Marriott to Invest More Than $85 Million, Create at Least 700 New Jobs, In Major Expansion of Company Headquarters in Montgomery County / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Marriott to Invest More Than $85 Million,  Create at Least 700 New Jobs,  In Major Expansion of Company Headquarters in Montgomery County BETHESDA, Md., Sept. 17, 1999 - Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR), which has called Montgomery County home since 1955, will invest over $85 million to expand its headquarters in the County through modernization of its current site and development of a new building. Marriott will also add 700 jobs to its headquarters staff over the next five years, bringing the total to 4,200.  J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Marr...

Vail Resorts, Inc. Reports Past Year Posed Challenges / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Vail Resorts, Inc. Reports Past Year  Posed Challenges  Total Season Skier Days VAIL, Colo., Sept. 16, 1999 - Vail Resorts, Inc. (NYSE: MTN) today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and fiscal year ended July 31, 1999. Resort Revenue for the fourth quarter of fiscal 1999, which excludes revenue from real estate operations, grew 99.4% to $52.4 from $26.3 million in the comparable period last year. Total Revenues, which includes revenues from real estate operations, increased 45.2% to $64.9 million from $44.7 million reported in the fourth fiscal quarter last year. C...

Vicente Wolf Remodeling The Luxe Rodeo Drive / Luxe Worldwide Hospitality Goes On-line / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Vicente Wolf Remodeling  The Luxe Rodeo Drive Luxe Worldwide Hospitality Expands On-line Los Angeles, August 30, 1999: Luxe Worldwide Hospitality, formed in January, 1999 by entrepreneur and hotel owner, Efrem Harkham, announced a major renovation project at one of its flagship hotel properties. The Luxe Rodeo Drive, renamed earlier this year from the Summit Hotel Rodeo Drive, is scheduled to close beginning in late August, 1999, for remodeling and will reopen during Spring, 2000.  World-famous interior designer, Vicente Wolf, has created a European-influenced design sche...

LookSmart Web Directory Added to OnLine by LodgeNet(SM) Internet Service / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report LookSmart Web Directory Added to  OnLine by LodgeNet(SM) Internet Service SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Sept. 15, 1999 - LodgeNet Entertainment Corporation (Nasdaq: LNET), the leader in providing in-room interactive entertainment and Internet services to the hotel guestroom, and LookSmart (Nasdaq: LOOK), a leading Web directory and search service, today announced an agreement to deliver a customized directory service for travelers accessing the Internet in the thousands of hotel rooms nationwide equipped with LodgeNet’s high-speed Internet service, OnLine by LodgeNet(SM).  Under the agreement, ...

Lodgian Acquires 100% Ownership In Six Full-Service Hotels / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Lodgian Acquires 100% Ownership In Six  Full-Service Hotels ATLANTA, Sept. 2, 1999 - Lodgian, Inc. (NYSE: LOD), one of the nation’s largest owners and operators of hotels, today announced the acquisition of the remaining 49 percent partnership interest in six full-service hotels with a total of 1,277 rooms from its limited partner for approximately $10.2 million. Funds for the acquisition came from Lodgian’s existing cash reserves. Prior to the acquisition, Lodgian owned 51 percent of the partnerships that owned the following hotels: Crowne Plaza-Worcester, MA 243 Rooms Crowne Plaz...

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Lodgian's Improved Operating Performance  Driven by Successful Hotel Renovations  and Upscale Brand Repositionings ATLANTA, Sept. 17, 1999 - Lodgian, Inc., (NYSE: LOD), one of the nation’s largest owners and operators of hotels, today said that the Company expects to report results for the third quarter ending September 30, 1999 which include: Net income per common share before extraordinary items of $0.23 to $0.25, versus a net loss per share before extraordinary items of $0.71 in the third quarter 1998; Same-Unit Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) of $51.15 to $51.30, for ...

Leukerbad, Well-Known Holiday Resort in the Matterhorn Valley, for Sale / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Leukerbad, Well-Known Holiday Resort in the Matterhorn Valley, for Sale LEUKERBAD, Switzerland, Sept. 10, 1999 - After an over-ambitious municipal president spent years investing millions in the spa resort, the threat of bankruptcy now looms.  The municipality has been placed under forced administration and bankruptcy proceedings against the stock companies have been deferred.  Buyers are being sought for the various businesses. Leukerbad is embedded in the breathtakingly beautiful countryside of the Matterhorn valley in the canton of Valais in Switzerland, 1400 m above sea lev...

Oaktree Capital Management and Hostmark Turnaround the Lake Lawn Resort in Delavan, Wisconsin / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Oaktree Capital Management and Hostmark Turnaround the Lake Lawn Resort  in Delavan, Wisconsin  SCHAUMBURG, Ill. - Hostmark Hospitality Group is pleased to announce that corporate business at Lake Lawn Resort was up 30 percent almost every month during the past year and occupancy was up 10 to 20 percent, depending on the month. Oaktree Capital Management took over the 120-year-old Lake Delavan, Wis. property in 1996.  Hostmark was awarded the management contract because it has successfully managed other properties for Oaktree.  Hostmark then undertook a turnaround campaign for t...

Hospitality Associates of Spokane Open Best Inn in Laie, Hawaii / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Hospitality Associates of Spokane Open Best Inn  in Laie, Hawaii ATLANTA, Sept. 13, 1999 - Hospitality Associates of Spokane, Washington, one of the largest hotel companies in the Northwest, has opened Hawaii’s first Best Inn at 55-109 Laniloa St. in Laie, on the north shore of Oahu. “We’re thrilled to join with Hospitality Associates, which has a long history of successfully managing hotels, to open Hawaii’s first Best property in Laie,” said Mike Leven, president and CEO of U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc.  (Nasdaq: USFS), franchisor of the Best brand. Best, the mid-priced economy...

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report AHMA’s Lodging Industry Profile Shows 1998 is  the Most Profitable Year in U.S. Lodging History WASHINGTON - Sept. 29, 1999 -The American Hotel Motel Association (AHMA) released its annual Lodging Industry Profile (LIP), a statistical analysis of the lodging industry for year-end 1998.  According to the LIP, 1998 was the most profitable year ever for the lodging industry, netting $20.9 billion in pretax dollars—nearly 23 percent more than in 1997 and nearly double the amount in 1996. The LIP lists the industry’s total revenue, employment impact, average occupancy rate, average room...

Stanford Hotels Corporation of San Francisco Acquires 625-room Outrigger Prince Kuhio Hotel in Waikiki / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Stanford Hotels Corporation of San Francisco Acquires 625-room Outrigger Prince Kuhio Hotel  in Waikiki Outrigger Hotels & Resorts to reinvest proceeds in Hawaii and Pacific properties HONOLULU, Oahu, Hawaii -September 3, 1999 - Stanford Hotels Corporation of San Francisco announced today that it has entered into an agreement to buy the 625-room Outrigger Prince Kuhio Hotel in Waikiki for an undisclosed amount.  The sale is expected to close in mid-October of this year, when Stanford will assume ownership and management of the property, its first in Hawaii. San Francisco-based Sta...

Station Casinos Acquiring Kansas City Flamingo Hilton Riverboat Casino for $22.5 Million / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Station Casinos Acquiring Kansas City Flamingo Hilton Riverboat Casino for $22.5 Million LAS VEGAS, Sept. 13, 1999 - Station Casinos, Inc. (NYSE: STN) today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire certain assets of the Flamingo Hilton Riverboat Casino in Kansas City, Mo., from Flamingo Hilton Riverboat Casino, L.P., a subsidiary of Hilton Hotel Corporation (NYSE: HLT). Completion of the acquisition is subject to regulatory approvals. The acquisition includes certain of the operation’s assets, including a casino vessel, parking garage and all related gaming equipment. The purch...

The Club at Jones Creek; Augusta, Ga. to be Operated By Doral Golf / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report The Club at Jones Creek; Augusta, Ga.  to be Operated By Doral Golf WASHINGTON - September 7, 1999--MeriStar Hotels Resorts (NYSE: MMH), the nation’s largest independent hotel management company, today announced that they have entered into an agreement with an affiliate of New York-based Blackacre Capital to manage The Club at Jones Creek, an 18-hole championship golf course in Augusta, Georgia. Blackacre Capital is a privately held fund with investments in golf, hotels and timeshare. “We continue to see significant opportunities to expand our golf management operations, as well as e...

John Russell Steps Down as Vice Chairman, Cendant Travel Division and CEO & President of RCI / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report John Russell Steps Down as Vice Chairman,  Cendant Travel Division and  CEO & President of RCI PARSIPPANY, NJ, September 28, 1998 - Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD) announced today that John Russell, Vice Chairman of Cendant’s Travel Division and CEO & President of Resort Condominiums International LLC (RCI) Global Operations, has made a personal decision to step down from his positions in order to spend more time with his family. He will relocate to Atlanta but will continue to work closely with Stephen P. Holmes, Vice Chairman, Cendant, on a variety of divisional projects.  “Thi...

$1 Billion Resort Spa Project to Be Built in Fast-Growing Los Cabos, Mexico / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report $1 Billion Resort Spa Project to Be Built  in Fast-Growing Los Cabos, Mexico MARINA DEL REY, Calif., Sept. 16, 1999 - Garrett K. Krause, President and CEO of Janus International, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: JNUS) confirmed that the Company is moving forward with the incorporation of Cabo West, Inc., the Company’s Baja, Mexico-based real estate development unit. Mr. Krause added that Cabo West will assume management of the development and construction of the Company’s $1 billion Rancho del Cabo Resort Spa project near Cabo San Lucas, Baja, Mexico. Located in the Los Cabos region and min...

Jameson Inns, Inc. Launches New Interior Corridor Designed Hotel / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Jameson Inns, Inc. Launches New Interior  Corridor Designed Hotel ATLANTA, Sept. 9, 1999 - Business travelers can now enjoy a new interior corridor Jameson Inn with upgraded amenities designed especially for them as Atlanta-based Jameson Inns, Inc. (Nasdaq: JAMS), owner of Jameson Inn and Signature Inn hotels, announces the opening of two new Jameson Inn interior corridor hotels in Rome, Georgia and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. These new properties will be prototypes for future Jameson Inns.  “We have designed this new Jameson Inn with our guests in mind,” said Thomas Kitchin, chairman and...

Intrawest Reports Same-Resort Revenue Up 21% for the Year / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Intrawest Reports Same-Resort Revenue Up 21%  for the Year VANCOUVER, Sept. 13, 1999 - Intrawest Corporation today announced that income from continuing operations for the fourth quarter ended June 30, 1999 was $3.5 million, or $.08 per share compared with $0.1 million or $.00 per share for the three month period ended June 30, 1998. Total revenue for the quarter was $246.0 million, more than double the total revenue of $108.9 million generated in the fourth quarter last year. Total company EBITDA more than doubled from $19.0 million to $40.7 million. The per share amounts reflect a 22% ...

Update: The UNLV International Gaming Institute / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Update: The UNLV International Gaming Institute Las Vegas NV - September 1999 - The UNLV International Gaming Institute 1999 calendar of events represents our most aggressive schedule to date. This year, the Institute will be providing assistance to the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling as it establishes its new training program for the gaming industry. Throughout the year, the Institute will be conducting five development programs for executives from the Australian gaming club industry. The second annual "Casino Ops Conference" will be held at the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino and Theme Park t...

Increasing ADR and Improved Operations Aid InnSuites Hospitality Trust 2nd Qtr Results / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Increasing ADR and Improved Operations Aid  InnSuites Hospitality Trust 2nd Qtr Results PHOENIX, Sept. 17, 1999 -  Highlights: Funds from Operations (FFO) increased to $841,585 or $0.37 per basic share in the first six months of fiscal 2000 (February 1, 1999 to July 31, 1999), from a restated $171,000, or $0.10 per basic share in the first half of the prior year, despite charges in the fiscal 2000 period. Net income increased to $342,184, or $0.15 per diluted share in the FY 2000 first half compared to a restated $75,082, or $0.03 per diluted share in the first six months of fiscal 1...

IHRA Advice – Move Safety and Security Issues Up the Management Agenda / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report IHRA Advice - Move Safety and Security Issues Up  the Management Agenda Paris, 22 September 1999 – If safety and security is not uppermost on the minds of the hotel industry, it should be, according to the recommendations of a Think-Tank convened last month by the International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA) in Stockholm, Sweden.  The event built on the findings of a first Think-Tank on Safety and Security which met in Orlando, USA last year. “The hotel and restaurant sector must start working proactively to build in stronger safeguards to protect itself, and its customers, in ...

Technology as a Leveller / EURHOTEC 2000 Highlights Tech Solutions / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Technology as a Leveller -  EURHOTEC 2000 Highlights Tech Solutions Paris, 22 September 1999 – EURHOTEC 2000, the fifth edition of the European hospitality technology exhibition and conference, will highlight technology’s potential to drive growth and boost profits for smaller hotels and restaurants when it convenes in Lausanne, Switzerland from 16-18 February 2000. Technology has been described as ‘a great leveller’, changing the rules of the game to close the gap between larger and smaller players and allow low cost entry to the big markets.  Over 60 technology experts and hospital...

82 Green Hoteliers Entered in the annual Environmental Award of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report 82 “Green Hoteliers” Entered in the  Annual Environmental Award of the  International Hotel & Restaurant Association Paris, 22 September 1999 – A record-breaking 82 “Green Hoteliers” have entered the annual Environmental Award of the International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA), which this year recognises hospitality industry efforts to promote sustainable tourism. The award, sponsored by American Express, drew applications from large and small establishments across the globe, with the highest number coming from Asia Pacific, followed by Europe, the Americas, the Middle East ...

IDeaS Yield Management Solution Receives Additional Investment from Venture Partners / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report IDeaS Yield Management Solution Receives Additional Investment from Venture Partners MINNEAPOLIS, MN, September 2, 1999 – As an indicator that IDeaS, Inc., has entered a new phase of business growth and that demand for the IDeaS yield management solution is on the rise, the company announced that it will receive additional investment from its existing group of venture partners. To support the growing global demand for the IDeaS solution, the company's organization and global service capabilities will increase. The additional investment insures that IDeaS maintains a solid foundation toda...

IDeaS Offers the First Yield Management Solution to Guarantee Measurable Results / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report IDeaS Offers the First Yield Management Solution to Guarantee Measurable Results MINNEAPOLIS, MN, September 20, 1999 – In a move that dramatically changes the way the hospitality industry quantifies and proves yield management results, IDeaS, Inc., now guarantees the performance hotelier clients worldwide receive from the implementation of its total yield management solution. In brief, IDeaS guarantees that its solution will realize at least 4% or more in transient room revenue increases. IDeaS has put into place the technology, the organization, the global sales, service and distributi...