Millennium Suspends Sales for Luxury Condos in The Four Seasons Hotel and Tower, Miami; Market Not As Strong As Hoped / November 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Millennium Suspends Sales for Luxury Condos in The Four Seasons  Hotel and Tower, Miami; Market Not As Strong As Hoped  By Douglas Hanks III, The Miami Herald Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Nov. 10--The Four Seasons Hotel and Tower has suspended sales operations in the face of weak demand for luxury condominiums in what will be Florida's tallest building.  Construction continues on the 800-foot-tall combination of a residential tower and five-star hotel on Brickell Avenue. But developer Millennium Partners has stopped promoting sales. The New York company dropped ...

Hilton, Holiday Inn, in Fort Wayne, Ind., Struggle under Debt Load / November 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Hilton, Holiday Inn, in Fort Wayne, Ind., Struggle under Debt Load By Lynne McKenna Frazier, The News-Sentinel, Fort Wayne, Ind. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Nov. 27--FORT WAYNE, Ind.--The owner of the downtown Hilton Hotel and Holiday Inn in Fort Wayne is teetering under a staggering debt load.  Lodgian Inc., an Atlanta-based owner and operator of 106 hotels, saw losses pile up as travel fell after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But the company already was in weak condition, struggling under a debt load of about $200 million.  Earlier this month, Lodgian tol...

Fairmont Deploys Wired and Wireless LAN Access In All Rooms and Meeting Areas / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Fairmont Deploys Wired and Wireless LAN Access In  All Rooms and Meeting Areas  Toronto / San Jose, November 12, 2001 - Fairmont Hotels & Resorts and Cisco Systems Inc., announced today an agreement to outfit 100 percent of Fairmont properties with secure, reliable, high-speed Internet access provided on an end-to-end Cisco network infrastructure.   Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has completed its deployment of the Cisco network infrastructure to all 37 of the company’s luxury and first-class properties, which are located in Canada, the United States, Mexico, Bermuda and Barbados. ...

Pacific Century Group Appoints Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to Manage New Property in Tokyo's Marunouchi District / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Pacific Century Group Appoints Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to Manage New Property in Tokyo's Marunouchi District Hotel Joins Successful Four Seasons Hotel at Chinzan-so November 20, 2001 - Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts announced that it has finalized a long-term contract to manage the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi, which will be the Toronto-based company’s second property in Japan.  The new Hotel joins the company’s first Tokyo location, Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Chinzan-so. The Hotel is being developed by Pacific Century Group, a Hong Kong based global m...

Sale of Hotels in Prague and Hong Kong Boosts Four Seasons 3rd Qtr Earnings, Anticipating 2001 Full-year RevPAR Decline of 12% to 13% / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Sale of Hotels in Prague and Hong Kong Boosts Four Seasons  3rd Qtr Earnings, Anticipating 2001 Full-year RevPAR  Decline of 12% to 13% Four Seasons Remains Committed to 22 Building Projects  SUMMARY OF HOTEL OPERATING DATA TORONTO - Nov. 9, 2001 -- Four Seasons Hotels Inc. (NYSE:FS) (TSE:FSH.) today reported its results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2001.  Net earnings increased 38.6% to $32.0 million ($0.92 basic earnings per share and $0.80 diluted earnings per share1) for the three months ended September 30, 2001, as compared to net earnings of $23.1 million ...

Frequent Driver Miles Matches Charitable Contributions / November 2001

April 30, 2001

...™ Frequent Driver Miles Matches  Charitable Contributions November 29, 2001 - Frequent Driver Miles has upped the ante through December, matching 1-for-1 all contributions that guests make through the program at participating hotels. “One of the most important facets of our strong consumer identity was the fact that guests could either use their gas receipt as a discount or contribute it to charity through the hotel.  Since many smaller, local charities have experienced a dramatic shortfall this year, it seemed like a natural fit for our organization to match the donations at this critical time,” explained Jim Coyle...

FelCor Amends Terms of $615 million Unsecured Line of Credit In Anticipation of Continued Challenging Operating Environment / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  FelCor Amends Terms of $615 million Unsecured Line of Credit  In Anticipation of Continued Challenging Operating Environment IRVING, Texas...November 15, 2001 - FelCor Lodging Trust Incorporated (NYSE: FCH), one of the nation’s largest hotel real estate investment trusts (REITs), today announced that it amended certain terms of its $615 million unsecured line of credit (the “Facility”), in anticipation of the continued challenging operating environment.  Prior to the amendment, the Company met all its existing covenants under the Facility.  The amendment allows for the relaxation of...

April 30, 2001

  FelCor’s 3rd Qtr Funds From Operations Drops 57%; Will Re-evaluate Common Dividend Policy  October Occupancy Improves Weekly Hotel Performance Statistics Through October 2001 Hotel Performance Statistics RevPAR Performance for Selected States Brand Distribution IRVING, Texas…October 31, 2001 - FelCor Lodging Trust Incorporated (NYSE: FCH), one of the nation’s largest hotel real estate investment trusts (REITs), today reported operating results for the third quarter and nine months ended September 30, 2001.  A soft economic environment, magnified by the events of September 11 and the subsequent falloff in travel...

Salt Lake Organizing Committee Cancels 600 of 800 Rooms Reserved in Evanston, Wyoming for the Winter Games / November 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Salt Lake Organizing Committee Cancels 600 of 800 Rooms  Reserved in Evanston, Wyoming for the Winter Games By Jason Blevins, The Denver Post Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Nov. 9--The businesses of Evanston, Wyo., a town of 12,000 that's a stone's throw from the Utah border, are fighting back.  After the Salt Lake Organizing Committee abruptly canceled hundreds of rooms it had reserved a year earlier, Evanston's tourism leaders are scrambling to fill the town's hotels during the Winter Games in February.  "We just figured it was a done deal," said Rick Lunsford, Olym...

Seattle's October Hotel Occupancy 57% Compared with 73% a Year Earlier; Brunt of Downturn Hits Luxury Hotels / November 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive  Seattle's October Hotel Occupancy 57% Compared with 73% a Year Earlier; Brunt of Downturn Hits Luxury Hotels By Luke Timmerman, The Seattle Times Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Nov. 6--You couldn't have picked a worse time to open a luxury hotel.  It was July 19 when the Elliott Grand Hyatt overcame construction delays and opened in downtown Seattle. The baseball All-Star Game was over. The economy was sputtering.  Then things got worse.  The Sept. 11 attacks pummeled the travel sector. Seattle's hotel-occupancy rate fell from 79 percent in September 2000 to...

Effective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Implementations / John Schweisberger and Amitava Chatterjee, CHTP / Hospitality Upgrade Magazine / Fa

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Effective Customer Relationship  Management (CRM) Implementations To view more articles covering technology for the hospitality industry please visit the Hospitality Upgrade Web site or to request a free publication please call (678) 802-5300 or email. .   This article is from the Fall issue of Hospitality Upgrade Managzine.  This article is from the Fall issue of Hospitality Upgrade Managzine.  By John Schweisberger and Amitava Chatterjee, CHTP Once you’ve decided to invest in a CRM application, the next steps include a well-developed strategy that is effectively ...

Generally a Conversion Brand, the Newest Econo Lodge in Canada Is New Construction / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Generally a Conversion Brand, the Newest Econo Lodge  in Canada Is New Construction TORONTO, ON, November 13, 2001 - Choice Hotels Canada (Choice Canada) is pleased to announce that the first new construction Econo Lodge in over five years, is located in Surrey, B.C.  Generally a conversion brand, the latest Econo Lodge is the direct result of an exclusive Choice Canada franchising program, which gives franchisees the opportunity to save up to $100,000 when building a new property.  “I am thrilled about my partnership agreement with Choice,” said Hardy Baines, licensee of the E...

LDW Resort and Hotel Development Pursuing a Four Seasons Hotel in East Palo Alto, California / November 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive LDW Resort and Hotel Development Pursuing a Four Seasons Hotel in East Palo Alto, California By Thaai Walker, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Nov. 27--After months of rumors that a swanky Four Seasons Hotel might be coming to East Palo Alto, city officials this week will hear a developer's plan to bring the five-star luxury hotel to the working-class city.  Tonight the city council will debate key issues that must be decided before developers can finalize a deal to make Four Seasons the city's first hotel. It could be built as early a...

Profile: Ed Crispell, General Manager of the Imperial Palace, Las Vegas / November 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Profile: Ed Crispell, General Manager of the  Imperial Palace, Las Vegas  Las Vegas Review-Journal Nevadan At Work Column By Hubble Smith, Las Vegas Review-Journal Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Nov. 19-- Ed Crispell looks the part of a casino executive. He's got a full head of jet-black hair now graying at 52 and an olive complexion, he dresses with style and carries himself with grace.  His favorite author is Mario Puzo and he's enamored with the history of Las Vegas.  The general manager of the Imperial Palace cut his teeth in the Las Vegas hotel business dur...

Drury Inns Moving Ahead on $6.5 million Hotel in Albuquerque, N.M. / November 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Drury Inns Moving Ahead on $6.5 million Hotel  in Albuquerque, N.M. By Diane Velasco, Albuquerque Journal, N.M. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Nov. 13--ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.--A new hotel, scheduled to open next fall, will cater to business travelers while boosting business at commercial center "I25."  St. Louis-based chain Drury Inn Inc. is plunging into the New Mexico market with a six-story, 164-room hotel at Interstate 25 and Jefferson. The company chose Albuquerque for its growing business market, which makes up to 60 percent of Drury's clients, and its good leisur...

Doubletree Club Designs Prototype for Hotel Conversions; Geared for Mid-market Hotels Not Recently Renovated / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Doubletree Club Designs Prototype for Hotel Conversions;  Geared for Mid-market Hotels Not Recently Renovated BEVERLY HILLS, Calif., November 8, 2001— Doubletree Club Hotel, an upscale, mid-market hotel offering within the Hilton family of hotels, has begun a campaign to inform developers about the new Doubletree Club hotel design prototype which is geared toward rehabilitation of an existing hotel.  The brand plans to add approximately 30 hotels primarily through franchise agreements to its portfolio during the next three years via a targeted program of conversions and new constructio...

Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa's Director of MIS, Steve Hicks, Striving for the Most Technologically Advanced Hotel in the World / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa's Director of MIS, Steve Hicks,  Striving for the Most Technologically Advanced  Hotel in the World HOLLYWOOD, Fl, November 2001 -- The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa opening January 10, 2002, in Hollywood, FL, on the Atlantic shore, is among the most technologically advanced hotels in the world. The 1,000-room hotel with adjacent Convention Center and nearby Country Club is not only the most extensive resort to be launched in the United States in the first part of the 21st century but it has created an unparalleled, cutting-edge, all-fiber, gigabyte infrastruc...

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report The Brainchild of Andre Van Hall, GM of Denver's AdamÂ’s Mark Hotel,  Works for Indoctrinating University of Denver's HRTM Students College “Road Trip” Provides Valuable Educational Experiences Denver, November 14, 2001 – If you want college freshmen to learn about the hospitality industry – just send them on a road trip. But make sure they go to one of DenverÂ’s finest hotels. This is just what first-year students in the School of Hotel, Restaurant, and Tourism Management (HRTM) in the Daniels College of Business at the University of Denver did on September 28 and 29, 2001.  Â...

David E. Hawthorne Named President and Chief Executive Officer at Lodgian, Inc. / November 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report advertisement  David E. Hawthorne Named President and Chief Executive Officer  at Lodgian, Inc. ATLANTA, Nov. 5, 2001 - Lodgian, Inc., (NYSE: LOD), announced today the Company has appointed David E. Hawthorne President and Chief Executive Officer.  Mr. Hawthorne was previously named to these positions on an interim basis. For the past six years, Mr. Hawthorne has worked with several companies to improve their operating performance, most recently Alliance Entertainment and Tower Records. Additionally, Mr. Hawthorne was the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Servico, Inc. (a pr...

Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Traffic Down 26.1% in October; Was Down 35% in September / November 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Passenger Traffic Drops 26.1 Percent in October at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport By Ellen Schroeder, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Texas Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Nov. 2--D/FW AIRPORT, Texas--Passenger traffic at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport remains well below normal levels, but travel is slowly increasing after a drastic drop after Sept. 11.  At a board meeting Thursday, airport officials reported an estimated 26.1 percent decrease from 5 million passengers in October of last year to 3.7 million passengers in October this year.  Passenger numbers dropped nearly 35 pe...

Customer Is King – Long Live the King! / Terence Ronson / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Customer Is King Long Live the King! By Terence Ronson - August 2001 In an industry where brand loyalty and customer retention is everything and essential especially under the current economic climate, how can technology be used effectively as a business driver? Over the last few years, the hospitality industry has seen an explosion of websites and extremely sophisticated graphical emails, specifically designed to improve click-thru rates to entice people to hit a ‘submit’ button and make a hotel reservation. However, with all the razzmatazz, the reality is a bit like the old adage; “Yo...

Georgia Tech Foundation Appoints Crestline as Manager of the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Georgia Tech Foundation Appoints Crestline as Manager  of the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center BETHESDA, MD - November 13, 2001- Crestline Hotels & Resorts, a preeminent leader in university hospitality partnerships, entered into an agreement to manage the Georgia Tech Hotel and Executive Conference Center, scheduled to open in the summer of 2003.  The property is wholly owned by a new entity created by the Georgia Tech Foundation, Inc., and will be managed by Crestline Hotels & Resorts, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Crestline Capital Corporation (NYSE: CLJ).  The 25...

Cranwell Resort & Golf Club Creating Largest, Most Comprehensive Resort Spa in the Northeast; 35,000 Sq.Ft. Facility Opens March 2002 / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Cranwell Resort & Golf Club Creating Largest, Most Comprehensive Resort Spa in the Northeast; 35,000 Sq.Ft. Facility Opens March 2002 Lenox MA (November 12, 2001) – In 1993, when the currrent owners of Cranwell Resort & Golf Club first saw the historic 19th century hotel and 380-acre property with sweeping views of the Berkshire Hills, they had a vision.  Today, that vision has become a reality as Cranwell flourishes as a premier 107-room four-season resort with a championship Golf Course and Golf School.    In March 2002, the resort will crown its multi-million dollar renaiss...

CopperWynd Resort & Club Added to Small Luxury Hotels of the World Consortium / Nov 2001

April 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  CopperWynd Resort & Club Added to Small Luxury Hotels of the World Consortium LONDON, November 19 - Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) has announced the addition of the luxury consortium’s newest North American member, CopperWynd Resort & Club.  Nestled among the mountains of Fountain Hills, Arizona, CopperWynd offers breathtaking views, spacious guest rooms and state-of-the-art spa and fitness facilities.  SLH member hotels are selected for level of service provided and attention to personal detail.  Each of the resort’s 32 guest rooms features a private balcony with ...