgence.  The other two Century properties in China are Novotel Watergate Shenzhen and Century Run...

Seven Pandox-owned Hotels Change Brand / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  .Special Report Seven Pandox-owned Hotels Change Brand Pandox AB (publ) and Scandic/Hilton have reached agreement to rebrand seven Pandox-owned hotel properties.    The decision has been reached after extensive market studies where different brands have been evaluated and benchmarked against each hotels competitor group and product segment. After negotiations and amendments to lease agreements, where the allocation and financing of the costs are included, the Pandox hotel property portfolio is further developed with five Hilton hotels and two Scandic hotels. ”This will increase the quality...

The $450 million Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center Opening at 60 percent Pre-sold for 2002 / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online  Special Report The $450 million Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center Opening at  60 percent Pre-sold for 2002 More Than 1 Million Rooms Sold … Before Opening! KISSIMMEE, Fla. – (Jan. 4, 2002) Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center last week sold its 1 millionth room -- breaking an industry record for room nights pre-sold before opening day.  "No other resort – in the history of hotels everywhere – has ever sold this many room nights before a single guest walked through the door," said Mike Mason, vice president of sales and marketing.    The 1 million sold include all room nights...

Pacifica Hotel Co. Reports 19 Managed Hotels Finished 2001 at 73.9%, down 6.7% Compared to 2000; ADR Up 5.9% Over Prior Year / Jan 2002

January 30, 2002

Hotel Online Special Report    Pacifica Hotel Co. Reports 19 Managed Hotels Finished 2001 at 73.9%, down 6.7% Compared to 2000;  ADR Up  5.9% Over Prior Year Santa Barbara, California -- January 2002 - Pacifica Hotel Company  (PHC) announced that despite the economic recession and the events of September 11th, the firm's 2001 year-end results finished only slightly lower than prior year statistics. In fact, approximately 40% of PHC hotels posted modest to substantial RevPar increases when compared to prior year. For the twelve months ending December 31, 2001, the aggregate occupancy of PHC's 19 managed...