Paul Breslin, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel General Manager, Elected Chairman of the Atlanta Hotel Council / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Paul Breslin, Sheraton Atlanta Hotel General Manager,  Elected Chairman of the Atlanta Hotel Council Atlanta, Georgia...June 26, 2001...Paul Breslin general manager of the Sheraton Atlanta Hotel has been elected chairman of the Atlanta Hotel Council after serving as vice chairman for the past two and a half years.  In his role as chairman, Breslin will work with the 30 member group, comprised of hotel general managers from downtown and midtown, to focus on short and long-term objectives for the hospitality industry, the number one employer in the city of Atlanta. As a chapter of the Geo...

Outrigger Undertaking a $300 million Multi-year Redevelopment to Transform the Waikiki Lewers-Kalia Area with New Retail and Hotel Projects / July 200

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report    Outrigger Undertaking a $300 million Multi-year Redevelopment  to Transform the Waikiki Lewers-Kalia Area with  New Retail and Hotel Projects HONOLULU, HAWAII - July 9, 2001 - Outrigger Enterprises today announced plans to redevelop its 7.9 acres of properties in the Lewers-Kalia area in Waikiki into an exciting new retail entertainment and hotel project. The $300 million, multi-year redevelopment project, named Waikiki Beach Walk, will transform the area from the existing dated and crowded city streets into a pedestrian-friendly place featuring a central gathering place plaza, wi...

Orlando Hotels in May Suffered a 13.3% Decline in Occupancy, Resporting 65.7% vs 75.8% / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Orlando Hotels in May Suffered a 13.3% Decline in Occupancy, Resporting 65.7% vs 75.8% By Tim Barker, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jul. 16--It looks like tough times are threatening to knock Orlando hoteliers off the pedestal that towers over the heads of competitors across the nation.  In May, Orlando's average daily occupancy fell to a level that looks positively average when compared with the nation as a whole, according to Smith Travel Research. That's quite a change for a market that typically runs about 10 percent higher than t...

Orange, Fla., Tourist Tax Tumbles Third Month in a Row / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Orange, Fla., Tourist Tax Tumbles Third Month in a Row By Maria M. Perotin, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jun. 29--Orange County's tourist tax raked in fewer dollars in May -- marking the third straight decline and reinforcing hoteliers' fears that it will be a painful summer.  The take from the 5 percent tax on hotel rooms fell 8.7 percent last month, compared with May 2000. That's an even steeper decrease than the 3.8 percent decline in April and the 2.2 percent fall in March.  The three-month decline is the first in at least a deca...

Tourism and Convention Industries Impact is Profound for Olympic Host Cities / Jones Lang LaSalle / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report Tourism and Convention Industries Impact  is Profound for Olympic Host Cities CHICAGO, July 2, 2001 - While the 2008 Olympic Games will last only 16 days, host cities will feel their effects long after the awarding of the final gold medals, according to a new report released today by Jones Lang LaSalle (NYSE: JLL) and LaSalle Investment Management. The report, "Reaching Beyond the Gold: The Impact of the Olympic Games on Real Estate Markets," examines the legacies of four recent Olympic hosts -- Seoul (1988), Barcelona (1992), Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000) -- and forecasts the potent...

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     The Dow Hotel Company Converts the Rosemont Suites  at O’Hare to Embassy Suites Brand MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 18, 2001 – Embassy Suites Hotels®, the national brand of upscale, all suites hotels, today announced the addition of the 296-suite Embassy Suites Hotel® O’Hare-Rosemont, in Rosemont to the brand’s growing roster of more then 160 hotels.  The franchised hotel formerly was the Rosemont Suites at O’Hare.  This Embassy Suites Hotel represents the 32nd airport property in the brand.   The Embassy Suites Hotel O’Hare/Rosemont is owned and managed by The Dow Hotel Company...

USA TODAY, Delivered to Many Guest Rooms Each Morning, Soon to be Available on Hotel Room TVs / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  USA TODAY, Delivered to Many Guest Rooms Each Morning, Soon to be Available on Hotel Room TVs On Command and USA TODAY To Offer Interactive Television Product DENVER/Washington, DC, July 18, 2001 - On Command Corporation (Nasdaq: ONCO) and USA TODAY announced that this fall they will begin offering USA TODAY's newly developed USA TODAY News Center, an interactive television news service to hotel guests.  On Command currently has over 185,000 interactive rooms; and to date, projects that the USA TODAY News Center is one of the largest worldwide deployments of interactive tele...

Case Studies / Harry Nobles / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report Case Studies:  Thompson Hospitality Interiors &  Harry Nobles Hospitality Consulting E-mail:  hospsvc001@aol.com . THOMPSON HOSPITALITY INTERIORS  “Design with your rating in mind” www.optimumrating.com Can THOMPSON HOSPITALITY INTERIORS help you achieve your goals?  Past results can be an excellent indicator of potential future results.  This brief case study shows one example of the assistance we have provided other clients. Client Description: Full Service Hotel and Conference Center  235 rooms Challenges and Goals: A 37-year old property Some c...

OK, How Bad Is It, Really? New York City Hotel Results for the First Six Months of 2001 / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     OK, How Bad Is It, Really? New York City Hotel Results for the First Six Months of 2001 New York, NY.  July 30, 2001.  “Just like the First Quarter of the year, we’re asking whether the glass is one-quarter empty or three-quarters full for New York City hotels,” said John Fox, Senior Vice President in charge of the New York office of PKF Consulting. “Like the First Quarter of 2001, the six-month year-to-date is either good or bad, depending on your point of view,” Fox continued.  These comments are based on rate and occupancy figures compiled in the June edition of PKF Consu...

Nevada Law Paves the Way for Casino-Style Internet Gambling / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Nevada Law Paves the Way for Casino-Style Internet Gambling By Mary Anne Ostrom, San Jose Mercury News, Calif. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jul. 2--Here's a bet to consider: Can online gambling overcome legal, technological and social challenges to become a mainstream multibillion-dollar business?  The odds are improving in the wake of a new Nevada law designed to pave the way for the first legal casino-style Internet gambling in the United States. Even though federal authorities say existing law bans Web casinos, the prohibition is rarely enforced and gambling...

NAACP Calls for Nationwide Boycott of Adam's Mark Hotels / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive NAACP Calls for Nationwide Boycott of Adam's Mark Hotels By Sandra Pedicini, The Orlando Sentinel, Fla. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jul. 12--DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.--A 2-year-old controversy over the treatment of blacks at the Adam's Mark Hotel during Black College Reunion reared its head again Wednesday, when the NAACP urged people to boycott the hotel chain nationwide.  At its national convention in New Orleans, the civil-rights group accused the luxury chain of continuing to discriminate against black customers. The group told its members to plan conventions, b...

Miami Area Hotels Enjoy the Highest Hotel Occupancy Rate of the Nation's 25 Top Markets for the First Five Months of 2001 / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online News for the Hospitality Executive Miami Area Hotels Enjoy the Highest Hotel Occupancy  Rate of the Nation's 25 Top Markets for the  First Five Months of 2001 By Cara Buckley, The Miami Herald Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  Jul. 17--Buoyed by a muscular leisure travel sector, Miami-Dade had the highest hotel occupancy rate out of the nation's 25 top travel markets for the first five months of 2001, according to lodging scorekeepers Smith Travel Research.  The county's hotels were filled, on average, 75.6 percent during that period compared to the national average of 60.5 percent, the agency found.Â...

Melbourne Hotel Performance Blows Sydney Out of the Water / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report    Melbourne Hotel Performance Blows  Sydney Out of the Water Sydney, July 9, 2001 - Melbourne’s tourist accommodation performance has surpassed Sydney, according to the latest Hotel Property Digest Update from Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels.  The Digest reports that Melbourne recorded the highest average daily rate (ADR) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) of all major markets during March quarter 2001.  Melbourne beat it’s traditional rival – Sydney in terms of ADR, which registered $147 versus Sydney’s $143 for the quarter.  It is a feat that has not occurred in recent history...

Joe McInerney, CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association, Named President and CEO of the American Hotel & Lodging Association / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report   Joe McInerney, CEO of Pacific Asia Travel Association,  Named President and CEO of the American Hotel  & Lodging Association WASHINGTON - July 11, 2001--Joseph "Joe" McInerney, CHA, has been named president and chief executive officer of the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA), effective October 15, 2001. The announcement was made today at the association's headquarters in Washington, D.C., by 2001 AH&LA Chairman John Russell. McInerney comes to AH&LA after serving as chief executive officer of the Bangkok, Thailand-based Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) since 1997. ...

Vail Resorts to Invest $56 Million in Resort Improvements in 2001 / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report  Vail Resorts to Invest $56 Million in Resort  Improvements in 2001 VAIL, Colo., July 24, 2001 - Vail Resorts Inc. (NYSE: MTN) today announced plans to invest $55.8 million in resort improvements during calendar year 2001 for Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone and Beaver Creek in Colorado, as well as the Grand Teton Lodge Company in Jackson, Wyoming.       "Over the past five years, the Company's focused capital investment plan has ensured that Vail, Breckenridge, Keystone, Beaver Creek and Grand Teton retain their position amongst the finest resorts in the world," commented chair...

Legal Issues in Hospitality Law and Current Issues in Hospitality Tourism Offered Online this Fall by Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restauran

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report   Legal Issues  in Hospitality Law and Current Issues in  Hospitality Tourism Offered Online this Fall by  Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and  Restaurant Management July 20, 2001 - The Executive Master of Hospitality Management Online (MHMOnLine) studies, Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management, University of Houston, will offer two new courses for the September 1, 2001 trimester. Legal Issues  in Hospitality Law, with Dr. Anthony Cabot, will study the application of law to the hospitality industry emphasizing the practical aspects of compliance and liability avoida...

MGM MIRAGE Las Vegas Properties Exhibit Strong Growth in 2nd Qtr; Bellagio Records Revenue of $500 million in 6 Months / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report MGM MIRAGE Las Vegas Properties Exhibit Strong  Growth in 2nd Qtr; Bellagio Records Revenue of  $500 million in 6 Months Property Operating Results LAS VEGAS, July 24, 2001 - MGM MIRAGE (NYSE: MGG) today reported earnings of 47 cents per diluted share for the 2001 second quarter, compared with a loss of 13 cents per diluted share in the 2000 quarter. Excluding nonrecurring expenses, the Company reported a 20% increase in earnings per share to 48 cents per share for the three months ended June 30, 2001, up from 40 cents per share in the prior year's quarter. Net income before no...

Marriot 2nd Qtr Full-service Occupancy Decreases Six Percentage Points to 75.3%, ADR Up 2% / Key Lodging Statistics / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report  Marriot 2nd Qtr Full-service Occupancy Decreases  Six Percentage Points to 75.3%, ADR Up 2% Key Lodging Statistics Marriott International Reports Second Quarter EPS of $0.50, Unchanged From a Year Ago Despite Significant Drop in U.S. Lodging Demand Washington DC - July 12, 2001 - Marriott International (NYSE: MAR) today reported diluted earnings per share of $0.50 for the second quarter ended June 15, 2001, unchanged from the 2000 second quarter.  Net income increased three percent to $130 million from a year ago.  Systemwide sales, which include sales at managed, franchised, lea...

Lexington Services Completes Second Simulated Migration to SpiritTM Hotel Reservation System, Powered by CSC Services / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report    Lexington Services Completes Second Simulated Migration to  SpiritTM  Hotel Reservation System, Powered by CSC Services Company readies for migration to new reservation  system to begin in August DALLAS – (July 31, 2001) – Lexington Services, a subsidiary of Travel Services International, Inc., has completed its second simulated migration from its current proprietary hotel reservation system to the new SPIRIT hotel reservation system, powered by CSC Services (NYSE:  CSC).  Lexington Services is the largest provider of hotel reservations in North America and second largest in the...

Lexington Services' New SPIRIT System, Powered by CSC Services, to Debut at HITEC / June 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online  Special Report    Lexington Services Completes First Simulated Migration to  SpiritTM  Hotel Reservation System, Powered by CSC Services Company successfully executes first of three tests  for new reservation system DALLAS – (July 10, 2001) – Lexington Services, a subsidiary of Travel Services International, Inc., has completed its first simulated migration from its current proprietary hotel reservation system to the new SPIRIT hotel reservation system, powered by CSC Services (NYSE:  CSC).  Lexington Services is the largest provider of hotel reservations in North America and second largest in th...

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report     Leisure Hotels, L.L.C. Sign Management Services Agreement  with the Owners of the Best Western – North Wichita / Park City  and the Days Inn – North Wichita / Park City HUTCHINSON, KS – July 18, 2001 – Steven C. Olson, CEO and President of Leisure Group of Companies announced the signing of an agreements with the owners of the Best Western – North Wichita / Park City and the Days Inn – North Wichita / Park City to provide professional management services for the hotel properties.  L.D. and Marilyn Davis of Great Bend, Kans., own the Best Western–North Wichita / Park City,...

The Las Vegas International Hotel & Restaurant Show Attracts 341 Exhibitors and 3,019 Buyers / Post Show Report / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report The Las Vegas International Hotel & Restaurant  Show Attracts 341 Exhibitors and 3,019 Buyers /  Post Show Report WHITE PLAINS, NY, July 3, 2001… The 22nd edition of the Las Vegas International Hotel & Restaurant Show attracted a record 341 exhibitors and 3,019 buyers to the Las Vegas Convention Center, June 21-22, 2001.    The 2001 LVIH&RS marked the first event produced under a partnership announced last fall between the Nevada Hotel & Lodging Association (NH&LA) and Nevada Restaurant Association (NRA) and the owners of the 86-year old New York City-based International Hotel/Motel...

Lodging Executives Sentiment Current Situation in Steep Decline; Future Looks More Positive / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report    Lodging Executives Sentiment Current Situation in Steep Decline… Future Looks More Positive Durham, N.H., Jun. 30, 2001 – “Things are good. We picked up market share in the 4th Q 2000 and 1stQ 2001. Interest in our brand is at an all time high — we’ve never been busier in branding properties.” The rooms business is bad, but the flag-selling business is robust.  The composite Lodging Executive’s Sentiment Index (LEsI) calculated for the month of June is 44.6…the lowest reading since its inception 13 months ago down from 53.6 last month. The Current Situation Index recorded its...

CC Africa's Kwandwe Lodge and Game Reserve Will Create Jobs, Restore Wildlife / July 2001

March 30, 2001

Hotel Online Special Report    CC Africa's Kwandwe Lodge and Game Reserve  Will Create Jobs, Restore Wildlife Kwandwe game reserve carries on tradition of sustainable utilization JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, July 16 -Conservation Corporation Africa's (CC Africa) Kwandwe Private Game Reserve, operating with the mission statement, "Care of the Land, Care of the Wildlife, Care of the People," has restored 17,000 hectares of barren farmland to pristine wilderness and reintroduce game that originally flourished in the area. The reserve is the dream of American philanthropist, Carl DeSantis, who, with the assistance...