April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Arthur Goldberg Named   “Gaming Executive of the Year”  by Casino Journal LAS VEGAS - Nov. 2, 1999--Casino Journal, the leading trade magazine of the gaming industry, has named Arthur Goldberg “Gaming Executive of the Year” for 1999. An in-depth cover feature and interview with Goldberg will appear in the magazine’s December issue.  As president and chief executive officer of Park Place Entertainment Inc., Goldberg, 57, heads the largest casino company in the world. He oversees 17 gaming resorts in five states and three countries. Park Place’s well-known brand ...

Andreas Flaig Heads Up Arthur Andersen's Singapore Practice / Nov 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Andreas Flaig Heads Up Arthur Andersen's  Singapore Practice Arthur Andersen's Singapore Practice Becomes the Hospitality Leisure  Services Centre for the Firm's South-East Asia Operations SINGAPORE - Nov. 10, 1999 - Arthur Andersen recently announced the establishment of its Hospitality and Leisure consulting services group in Singapore. The location of the practice in Singapore strengthens Arthur Andersen’s presence in South-East Asia while providing truly global hospitality and leisure services to its clients. Increased local industry activity and the esta...

Sabre, Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., and MICROS Systems, Inc. MakeCapital Contributions in the Future Growth of WorldRes.com / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Sabre, Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., and MICROS Systems, Inc. Make Capital Contributions in the Future Growth of WorldRes.com SAN MATEO, Calif. - Dec. 20, 1999 -- Three leading companies in the hospitality industry— Sabre (NYSE:TSG), Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE:HOT), and MICROS Systems, Inc.  (Nasdaq:MCRS) -- have established significant strategic relationships with WorldRes.com, a Silicon Valley company that connects hotels to leisure travelers through the Web.They also participated in a new $29 million mezzanine financing round led by the venture capital fi...

U.S.P. Hotel Services, L.L.C Opens 83-room Wingate Inn in Oakdale, Minnesota / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report U.S.P. Hotel Services, L.L.C Opens 83-room  Wingate Inn in Oakdale, Minnesota  OAKDALE, MN (December 17, 1999) – Business and leisure travelers to the Oakdale area will benefit from free guestroom high-speed Internet access, thoughtful amenities, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee policy at the new three-story, 83-room franchised Wingate Inn hotel at 970 Helena Avenue North.  “The property is within minutes of numerous corporate offices for companies such as Eastman Kodak, Anderson Windows, Imation and Statefarm Insurance, making this property a great choice for business travelers i...

Developer Ken MacLaren Opens 100 Room Wingate Inn in Lima, Ohio / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Developer Ken MacLaren Opens 100 Room Wingate Inn in Lima, Ohio Lima, OH (December 10, 1999) – Business and leisure travelers to the Lima, Ohio, area will benefit from free guestroom high-speed Internet access, thoughtful amenities and a 100% satisfaction guarantee policy at the new six-story, 100 room franchised Wingate Inn hotel at 150 West Market Street.  “This Wingate Inn Hotel is an ideal choice for all types of travelers because of its convenient location adjacent to Veterans Memorial Civic Center, which hosts a variety of events, conferences and seminars through...

Brian Windle Joins Destination Hotels & Resorts to Jump start Company Co-branding Efforts / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Brian Windle Joins Destination Hotels & Resorts  to Jump Start Company Co-branding Efforts DENVER – December 23, 1999 - Destination Hotels & Resorts, manager of 22 independent, luxury hotels and resorts nationwide, recently recruited Brian Windle to lead the company’s co-branding efforts as Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. From 1998 to 1999, Windle was vice president of sales and marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts, responsible for the successful launch and management of the “W” brand of hotels in the United States. “Brian Windle will add significant depth to De...

The Pan Pacific Lodge Whistler Named #1 Ski Resort in North America / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report The Pan Pacific Lodge Whistler Named #1 Ski Resort  in North America (Whistler, British Columbia) --- December 10, 1999 - The Pan Pacific Lodge Whistler was just named “the number one ski resort in North America” by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler in the magazine’s fourth annual readers’ ski poll.  The reader’s comments were enthusiastic, “This is where God comes to go skiing - high and gabled like a castle but as intimate as a boutique hotel.” “This is a great honor for Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts,” comments Pan Pacific President Ichigo Umehara.  He co...

CSX Real Property, Inc. and Starwood Hotels Resorts Open the 403 Room Westin Savannah Harbor Resort / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report CSX Real Property, Inc. and Starwood Hotels Resorts Open the 403 Room Westin Savannah Harbor Resort SAVANNAH, Ga., Dec. 3, 1999 - For 266 years, people have viewed the Savannah River as the northern border of the city. Today the city limits will extend across the river with the grand opening of The Westin Savannah Harbor Resort. The $98 million resort was developed by a partnership of CSX Real Property, Inc. of Jacksonville, FL, Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc. of White Plains, NY, Troon Golf of Scottsdale, AZ, and several local Savannah investors. Westin Hotels Resort...

SHC Targeting Upscale Hotels for Acquisition – Adds the Westin Santa Clara / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report SHC Targeting Upscale Hotels for Acquisition -  Adds the Westin Santa Clara CHICAGO - Dec. 6, 1999 - Strategic Hotel Capital (SHC), an upscale and luxury global hotel investment company based in Chicago, Monday announced the acquisition of the Westin Santa Clara Hotel, Santa Clara, Calif. “We feel strongly about owning a hotel property at exceptional yields in the heart of the Silicon Valley, the global center of technological innovation,” said Laurence Geller, CEO, SHC.  “Additionally, this acquisition is consistent with our stated objective of having a multi-pro...

Warwick Hotel – Denver, the Original European Jewel, Receiving 14 Million Dollar Transformation / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Warwick Hotel - Denver,  the Original  "European Jewel," Receiving  14 Million Dollar Transformation  Denver, December 06, 1999 - Denver’s Warwick Hotel will ring in 2000 with a new touch of European elegance with a totally refurbished and renovated hotel.  Lights will dim on Sunday December 19, 1999 and work will begin creating 215 oversized guestrooms including 49 suites. Offering to the seasoned business traveler the Warwick Hotel – Denver will reopen as a Four Star Plus hotel. Each guest room will be equipped with two-telephone lines, data ports, coffee mak...

Starwood Joint Ventures with Ritz Plaza Hotel to Redevelop Historic Property as W Miami – South Beach / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Starwood  Joint Ventures with Ritz Plaza Hotel  to Redevelop Historic Property  as W Miami - South Beach WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Dec. 13, 1999 - W Hotels, the newest brand of Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide (NYSE: HOT), today announced the formation of a joint venture with Ritz Plaza Hotel Associates, to undertake the renovation and expanded redevelopment of the oceanfront Ritz Plaza Hotel in the heart of Miami’s South Beach. Starwood Chairman and CEO Barry Sternlicht and Ritz Plaza Hotel President, Ignacio Contreras, have unveiled plans to transform this South Beach ...

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Watson, RM™ Offers Unique Labor Management Tools for the Hospitality Industry DALLAS—December 18, 1999—In today’s volatile labor market, hospitality businesses are facing tougher challenges to deliver maximum profits while balancing the lifestyle demands of their staff, both in terms of time off and maximum earnings per shift.  To help take the guesswork out of scheduling, Dallas-based UniFocus is offering Watson, RM™ , a new management software program to assist businesses in significantly lowering labor costs, increasing operational efficiencies, fostering dynamic emp...

Tools and Information Available Online for Hoteliers Reaching for Optimum Staff Performance and Guest Satisfaction / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Tools and Information Available Online for Hoteliers Reaching for Optimum Staff Performance and Guest Satisfaction  DALLAS—December 14, 1999— Management teams in the hospitality, restaurant, food service and casino industries striving for optimum staff performance and guest satisfaction now have a new resource for tools and solutions.  Announcing the launch of its new web site at www.unifocus.com, UniFocus, one of the most comprehensive performance management firms in the hospitality industry, has created an organized and simple way to learn about tools and resources ...

TRUST International Creates Customized Online Hotel Distribution System for the Hospitality Industry / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report TRUST International Creates Customized  Online Hotel Distribution System  for the Hospitality Industry ORLANDO, FLA, Nov. 30 — TRUST International, a leading supplier of complete reservation and distribution solutions for the hospitality industry, announces the creation of TRUSTCorp, a direct link between TRUST’s Central Hotel Reservation System and a company’s Intranet.  With more companies asking for a direct interface between their corporate Intranet and a hotel’s Central Reservation System (CRS), TRUSTCorp created a direct link to all available hotel rooms a...

Four Seasons Hotels Inc. Sales Majority Ownership Interest in Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale At Troon North to Walton Street Capital / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Four Seasons Hotels Inc. Sales Majority  Ownership Interest in Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale At Troon North to Walton Street Capital TORONTO - Dec. 22, 1999-- Four Seasons Hotels Inc. announced today that it has sold its majority ownership interest in the Four Seasons Resort Scottsdale at Troon North to Walton Street Capital (Chicago, Illinois) on behalf of Walton Street Real Estate Fund III, L.P. The purchase price and other terms and conditions of the sale were not disclosed. The proceeds generated from the sale will be used for general working capital purposes. In k...

Australia's Insite Hotel Consulting Aligns with TravelHero.com / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Australia's Insite Hotel Consulting Aligns  with TravelHero.com SCOTTSDALE, AZ - December 20, 1999 - TravelHero.com, a leading provider of Internet travel services with a website located at http://www.travelhero.com announced today the signing of a strategic marketing agreement with Insite Hotel Consulting of Sydney, NSW Australia. The agreement, which is broad in scope and objective, appoints Insite as TravelHero.com’s agent in Australia. “We are very excited by the opportunity to represent TravelHero.com in Australia. We believe that making the largest web site of hotel accommodatio...

ACCOR Acquires Thakral's All Seasons Hotel Management Business for AU$29 ACCOR Acquires Thakral's All Seasons Hotel Management Business for

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report ACCOR Acquires Thakral's All Seasons Hotel Management Business for AU$29 Million Monday, 20 December 1999: - ACCOR Asia Pacific has agreed to buy the All Seasons hotel management business from Thakral Holdings Limited. ACCOR Asia Pacific is Australia’s largest hotel management company. As part of the transaction, contracts at the existing six Thakral owned hotels already managed by ACCOR will be extended to 15 years. ACCOR will pay AU$29 million for the full transaction. All Seasons currently manages 27 properties with 3,825 rooms, including five Thakral-owned hotel and resort properti...

ClubCorp, Golden Bear International Developing the Traditions Golf and Country Club At Texas AM University / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report ClubCorp, Golden Bear International Developing the Traditions Golf and Country Club  At Texas AM University DALLAS, Dec. 16, 1999 - ClubCorp, the world’s largest owner and operator of golf clubs and resorts, announces that it has signed a letter of agreement to develop Traditions Golf and Country Club in Bryan, Texas.  The country club will cater to the alumni membership of Texas AM University as well as serve as the home fairways to the Texas AM University men and women golf teams. “This is a wonderful example of how the private sector is pairing with public institutions, ...

Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite Embraces the Yosemite General Management Plan / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite Embraces the Yosemite General Management Plan TENAYA LODGE AT YOSEMITE, Dec. 17, 1999 -- The season's first snows are ready to carpet the forest surrounding Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite.  With winter at the resort's doorstep, Tenaya Lodge general manager Paul Ratchford -- true to his nature -- is already looking ahead to the Millennium's first spring and summer seasons.  "For all the wonderful technological advances of the 20th century, it is ultimately comforting to know that wildflowers will cover the ground and waterfalls will thunder in 2000 just like they did i...

Bass Hotels Resorts, Grupo Poma Open the Camino Real Inter-Continental Tegucigalpa / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Bass Hotels Resorts, Grupo Poma Open the  Camino Real Inter-Continental Tegucigalpa New Hotel is the Sixth Property Stemming From 1997 Commercial Agreement MIAMI - Dec. 14, 1999 - Bass Hotels Resorts (BHR) has expanded its Inter-Continental hotel brand in Central America with the opening of the 157-room Camino Real Inter-Continental Tegucigalpa (Honduras), announced Thomas Arasi, president, Bass Hotels Resorts, The Americas. The property is the second Inter-Continental in Honduras, and the sixth Inter-Continental stemming from a 1997 commercial agreement between BHR ...

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report An Executives’ Hiring Conduct:  Reintroducing Hospitality Into The Interview Process By Ted Whitehead & Mary Ellen Irwin, December 1999 Volumes have been written and spoken on how candidates should conduct themselves in a job interview, but little is noted about how the interviewers comport themselves. Perhaps the adage that “there is nothing so perishable as an empty room,” should be replaced with, there is nothing so perishable as a good candidate.  One of the most important functions of upper management is the selection and hiring of good people who will have a positiv...

Sunburst Hospitality Corp. Sells 152 room Comfort Inn at DFW Airport; Continuingto Redeploy Capital from Mature Hotels into Fresh, Extended Stay Hote

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online  Special Report Sunburst Hospitality Corp. Sells 152 room  Comfort Inn at DFW Airport;   Continuing  to Redeploy Capital from Mature Hotels into  Fresh, Extended Stay Hotels  SILVER SPRING, MD – December 3, 1999 -- Sunburst Hospitality Corporation (NYSE: SNB), one of the country’s leading hotel owners and managers, announced the sale of its Comfort Inn hotel at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport and an acquisition of a site for the development of a hotel in Bedford, Massachusetts. The sale of the 152 room Comfort Inn at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport was the 11th limited service ho...

The $46 million Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel and Waterfront Conference Center in Portsmouth, VA Topped Off / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report The $46 million Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel  and Waterfront Conference Center  in Portsmouth, VA Topped Off  PORTSMOUTH, VA—Dec. 28, 1999 - Representatives of Stormont-Trice Development Corp., Armada-Hoffler Construction, Crestline Capital, Portsmouth city government, community and business leaders, invited dignitaries and guests attended the ‘Topping-Out” Ceremony of the new Renaissance Portsmouth Hotel and Waterfront Conference Center here on December 10, 1999. Brief remarks, a light reception and a small ceremony marked the completion of highest structural portion of the bui...

Edward K. Sowers Named GM at The Westin Maui and Complex GM for The Westin Maui and Kapalua Bay Hotel / Dec 1999

April 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Edward K. Sowers Named GM at The Westin Maui and  Complex GM  for The Westin Maui and Kapalua Bay Hotel KAANAPALI BEACH, MAUI, HAWAII ­ (November 24, 1999) - Edward K. Sowers has been named general manager at The Westin Maui and complex general manager for The Westin Maui and Kapalua Bay Hotel. Sowers brings more than 23 years of hotel management experience to his position.  Most recently, he was regional vice president and general manager at The Aston Wailea Resort, a position he held since 1996.  Between 1991-1994, Sowers held management positions for Lanai Resort Partners inc...