Hudson Hotels to Manage Two Irving, Texas Hotels / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Hudson Hotels to Manage Two Irving, Texas Hotels ROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 7, 1999 -  Hudson Hotels Corporation, (Nasdaq: HUDS) (“Hudson” or the “Company”) today announced that it has executed two new management contracts in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area. These contracts call for the Company to be the exclusive manager of the Best Western D/FW Airport Suites and the Clarion Inn and Suites D/FW North. The properties are located next to each other in Irving, TX immediately adjacent to the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. The Company began managing both properties on September 1, 1999. In 1...

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Planners Take “Web Site Inspections” With  New Agreement Between HotelView and BusinessMeetings.com POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (Sept. 7, 1999) - Meeting planners using BusinessMeetings.com to conduct online research of venues and service suppliers now have the added advantage viewing hotel videos under a newly established alliance with HotelView Corporation. HotelView, a wholly owned subsidiary of Visual Data Corporation (NASDAQ: VDAT), produces high-quality hotel video tours for the Internet and as sales tools for lodging establishments.  The two- to four-minute video tours can be a...

Expedia.com Launches Hotel Price Matcher / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Expedia.com Launches Hotel Price Matcher REDMOND, Wash., Sept. 8, 1999 - With the launch of Hotel Price Matcher and upgrades to the existing Hotel Wizard, finding the right hotel at the right price just got easier on Expedia.com™ (http://expedia.com ), the world’s leading online travel service. Hotel Price Matcher makes Expedia.com the first full-service online travel site to allow customers to specify their own prices for hotel rooms, giving them access to extremely competitive rates that might not otherwise be available to them. With Hotel Price Matcher, customers tell the Exp...

Richard A. Holtzman Resigns as President of Grand Bay Hotels Resorts / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Richard A. Holtzman  Resigns as President  of Grand Bay Hotels Resorts Wyndham International Sets Luxury Unit Realignment DALLAS - Sept. 8, 1999 -- Wyndham International (NYSE:WYN) announced today a realignment of its luxury division, Grand Bay Hotels Resorts, to integrate it more closely with the company’s sales and corporate operations. “Our luxury group will continue as a separate brand and operating unit. The luxury business is very important to Wyndham International and we will continue its growth and improvement,” said James D. Carreker, chairman and chief executive offic...

Hilton Acquires Promus for $4 Billion / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Hilton Acquires Promus for $4 Billion BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Sept. 7, 1999 -- Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT), one of the world’s premier owners and operators of hotel properties, and Promus Hotel Corporation (NYSE:PRH), a leader in managing and franchising highly regarded hotel brands, today announced a definitive merger agreement in which Hilton will acquire the shares of Promus in a cash-and-stock transaction. Per the terms of the merger agreement, Hilton will pay $38.50 per share in cash for 55 percent of the Promus shares. The remaining 45 percent of Promus shares will be excha...

EverGreen Rooms Being Tested at Best Inns & Suites / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report EverGreen Rooms™ Being Tested  at Best Inns & Suites ATLANTA (Sept. 22, 1999) - Best Inns & Suites—the chain of mid-priced economy hotels—is now offering guests special accommodations with air filtration and water filter systems, allergen barrier bedding, treadmills and more.  The new health-conscious rooms are located in hotels in Lake Charles, La., Canton, Ohio, Asheville, N.C., Bend, Ore. and Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. According to Mike Leven, president and CEO of U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: USFS), franchisor of the Best brand, 10 special rooms have been installed in each...

Cathay Pacific Airways Opens the Headland Hotel at Chek Lap Kok – Managed by Century International Hotels / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Cathay Pacific Airways Opens the  Headland Hotel at Chek Lap Kok Managed by Century International Hotels September 1999, Hong Kong ..… The opening of the Headland Hotel in Cathay Pacific City is a milestone in the Hotel and Aviation industry. The first hotel to cater exclusively to staff and associated companies in Asia, the Headland Hotel is owned by Cathay Pacific Airways and managed by Century International Hotels. It is Century’s 21st hotel in the Asia Pacific and its third in Hong Kong.  An integral part of the Cathay Pacific City modern complex of corporate offices, meetin...

Harveys Casino Resorts Acquiring Lease on Bluffs Run Casino and Greyhound Track in Iowa / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Harveys Casino Resorts Acquiring Lease on Bluffs Run Casino and Greyhound Track in Iowa COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa, Sept. 1, 1999 - Iowa West Racing Association (IWRA), owners of the Bluffs Run Casino, announced today that it has entered into an agreement with Harveys Casino Resorts for the management of the operations and the sale/leaseback of the greyhound track and land-based casino located in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The transaction, according to Iowa law, will allow IWRA to convert its largest investment into cash, furthering its ability to pursue its public benefit mission, while also permittin...

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Harrah’s to Enter New Era of TV Advertising as Result of Supreme Court Ruling LAS VEGAS, Sept. 17, 1999 - Harrah’s Entertainment (NYSE: HET) today announced that for the first time in the company’s 60-plus year history, it will roll out a nationwide television advertisement that shows customers gambling. The Federal Communications Commission has previously banned television ads depicting gambling, but the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in June that the government ban violated the right to free speech guaranteed under the Constitution. The ban “is so pierced by exemptions and inconsistencies,...

The Hospitality Research Group Projects the Typical Hotel in the U.S. Will Suffer Flat Revenues and Declining Profitability in 1999 / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report The Hospitality Research Group Projects the  Typical Hotel in the U.S. Will Suffer Flat Revenues  and Declining Profitability in 1999 New York, NY.  September 16, 1999 - The Hospitality Research Group (HRG), the research affiliate of PKF Consulting, finds that in 1999 the typical hotel in the United States will suffer flat revenues and declining profitability.  “The combination of declining occupancy and slow growth in room rates in 1999 reverses a seven-year trend of strong revenue increases and record-breaking levels of profitability,” said Robert Mandelbaum, Director of Informa...

Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC) Appoints 29 Person Advisory Committee for 2000 Show / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and  Conference (HITEC) Appoints 29 Person Advisory  Committee for 2000 Show AUSTIN, TX - September 10, 1999-Following a successful 1999 event, the annual Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition and Conference (HITEC(r)) produced by Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP(r)), is pleased to announce its 2000 advisory committee.   Donald E. Walton, CHAE, CHTP, Committee Chair, Grove Park Inn Resort, Inc. Steven C. Bearden, CHTP, Fidelity Investments Carol Campbell Beggs, CHTP, Sonesta International Hot...

Historic Poinsett Hotel in Greenville, South Carolina Receiving $20 Million Restoration, Will Reopen as The Westin Poinsett / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Historic Poinsett Hotel  in Greenville, South Carolina Receiving $20 Million Restoration,  Will Reopen as The Westin Poinsett SEATTLE, Sept. 27, 1999 - Greenville, S.C. residents and dignitaries joined Mayor Knox White Sept. 23rd for a restoration kick-off and preview of The Westin Poinsett, a historic hotel scheduled to open Oct. 2000.  For the last year and a half, the property has been preparing for its $20 million restoration which commenced last week and includes returning all public space to its original 1925 grandeur, the complete reconstruction of all 200 guest rooms and the...

Green Globe 21 Providing Consumer Awareness in Sustainable Tourism Development / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Green Globe 21 Providing Consumer Awareness in Sustainable Tourism Development LONDON, Sept. 17, 1999 - The tourism industry has responded to increasing stress on many destinations worldwide by developing an international brand for certification of sustainable tourism.  Called Green Globe 21, the program sets new international standards for travel companies and communities anywhere in the world to brand good environmental performance. It increases consumer awareness and participation in sustainable tourism development. Following a world-wide launch in Sydney, Australia, Deputy Chairman o...

Robert G. Goldstein Named President of The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Robert G. Goldstein Named  President of The  Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino LAS VEGAS - Sept. 10, 1999-- Las Vegas Sands Inc., the parent company of the recently opened Venice-themed mega-resort, has appointed Robert G. Goldstein as president of The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino. In his new role as president, Goldstein will oversee and manage all day-to-day operational functions of the $1.5 billion destination resort mirrored after Venice, Italy.  Prior to his appointment, Goldstein served as senior vice president of Las Vegas Sands since December 1995. In that capacity, Goldste...

Consumers May Save Up to 40% Using vacations4auction.com Rather than Booking Vacation Conventionaly / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Consumers May Save Up to 40% Using vacations4auction.com Rather than  Booking Vacation Conventionaly WASHINGTON - September 20, 1999-- Global Vacation Group (NYSE: GVG), one of the largest U.S. providers of value-added vacation products and services, today announced that the company launched a new auction web site, vacations4auction.com.  Concurrently, the company will become the featured provider of package vacations on a newly formed auction network, announced earlier today. Members of the new auction network, comprising nearly 100 companies and operated by FairMarket.com, include technolog...

Georgia Tourism Establishes Office of Tourism Development / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Georgia Tourism Establishes  Office of Tourism Development Columbus, GA, September 24, 1999 - The announcement today of the formation of an Office of Tourism Development on the campus of the State University of West Georgia with Hanna Ledford as Executive Director, is another first for Georgia Tourism, according to R.K. Sehgal, Chairman.  Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism “Georgia’s tourism program is the envy of many states. We are fortunate to have the architect of that program, Hanna Ledford, to continue to be an innovative, creative leader and a strong voice for Ge...

Good Morning News Now Available at 300 Hotels in 25 Countries / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Good Morning News Now Available at  300 Hotels in 25 Countries September 1, 1999 - Brussels, Belgium - After four years of existence, Good Morning News comes out this Wednesday September 1, 1999 its thousandths number.  Good Morning News is a daily service of information especially conceived to be distributed by the hotels to their customers. Specifically, it gives readers a complete overview on daily events worldwide and in their own country. There are 6 different editions of Good Morning News: France, Spain, Italy, Germany, United Kingdom and United States. Good Morning ...

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Marriott International, Inc. Acquiring the  Frenchman’s Reef Marriott Hotel FAIRFIELD, N.J., Sept. 15, 1999 - Prime Hospitality Corp. (NYSE: PDQ) announced today that it has entered into an agreement to sell its Frenchman’s Reef Marriott Resort Hotel located in St. Thomas U.S.V.I. to Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR). The closing of the transaction is subject to certain conditions which are required to be satisfied within the next 120 days.  Marriott International will operate the property upon closing.  The Frenchman’s Reef Marriott Hotel is a 504-room resort hotel which...

The Founders Inn Receives Top-to-Bottom $8 Million Overhaul / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report The Founders Inn Receives Top-to-Bottom  $8 Million Overhaul THE WOODLANDS, Texas, September 13, 1999 - Think of a caterpillar evolving into a butterfly. That’s an apt analogy for Benchmark Hospitality’s transformation of The Founders Inn from a standard, yet beautiful hotel into a flourishing, full-service, finely appointed conference center.  Since taking over management of The Founders Inn in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in September 1998, Benchmark has begun a sweeping $8 million renovation and expansion effort that will redefine the way the facility is used. The changes ra...

Flooring Adds Flair, Function and Finesse / Barbara A. Worcester / Aug 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report  Flooring Adds Flair, Function and Finesse By Barbara A. Worcester, H&MM Senior Editor    July 1999 - Move over carpet. Make room for hard-surface floor coverings such as tile, ceramic, slate, marble and hardwood. Designers and architects have studied the traffic patterns in public areas of hotels and have determined there's a need for hard-surface flooring in certain areas. However, it will not completely replace carpet and area rugs for acoustic arid aesthetic reasons. "Tile has a personality all its own," said Jonathan Nehmer, president of Rockville, Md.-based Jonathan Nehmer + Associat...

Sol Melia Developing Two Luxury Hotels in Trujillo and Mérida / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Sol Melia Developing Two Luxury Hotels  in Trujillo and  Mérida September, 1999 - The Junta de Extremadura and Sol Melia sign an agreement to jointly develop luxury hotel projects in the Spanish autonomous community. One of the agreements main objectives is to promote Extremadura as a quality tourism destination. The President of the Junta de Extremadura, local government of the Spanish Autonomous Community of the same name, Juan Carlos Rodríguez Ibarra, and the Vice President of the hotel company Sol Meliá, Sebastián Escarrer Jaume, have signed an agreement today, Tuesday, 28t...

MCL Companies Breaks Ground on 455-Suite Embassy Suites Near Chicago's Navy Pier / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report MCL Companies Breaks Ground on 455-Suite  Embassy Suites Near Chicago's Navy Pier MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Sept. 13, 1999--Officials and business leaders from the city of Chicago, MCL Companies, and Promus Hotel Corporation broke ground today for the 455-suite Embassy Suites Chicago-River East, the cornerstone of a $1 billion, upscale, mixed-use complex located near the city’s landmark Navy Pier. In addition to the hotel, River East Center will include a 58-story luxury condominium tower and a connecting retail complex. When completed, the 15-story Embassy Suites Chicago-River East will be near...

Elscint Ltd. Acquires the Hotels Division from Europe Israel Ltd. / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Elscint Ltd. Acquires the Hotels Division  from Europe Israel Ltd. HAIFA, Israel - Sept. 9, 1999-- Elscint Ltd. (NYSE:ELT), a subsidiary of Elbit Medical Imaging Ltd. (Nasdaq:EMITF), announced that, through a wholly owned subsidiary, it has today signed an agreement with a wholly owned subsidiary of Europe Israel (M.M.S.) Ltd. (“EIL”), EMI’s controlling shareholder pursuant to which Elscint will acquire from EIL the latter’s hotel division in consideration for a cash payment in the amount of approximately US $64 million and the assumption of liabilities pertaining to these activities...

Survey Looks at Restaurants / Food Wholesalers Use of Internet for Purchases / Sept 1999

March 30, 1999

Hotel Online Special Report Survey Looks at Restaurants / Food Wholesalers  Use of Internet for Purchases Thomas Food Industry Register and American Express Survey Reveals ‘E-Trends’ In Purchasing NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 1999 - In the race to do business more efficiently, food industry buyers are increasingly turning to electronic conveniences—among them, sourcing on the Internet and using credit/charge cards for wholesale purchases, according to FoodTRENDS™ On Purchasing, an extensive new survey examining trends among food industry buyers and specifiers. The survey, sponsored by Thomas Food Industry...