October 1, 2011

phoenix /  The new Westin Phoenix Downtown opened recently and has already been ranked 10th out of 174 Phoenix hotels by TripAdvisor.  Located in the urban core of the country’s sixth largest city, the Westin is the only downtown hotel dedicated to small meetings and business travelers, providing a more luxurious, customer-service centric alternative to the city’s larger convention hotels.  Debra Barton is the hotel’s general manager and David Sobek is DOSM.

The Pointe Hilton Resorts welcomed three new team members to their staff.  Irine Krass is the new public relations coordinator for Hilton’s Arizona resorts.  Prior to joining Hilton, Irine worked in the public relations agency sector.  Rizalde Sherwood brings more than 18 years of food and beverage operations experience to Pointe Hilton Resorts as the director of banquet operations for the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort.  Kate Foster is the new restaurant sales manager at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort.

Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort was recently named a 2011 Gold Tee winner by Meetings & Conventions magazine that placed the resort among elite groups earning top honors for their onsite facilities.

The Ritz-Carlton, Phoenix welcomed Stephen Toevs as their new executive chef.

Expotel Hospitality Services recently celebrated an award for Heather Fields, DOSM at the Embassy Suites Phoenix North.  Heather is the recipient of the “Annual Arizona Diamonds in The Desert” Director of Sales of The Year Winner.

The Arizona Biltmore has promoted Marissa Yaki-Peplinski, who has been part of the resort’s management team for seven years, to the position of director of rooms division. In her new position, Marissa has assumed direct responsibility for the operations of the housekeeping, laundry, front office and guest services departments.

The Arizona Biltmore has also named John E. Braun, who has 24 years of hotel experience, the resort’s new director of food and beverage.  John comes to the hotel from the Hyatt Regency Cambridge, where he was executive assistant manager/director of food & beverage.

scottsdale /  KSL Capital Partners announced that it has acquired the InterContinental Montelucia Resort & Spa.  Opened in 2008, the resort offers 293 rooms and suites, five pools, six dining options, the 31,000 square foot Joya Spa with 19 treatment rooms, and more than 90,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space.  Following the acquisition, the resort operates as an independent luxury resort, Montelucia Resort & Spa, and will remain affiliated with InterContinental Hotels & Resorts as an InterContinental Alliance Resort. The resort will be managed by KSL Resorts.

The Spa at Camelback Inn recently made the Condé Nast Traveler magazine reader’s poll list for “Top 100 Resort Spa’s in the U.S.”

Enchantment Resort, which recently completed a $4 million renovation of their onsite Meeting Village, is now unveiling an $11 million interior refurbishment of their guest rooms, including state-of-the-art technology, new furniture, linens, décor, and luxurious bathrooms.

Michael Hoffmann, managing director for Boulders Resort, has named Bernard Philippe as the new director of food & beverage.  With over 20 years in the service and hospitality industry, Bernard will oversee all food & beverage operations for the resort.

Joie de Vivre Hotels, the West Coast-based company known for its whimsical boutique hotels, will introduce its first property outside of California in Scottsdale this fall.  Named The Drinkwater, the 195-room hotel has an unbeatable location in the heart of  Old Town Scottsdale. The property is currently being reimagined to showcase the colorful, vibrant spirit of the Southwest by Peter Stamberg and Paul Areriat of Stamberg Areriat Architecture.

AAA has named Radisson Fort McDowell Resort & Casino a Four Diamond Resort for a fifth consecutive year.

The TripAdvisor 2011 Traveler’s Choice Awards have announced the Boulders Resort & Golden Door Spa has been ranked “Top Ten for Relaxation/Spa Hotels in the United States.”  U.S. News & World Report announced its 2011 lists of the Best Hotels and The Boulders Resort was named one of the Best Hotels in Phoenix and in the USA.  Condé Nast Traveler magazine ranked the Boulder’s Golden Door Spa high on the list “Top 250 Spas” in the U.S., Canada, Caribbean and on Sea.  The Golden Door Spa is one of only two spas honored from Scottsdale.

Scottsdale’s newest event venue has been completely revamped and turned into a stylish, contemporary event space in the 21-acre urban Civic Center Mall. The Clayton on the Park can accommodate up to 400 people and offers three distinct spaces – an outdoor terrace and two indoor levels with floor-to-ceiling windows framing views of the park, fountain and public art.

The Venue Scottsdale has been a staple in downtown for nearly a decade and has gotten a half million dollar facelift this summer.  A retractable roof will soon cover the street-inspired courtyard and add sun or stars to any event. The new rooftop patio will be a part of the 8,000 square-foot expansion and give groups a bird’s eye view of surrounding mountains and Sonoran Desert backdrop. Once completed in early 2012, The Venue Scottsdale will be able to accommodate 2,000 people.

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa received the 2011 Fodor’s Choice from Fodor’s Travel as well as the Gold Tee Award from Meetings & Conventions Magazine.  Celia Cohen, the resort ambassador, won the Spirit of Service Award which is a Governor’s Tourism Award.

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa has completed a 20 million dollar enhancement. Included in the enhancement is the Trailblazer’s Ballroom, the third largest at the resort.  It offers an additional 11,300 square feet with wall-to-wall views overlooking the Kierland Golf Course and McDowell Mountains. Northern Sky is a 4,500 square foot elegant outdoor venue overlooking the lake on the golf course. The guest rooms and suites have also been updated to feature rich, warm colors in all new linens, carpeting and draperies.

marana /  Mike Kass, formerly the DOSM at the JW Marriott Hill Country Resort near San Antonio,  TX, has been named DOSM at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain.

tempe /  The Buttes Marriott Resort announced the appointment of a new sales & marketing director, Shaun Coleman.  In addition, the resort is doing a minor renovation adding new 37” HDTVs to all of the rooms.

Peter Cowley has recently joined the Embassy Suites Phoenix – Tempe as general manager.  The 224 all-suite hotel is now owned and managed by Vancouver-based O’Neill Hotels and Resorts, making this the second Valley of the Sun property the group manages.  The Embassy Suites offers 10,000 sq.ft. of meeting space.

From the moment he set eyes upon the Sonoran Desert in the late 1920s as a consulting architect on the Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix, Frank Lloyd Wright was smitten. He eventually purchased 640 acres in what was then the distant outskirts of Scottsdale, where he spent more than two decades carving a residence and architecture school out of the McDowell Mountain foothills.  Now a National Historic Landmark, Wright’s Taliesin West is celebrating 75 years in 2012 and will mark this milestone with programming ranging from symposiums and concerts to special events and enhanced tours.

salt river pima-maricopa indian community /  Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort announced the appointment of Peter Arceo as senior director of sales and marketing for both properties.  Peter brings more than 19 years in gaming and hospitality, beginning his career as a front desk clerk and later as a blackjack dealer, working his way up the ranks.  Prior to accepting his new position, Peter spent many years with the Las Vegas Hilton.

sedona /  Mii amo, a destination spa at Enchantment Resort, has announced the appointment of Corey Shoemaker as chef. A focused professional who has experienced success in restaurants across the Midwest, Corey is responsible for all culinary operations at the award-winning destination spa including menu creation for Mii amo Café as well as cooking demonstrations, in-suite dining and special events.

tucson /  The $130 million Casino del Sol Resort, Spa and Conference Center is on track for a November opening.  The resort will feature 215 rooms and suites, a spa and fitness center and a convention center for up to 2,000 guests.

Westward Look Resort has announced the appointment of Craig Waterman as general manager.  Craig brings 25 years of hospitality  experience to his new role overseeing day-to-day operations at the 244-room Westward Look Resort.  He comes to Tucson from Vail where he served as GM-transition team, assisting with the conversion of the Tivoli Lodge to a Gemstone Hotels & Resorts managed property.

Peter Prassas has joined the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort as food & beverage manager.  Peter has worked with top companies such as The Westward Look Resort, The Lodge at Ventana Canyon Club,  Loews Ventana Canyon Resort, and at Miraval Resorts.  In addition, Brandy White has been promoted to director of catering.  Brandy has been with Hilton El Conquistador for the past nine years.

Chef Baskerville Odell, one of the most recognized local chefs in Southern Arizona, has joined the culinary team at the Hilton El Conquistador.  Chef Odell has worked for top restaurants such as The Ventana Room, The Arizona Inn and Janos.

The Arizona Hotel & Lodging Association named Lynn Ericksen, the general manager for the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador, as the Hotelier of the Year. The resort has received the AAA Four-Diamond rating for the 28th consecutive year and, in the fall of 2011, it will be undergoing a large renovation to its meeting space, lobby area, and restaurants.

The 487-room Westin La Paloma Resort announced the appointment of Jonathan Litvack as general manager.  Most recently, Jonathan served as GM of the Westin Pasadena.

 

 

October 1, 2011

rogers /  Jodi Lightner, director of sales & marketing at the Aloft Rogers - Bentonville, announced their new GM, Mary Wood.  

The hotel was voted the #1 for business hotel by Trip Advisor for Northwest Arkansas.

Paige Smith, director of sales and marketing for Doubletree Guest Suites Bentonville – Rogers, announced that Stefanie McKinney has been promoted to sales manager from front desk.  She will be handling the association and SMERF markets.

little rock /  The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau announced that Alan Sims has been selected as their new vice-president of sales and services.  Sims, a 26-year industry veteran, will be responsible for overseeing the convention sales and client services teams at the bureau. His vast experience includes working with convention bureaus, marquee hotel chains as well as other hospitality and tourism entities.   Gretchen Hall, recently selected as the president and chief executive officer of the Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau stated, “I am excited to have someone of Alan’s caliber joining our team. I think that his wealth of experience and knowledge working within the tourism industry will help bring a new perspective and direction to effectively selling Little Rock that will help our great city continue to grow.”

Alain Piraux and Bruce Skidmore have filled two key roles on The Peabody Little Rock’s executive committee. Alain has been hired as the new director of food and beverage, and Bruce has been selected as the new DOSM.  Most recently, Alain was the executive assistant director of food & beverage at the Hilton Tysons Corner in McLean, Va., and Bruce was the director of sales & marketing for the Queen Mary in

Long Beach, CA.

Each year, Arkansas Business publication chooses their “40 Under 40” list to recognize intriguing business and political leaders under 40 years old “who bear watching.”  This year, one of those chosen was the Katherine (Katy) Faulk of Little Rock, sales representative for Eureka Springs Landmark Hotels -- The 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa and the 1905 Basin Park Hotel.  Katy has served in that capacity since 2009. 

 

October 1, 2011

boulder /  White Lodging announced the promotion of Justin Budyak to DOSM at the Marriott Hotel Boulder.

colorado springs /  Kelly Baker is a new sales administrative assistant with the Crowne Plaza.  Kelly holds a hotel and restaurant management degree from Kansas State University.  Sharon Crow joins the Crowne Plaza as the faith-based group sales manager.  Most recently she was with the Marriott in Prescott as the director of sales.  Carmen Shoulders joins the Crowne Plaza as the corporate group sales manager.  Prior to joining the Crowne Plaza, Carmen worked in both large and small markets for the Hilton, Lowes Hotels and Sunstone Properties.

The Crowne Plaza Colorado Springs business sales manager, Toby Reed, was named the “Speed Rabbit” for July for the Ambassadors of the Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce.  In addition, the hotel’s government sales manager, Mark Richardson, received the GEM Award from the Society of Government Meeting Professionals Rocky Mountain Chapter.

The recently renovated Cheyenne Mountain Resort announced the appointment of Darla Cook as the new sales manager for the Southeast territory.  Darla rejoins Cheyenne Mountain Resort after spending two years at the DoubleTree World Arena Hotel.

Steve Bartolin recently marked his 20th year as president of The Broadmoor, a period during which the world-famous resort has undergone more than $300 million in upgrades to retain and bolster its status as an elite property.

The Colorado Springs U.S. Olympic Training Center offers a unique spin on the traditional business meeting by offering the inspirational surroundings of an elite athlete training environment and the Olympic Movement.  With more than 20 meeting rooms on 32 acres of land, the Training Center allows an efficient and convenient set up for business meetings or conferences. The total square footage available is 18,433 square feet.

Amid an ongoing economic malaise, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts is abandoning completion of its 300-room Renaissance Hotel in Colorado Springs and will make way for new owners later this year.  It marks the first time in the more than 50-year history of Missouri hotel developer John Q. Hammons that one of his companies has walked away from a hotel on which it began construction.

denver /   Stonebridge Companies has received top honors for one of the properties it owns and operates:  the DoubleTree by Hilton Denver Tech Center.  Known as the CARE Cup, this traveling award is bestowed quarterly to one small and one large hotel, out of 250 DoubleTree properties worldwide.  The DoubleTree by Hilton Denver Tech Center won the CARE Cup in the large hotel category.

The 170-room Hampton Inn Lakewood has recently completed a $2 million renovation.

The Sheraton Denver Tech Center announced the installation of the Sheraton Fitness Center by Core Performance with 1,100 square feet of state-of-the-art Life Fitness cardio and Go-Fit equipment to enhance your workout on the road.  Carson Taber has joined the team as business travel sales manager with previous experience at the Marriott Provo Hotel and Conference Center in Utah.  Rachel El Ali, the new sales and executive meetings manager, comes to the hotel from University of Denver’s School of Hotel, Restaurant and Tourism Management and recently completed an internship at JW Marriott Kuwait City.

Jean Claude Cavalera is bringing classic training in his native France and two decades of experience in the Rocky Mountains’ culinary scene to his new post as executive chef at Warwick Denver Hotel.  Jean Claude will oversee the culinary team of Randolph’s Restaurant and Bar along with all banquet and catering services.

Stephani Smith has been named a director of revenue management at The Westin Denver Downtown.  Stephani, a 12-year Starwood Hotels & Resorts associate, comes to the hotel from the Westin Pasadena, where she served in that same position.

Paul Aguiar is now the director of sales and marketing for the Sheraton Denver West Hotel & Conference Center.  He was most recently with the Embassy Suites Denver.  The property offers 18,000 sq.-ft. of IACC-approved meeting space.

Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center, the Tech Center’s only AAA Four Diamond hotel, opened its doors for business in 1985, introducing the Mile High City to the signature service and quality associated with the Hyatt brand.  “We are excited to commemorate the 25th Anniversary and celebrate the contributions all of our associates at Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center have made to the community,” commented general manager Scott Mason.

The JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek announced that it has hired Zak Kimble to serve as the director of sales & marketing and Erin Herman in the position of senior catering sales manager.  Zak was most recently the director of sales and marketing at the Denver Marriott City Center.  Erin was most recently the catering sales manager at McCormick’s at The Oxford Hotel in Denver.

The Westin Westminster announced that it has hired Chris Claydon to serve as a senior sales manager. Chris most recently served as a sales manager at the Sheraton Downtown Denver. 

Denver’s Oxford Hotel announced it has hired Erica Castro-Larsen to serve as a sales manager at LoDo’s original boutique hotel.  A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, Erica has spent the last three years at Denver’s DISH Network, most recently serving as the Denver account manager.

Stasia Patience, most recently with the Boulder Marriott, has joined the Marriott Denver South at Park Meadows as DOSM.  Brian Lenfesty, GM of the hotel, made the announcement.

Ben Fusco, area VP with Hilton Worldwide, announced the appointment of Allen Paty to general manager of the 560-room DoubleTree by Hilton Denver and 298-room Red Lion Denver. Most recently, Allen served as the GM of Hilton Colorado Springs.

Jaclyn Payne has been appointed sales manager at Hotel Teatro.  Jaclyn most recently served as a sales manager for the Sheraton Denver Downtown.

Inverness Hotel & Conference Center announced that Andrew Martinez has joined the staff as transient sales manager.  Andrew moved from The Loretto in Santa Fe.  Scott Hester joined the team from The Doubletree Aurora and Laura Golland was promoted from executive assistant to catering concierge.  Brian Fedorowicz has returned to Colorado from Santa Fe, NM as the DOS at the Inverness Hotel and Conference Center.

The Inverness Hotel has completed an $800,000 bathroom renovation.  The hotel also received the American Hotel & Lodging Association’s 2011 Outstanding Community Service, Large Property Award.

aspen /  Rich Hinojosa has been appointed executive chef at Hotel Jerome,  A RockResort., just in time to kick off one of the country’s top culinary events, the 2011 FOOD & WINE Classic.  Chef Hinojosa hails from the Westin Maui Resort and Spa.

aurora /   Gaylord Entertainment recently announced its plans to develop a resort and convention hotel in Aurora.   The property is expected to initially feature 1,500 guest rooms, 400,000 square feet of exhibition and meeting space and a dramatic atrium setting offering panoramic views of the full Rocky Mountain vista, from Longs Peak down to Pikes Peak.  The company expects the resort to open in mid-to-late 2015.

breckenridge /  Hilton Worldwide and Vail Resorts, Inc. announced the signing of a franchise license agreement for a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Breckenridge.  Currently the Great Divide Lodge, the hotel conversion project will open as the DoubleTree by Hilton Breckenridge in late 2011 following refurbishment and upgrades. It will be the first DoubleTree by Hilton mountain resort hotel located just steps away from the ski lifts in the United States and the 14th DoubleTree by Hilton property in Colorado.

broomfield /  Kirsten Lynch has been named chief marketing officer at Broomfield-based Vail Resorts.  Kirsten joins Vail Resorts from PepsiCo in Chicago where she was CMO of Quaker Foods and Snacks Division.

beaver creek /  The Westin Riverfront Resort & Spa at Beaver Creek Mountain announced that Condé Nast Traveler has ranked Spa Anjali #2 in its “Top 100 Resort Spas – U.S. Mainland” for 2011.

estes park /  Marys Lake Lodge opened June 8, 2011.  On the drawing board for future development is a 20,000 square-foot conference center with 12 luxury suites. The completion will coincide with the 100th anniversary of the lodge in 2013.

Refurbishment is complete at the Rocky Mountain Park Inn that included public areas, restaurant, bar, lobby and rooms.  Rooms now are furnished with new soft goods - towels, linens, shade grown, eco friendly coffee, recycled content to-go cups, as well as upgraded aloe products for guest use.  Rocky Mountain Park Inn has partnered with the Rocky Mountain Nature Association to provide experiential vacations to guests while also giving back to improvements to Rocky Mountain National Park.  Guests have the option to donate $1 per night to RMNA.org which will be used for major improvements in Rocky Mountain National Park.  They will also hold special/customize presentations for groups staying at the hotel who want to learn more about the Park and its wildlife.

Lake Shore Lodge has a two million dollar renovation underway that includes the sleeping rooms, public space, meeting space and restaurant and lounge.  In addition to the physical renovation, several service enhancements are also underway highlighted by the addition of spa services to the full service resort.

gateway /  Gateway Canyons Resort is on the move, repositioning and expanding its brand with the help of its new hospitality management team at Noble House Hotels and Resorts. Together, they are preparing to move forward with plans to renovate and redevelop existing facilities, build additional resort amenities and adjust the location of certain services to benefit both Gateway Canyons’ guests and the community of Gateway.

glenwood springs /  Rand McNally and USA Today put Glenwood Springs on the map naming it the Most Fun Town in America. The winning towns will be highlighted on bestoftheroad.com and in the 2013 Rand McNally Road Atlas, as well as on USA Today’s travel site.  In addition, Hanging Lake, a favorite hiking trail located in the White River National Forest near Glenwood Springs, was placed on the nation’s registry of National Natural Landmarks by Interior Secretary Ken Salazar.

golden /  The Golden Hotel is honored to announce that they received the 2011 City of Golden Sustainability Award in the Business Category. 

tabernash /  Devil’s Thumb Ranch has tapped two culinary and industry leaders, executive chef Evan Treadwell and food & beverage director Dale Mingo, to take the Ranch’s dining and special event catering experiences to the next level.   Chef Treadwell comes to Devil’s Thumb Ranch from the AAA Four Diamond Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa on California’s Central Coast.  Dale previously worked as director of restaurants for the Sonnenalp Resort in Vail.

telluride /  The Peaks Resort and Spa welcomed the newest sales manager, Ann Valenti, to the team.  Ann comes to The Peaks from Vail and she brings 13 years of successful destination sales experience from other various renowned resort properties.

The Spa at The Peaks Resort was recently named among the top 15 resort spas in the country by Condé Nast Traveler, the nation’s leading travel magazine.

 

 

October 1, 2011

new orleans /   Hyatt Regency New Orleans will re-open October 19, just in time for the Saints to host the Indianapolis Colts in the Superdome.  The hotel has undergone a $275 million redesign and revitalization and will feature 1,193 contemporary guest rooms, 200,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, and expansive food and beverage offerings, including a freestanding restaurant by a nationally recognized chef who will be announced soon.

Hilton Worldwide announced the promotion of Fred Sawyers as complex GM of the DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans in addition to his current responsibilities as GM of the 1622-room Hilton New Orleans Riverside.  When Hurricane Katrina struck, Fred and his team safely guided 4,500 guests and team members through the disaster. 

After serving four years as associate director of sales for the Windsor Court Hotel, Megan McDonald Uram was recently promoted to DOSM.

The Astor Crowne Plaza recently received five out of the eight top company awards presented during Hospitality Management Corporation’s Annual General Managers’ Conference. The Astor Crowne Plaza was considered for the 2010 Outstanding Achievement Awards from a portfolio of 21 hotels across the company managed by the Dallas-based HMC.  Pictured from left to right are Jason Pilcher, director of finance, HMC, Peter Ambros, GM of the Astor Crowne Plaza and Don Zimmer, DOSM.

The Royal Sonesta Hotel New Orleans announced that Tina Truesdale is their new director of sales.  She was previously with the New Orleans CVB and the Windsor Court Hotel.  The hotel also has newly constructed meeting space, the Fleur de Lis Suite, which consists of three divisible rooms and a Salon that overlooks an interior courtyard.

Laurie Guidry has joined the Bourbon Orleans Hotel as the director of sales and marketing.  Laurie was formerly with Fairmont Hotels in California, and has returned home to claim this position.  The hotel is currently undergoing a $5 million renovation of all guest rooms.

The New Orleans Hotel Collection recently opened the new Hotel Le Marais – a trendy contemporary boutique-style property in the heart of the French Quarter on Conti Street.

Kathy Orta, a seasoned professional sales director in the New Orleans and Gulf South region, has signed on the Crowne Plaza New Orleans Airport as the director of marketing for the 292-room hotel. 

The famous Audubon Cottages, a collection of seven distinct Creole French quarter style cottages surrounding a private pool on Dauphine Street in the French Quarter, are just completing a major upgrade renovation to add breakfast space, a butler and all new bathrooms after new ownership by the New Orleans Hotel Collection. 

The New Orleans CVB announced that Ted Pennison and Sharon Sibley have come back home to join the convention sales team.  Ted’s primary focus is pharmaceutical and convention center business and Sharon’s specialty is groups utilizing up to 400 peak rooms.

Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans CVB, has been appointed by Governor Bobby Jindal to the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors.

The Louisiana Superdome recently completed an $85 million renovation; part of an overall $336 million renovation that has been taking place since 2006.

Hotel New Orleans Holdings has purchased the Hotel New Orleans, located near the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, and will rename the property Hyatt Place New Orleans Convention Center.  The eight-story, 170-room hotel will undergo an extensive renovation and is expected to be re-branded as Hyatt Place in the first quarter of 2012.

The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans will undergo a $9 million guest room renovation; its first since opening in 2000.  The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans also announced that Vincent Russo has been appointed to the position of executive chef to oversee the operations for M bistro, The Davenport Lounge, banquets and in-room dining for the property.

Hotel Monteleone has completed an upgrade to their Wi-Fi and phone systems to provide guest and meeting rooms with the fastest Internet connection in the French Quarter.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has named Bart Whitaker as senior event manager. Bart returns to New Orleans from Atlanta where he most recently served as assistant GM at the Georgia Dome.

The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center will launch a $50 million renovation project this December that will result in the largest ballroom in New Orleans, to be dubbed “The Great Hall” in reference to the Convention Center’s first use as the Great Hall of the 1984 World’s Fair.  Design elements of the Great Hall will include 86,000 square feet of flexible function space, finishes found in a hotel ballroom and advanced sound, lighting and technology capabilities.  Construction is scheduled to occur between 11/11 and 12/12.

baton rouge /  The Baton Rouge Area CVB recently received the prestigious Gold Service Award from Meetings & Conventions magazine.

many /  Kerry Bennett has been promoted to GM at Cypress Bend Resort.  He previously served as assistant GM of the 600-acre property.  Kerry joined Cypress Bend in 2009 as director of resource development where he designed and built a six-mile mountain bike and hiking trail and later organized a variety of events showcasing the new amenity.  April Lawrence, DOS of the Cypress Bend Resort, has been elected to the Board of Directors of Louisiana Travel Promotion Association.

 

 

October 1, 2011

albuquerque /  The MPI-NM Chapter installed their 2011-2012 Board of Directors in June.  The members are:  Sandra Zimmerman, CMP – president, Alma Fuertes – president-elect, Sally Casey – immediate past president, Richard Viscarra – VP administration, Brian Hatchitt, CMP – VP communications, Tisha Aldredge, CMP – VP education, Phil Baca – VP finance, Deanna Ballard – VP membership, and Tricia Hall, CAE, CMP – chapter board advisor.

The MPI Chapter awarded Colette Schobbens, CMP as Member of the Year. Colette was recognized for her instrumental role on the Nominations Committee for the chapter and in her development of the chapter’s succession plan.  The Chapter also awarded Don Griego, CMP with their President’s Award.  Don was recognized for his hard work on the MPI-NM website and for his dedication to the chapter and its members.

Anita Sahi has been named the new assistant director of sales for Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town.  Anita was most recently a senior national sales manager for the Albuquerque Convention and Visitors Bureau where she served as the organization’s sales contact for the Washington, DC area.

Hotel Parq Central in Albuquerque has been recognized with the American Automobile Association Four Diamond rating. There are 10 hotels in New Mexico that have achieved the designation, including Hotel Andaluz in downtown Albuquerque.  Hotel Parq Central opened in late 2010 after a $21 million investment by owners David Oberstein and Marc Bertram. The former hospital has 74 rooms on a two-acre campus in the Huning Highland neighborhood.

Hyatt Regency Albuquerque has opened a new restaurant named Forque (“fork”).  “The ‘que’ is bringing it back to Albuquerque,” Daniel Kuperschmid, GM, said.  The new concept will be contemporary Southwestern.  Their new chef, Jeremy Peterson, came from Scottsdale.

InterContinental Hotel Group recently announced that the Crowne Plaza Albuquerque will open in September 2011 following a brand change from a Hilton that includes $14 million in renovations throughout the property.  The 261-room hotel features 26,000 square-feet of meeting space that includes an 8,000 square-foot conference center.  Eric Rossena is GM and Wendy Sawyer was recently promoted to DOS.

The Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown and the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa recently received 2011 “Best of the West” awards from Meetings Focus magazine.

pueblo of santa ana /  The Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa announced Colleen Kareti as its new general manager.  Colleen comes to the Hyatt Regency Tamaya from the Hyatt Regency Irvine, in Irvine, California.  Chef Darci Rochau, pastry chef at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa, recently won first place on the nationally televised Food Network’s “The Food Network Challenge.”  Darci won the challenge by creating a five-foot-tall chocolate train in less than eight hours.

las cruces /  Following the retirement of Ken Mompellier, Las Cruces City Manager Robert Garza has named Jennifer Bales as interim executive director of the Las Cruces CVB.  Jennifer was most recently the services manager for the bureau.

The New Mexico Farm and Ranch Museum located in Las Cruces, NM has opened its Ventanas Ballroom with over 5,000 square-feet of meeting space.  The museum offers indoor and outdoor meeting space.

According to statistics from the Las Cruces CVB, from July 1, 2010, to June 30, 2011, the Las Cruces occupancy rate, average daily room rate and the amount of lodger’s tax collected all rose.   “I was not shocked when I went in and compared the numbers,” said Chris Faivre, media/publications manager with the CVB. “This is nice because we’re not hearing much about growth in other areas.”

The Las Cruces Convention Center has achieved a certification status of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council.  “The Las Cruces Convention Center is one of only two gold certified convention centers in New Mexico,” said CVB interim ED Jennifer Bales.

santa fe /  For the tenth consecutive year, Santa Fe is included in Travel + Leisure magazine’s “World’s Best Awards” list of top 10 favorite U.S. and Canadian travel destinations.  For 2011, Santa Fe is ranked as the fifth most popular travel city in North America by the magazine’s readers.  For the second straight year, and fourth time overall, Meetings & Conventions Magazine has honored the Santa Fe CVB as one of the country’s top CVB’s for meetings by presenting the bureau with a Gold Service Award for 2010.

The Santa Fe CVB has appointed Jim Bradbury as the new executive director.  Jim was president and GM of Corporacion de La Fonda in Santa Fe for 17 years, served as the Chairman of the Board of the New Mexico Lodging Association and was twice chair of the Board of Historic Hotels of America.

Doug Libby, DOSM at Eldorado Hotel & Spa, announced that Aleisa Gravador is relocating to Dallas to serve as a remote sales manager for the Eldorado.  All guest rooms at the hotel are undergoing a multimillion dollar upgrade and a new Agave Lounge, Santa Fe’s first ture nightlife experience opened in early September.

Martin Nicholson has been appointed general manager of Encantado, an Auberge Resort.

Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino has welcomed Russ Burbank as the new GM of the resort, with oversight of the adjacent Homewood Suites by the Hilton.  Russ has worked for Marriott, Starwood and Native American casino resorts. While working with Casino Arizona, Russ opened the 4-Diamond Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale, AZ.

taos /  Taos has been recognized by Shape magazine as one of its top 12 “Best Honeymoon Destinations for Active Couples” in the world.  Taos joined other contenders including the Turks and Caicos Islands, Mexico and Hawaii. 

 

 

October 1, 2011

oklahoma city /  In April, the Myriad Botanical Gardens unveiled brand new adven-tures for the entire family thanks to a $38 million transformation project. The outdoor grounds were completely transformed into an urban recreation wonderland, complete with a restaurant, interactive water features, a new children’s garden, grand event lawn and more.

As part of Oklahoma City’s MAPS3 program – a self-imposed, one-cent sales tax initiative to improve the quality of life in OKC – a new downtown convention center, slated to open in late 2018, will include approximately 200,000 square-feet of exhibit space, a 30,000-square-foot ballroom and 50,000 square-feet of meeting space.

The Skirvin Hilton Oklahoma City is in the final planning stages to celebrate the 100th birthday of their historic landmark. The week-long series of events will kick off on October 16 and conclude with a black-tie gala on October 21.  The Skirvin is also pleased to announce the appointment of Ashley Farrow to sales manager.  Ashley had been manager of conference services for the Skirvin.

Sheridan Lodging Associates, the same partnership that built the Bricktown Hampton Inn, recently completed a $2.2 million acquisition of properties just east of their hotel for the development of an 11-story Homewood Suites and Hilton Garden Inn tower.  Construction could begin in December.

Concord Hospitality Enterprises, based in Raleigh-Durham, NC, announced that it has signed an agreement to manage the Sheraton Oklahoma City.  The 395-room, full-service hotel is the latest addition to Concord Hospitality’s management portfolio.

midwest city /  The city of Midwest City and the Sheraton Midwest City Hotel at the Reed Conference Center welcome Aimbridge Hospitality to serve as the new management company for the 151-room hotel and conference center.  Eric Rock became the new general manager when the transition occurred in August. “The Sheraton Midwest City Hotel is one of the top business and conference centers in the Oklahoma City market, and we are excited to be working with Midwest City,” said Aimbridge Hospitality president and CEO Dave Johnson.

norman /  Embassy Suites Norman Hotel & Conference Center has named Michael Vance as general manager.  Direct from the Westin Annapolis, MD, Michael has over 30 years experience with Omni and Marriott, working his way up through the restaurant and food and beverage departments.  His mission is to take the Norman Embassy Suites from number three to number one in the brand for total quality in product and service.

tulsa /  Tim O’Reilly, CEO, O’Reilly Hospitality Management, recently announced that the hotel management company he founded in 2007 will add the 201-room Holiday Inn City Center Tulsa to its portfolio.

Todd Scholl, formerly DOSM at The Peabody Little Rock, has joined the Hyatt Regency Tulsa as director of sales & marketing.

Ray Hoyt, senior VP of VisitTulsa and executive director of Tulsa Sports Commission, was joined by Eddie Marles, AC Milan Youth Program coordinator for North and Latin America, to announce the creation of an international youth soccer tournament in Tulsa.   The Tulsa Sports Commission is creating and hosting the tournament in partnership with A.C. Milan, an international soccer club with a 112 year history.

Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC, recently announced the addition of the 315-room Wyndham Tulsa to the Wyndham brand becoming the second Wyndham property in Oklahoma, joining sister property, Wyndham Garden Hotel Oklahoma City Airport.

The former Tulsa City Hall is currently undergoing a $25 million conversion into a 190-room Aloft Hotel.  TOCH LLC, the project’s developers, said that when it is finished by late next summer, the hotel will be joined by separate spaces for a restaurant and banquet space.

stillwater /   The Texas Association of Convention & Visitor Bureaus has announced that Cristy Morrison, executive director of the Stillwater CVB, is a recipient of the Texas Destination Marketer designation to reward excellence in the convention & visitor bureau industry. Yes, you are reading this correctly – Cristy is the first non-Texan to receive the designation from the Texas organization.

 

 

October 1, 2011

amarillo /   A $52.2 million renovation at the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, including a brand new passenger concourse with seven gates, opened for its first day of operation on July 12, 2011.  Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport features one of the nation’s longest runways and is home to Bell Helicopter/Textron’s Military Aircraft Assembly Center.

The new 151-room Holiday Inn Amarillo West Medical Center opened in July.  Located less than a mile from Amarillo’s Harrington Regional Medical Center, the new four-story Holiday Inn West features more than 8,500 square-feet of meeting space with a ballroom, breakout rooms, pre-function and patio space.

austin /   In late June, Austin City Council took final votes to move forward with construction of a convention-style Marriott Marquis hotel in downtown Austin just three blocks from the Austin Convention Center.  The hotel will be the city’s largest, with 1,003 guestrooms and 103,000 square feet of meeting and event space.  Construction is slated to begin in early 2012 and will take around 32 months according to the developers, White Lodging Services Corp.

Omni Southpark Hotel announced that Zeb Grace has been promoted from senior conference services manger at Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate to director of catering and convention services at the Omni Southpark Hotel.

Gordon Taylor III has been named DOSM at the Hyatt Regency Austin.  He previously held the position of associate DOS at Hyatt Regency Chicago.  Gordon announced these new staff members and promotions:  Emily Wagener was promoted to sales manager, Ronnie Ragains was promoted to meeting connections manager, and Misty Cantrell recently transferred to meeting connections manager at the Hyatt Regency Austin from a similar position with the Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency San Antonio. 

Mary Reynolds, long-time owner and president of Around Austin, Inc, has retired but is still working part time on large accounts.  Penny Gonzales has become the new president and owner of Around Austin, Inc. which is celebrating its 35th year.

Jeremy Lander, DOS for the AT&T Executive Education and Conference Center, has hired Jessica Wiggins as catering manager and Rebekah Fechner and Jennifer Sosa as conference service managers.  The hotel also announced that they received the Expedia Insider Select Award for providing superior service and exceptional guest experiences to Expedia guests.

The Holiday Inn Austin Lady Bird Lake has a new corporate sales manager, Gwen Moore.  Her past experience includes the Woodward Hotel and Conference Center and she will be handling both corporate group and transient clients.

Craig Thibodeau has been promoted to general manager for the Hotel Allandale.

InterContinental Stephen F. Austin will be doing a complete top to bottom renovation in the third quarter of 2012.

White Lodging recently announced the promotion of Michael Galligan to GM at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott near the airport.

Dharmesh Bhakta was recently named the general manager at the Courtyard by Marriott located near the airport.  Prior to his move to the Courtyard by Marriott, Dharmesh was the GM at the Residence Inn by Marriott Austin North.

Grant D’Entremont, formerly the GM at the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott in south Austin, recently moved to the Residence Inn by Marriott in north Austin as GM.

Dave Baxter, formerly with the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport, has joined the Sheraton Austin Hotel at the Capitol as general manager.

The Texas Hill Country Chapter of Meeting Professionals International announced their Executive Committee for 2011-2012. president - Joe Bedsole, Arlington CVB; president-elect – Julie Courtney, CMP, CAE, Independent Bankers Assn. of Texas; Immediate past president - Susan Greenburg, CMP, CASE, Austin Marriott South; VP of finance – Jeff Rasco, CMP, Attendee Management, Inc.; VP of education, and Irma Adams, Courtyard by Marriott River Village; VP of membership.

lakeway /   Lakeway Resort and Spa, which is managed by Houston-based Redstone Hospitality, announced the appointment of Mike Driskill as director of rooms and Jorge Perez as assistant front office manager.  Mike started his career at The Houstonian Club, Lakeway’s sister resort, while attending the Conrad N. Hilton Hospitality Management Program at UofH.  Lakeway also announced Tania McCorkle as spa director at the resort’s San Saba Spa. 

marble falls /   Horseshoe Bay Resort announced that Summit Rock, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, has been added to the company’s portfolio of championship golf courses.  This brings the resort’s golf offerings to four 18-hole courses, each of which incorporates the unique, natural terrain of the beautiful Texas Hill Country.  Summit Rock will be available solely to Summit Rock Golf Club members.

Horseshoe Bay Resort also announced it has redesigned and renamed the former Yacht Club Grill to the Lakeside Grill with a new look and atmosphere.

san marcos /   The city of San Marcos recently hosted the Texas Association of Convention & Visitors Bureau’s Annual Educational conference.  During the event, four Texas CVB execs and one Oklahoma exec received the prestigious Texas Destination Marketer (TDM) certification for excellence in the industry.  Recipients included Amy Zientek, Visit Lubbock; Geraldine Mauthe, Marshall CVB; Lili DeRousse, South Padre, Mark Thompson, Plano CVB, and Cristy Morrison, Stillwater CVB.

TACVB also awarded Sudie Burditt, Kerrville CVB and Vic Mathias, formerly with the Austin CVB, the Legacy Award which recognizes tourism professionals committed to the improvement, growth and professionalism of TACVB and the Texas travel industry.

beaumont /   The Beaumont CVB welcomed the newest addition to Beaumont’s list of hotel properties, the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Beaumont Parkdale.  Linda Walden is DOSM.

Charles Watts has joined the Holiday Inn Hotel & Suites Beaumont Plaza as general manager.  “Charles’ background and leadership experience in the hospitality industry makes him an excellent choice to lead the Holiday Inn Plaza,” says Dean Conwell, CDME, executive director for the bureau

bryan-college station /   Shannon Overby, TDM, CMP, executive director of the Bryan-College Station CVB, was recently elected Chair of the Texas Association of Convention & Visitors Bureau.  At the TACVB conference, BCSCVB staffers Kindra Fry and Holli Conley both received certificates of achievement.  Ryan Nordling, a 2010 Texas A&M grad, joined the BCSCVB as destination sales executive for conventions.

cleburne /   The Liberty Hotel recently received the 2011 Inn of the Year Award from Choice Hotels.

corpus christi /   The Corpus Christi CVB announced the appointment of Erica Lozano as a new senior sales manager.  She will work primarily with SMERF clients.

The Omni Corpus Christi Hotel has made extensive enhancements to the Bayfront Tower guest rooms and corridors and updated some of its 38,000 square-feet of meeting space.  The new, “relaxed coastal chic” decor provides an authentic ocean ambiance.

The results are in and Corpus Christi once again celebrates the title of ‘America’s Birdiest City,’ awarded by Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuaries.  Corpus Christi has held the title each year since 2003.

dallas /   The Omni Dallas Hotel recently booked its 250,000th room night, comprised of over 160 meetings and conventions contracted through 2017. The hotel is putting the finishing touches on the skybridge that connects the headquarters hotel to the Dallas Convention Center as it prepares for these groups to come to Dallas. 

Following an extensive $125 million transformation, the Hilton Anatole recently completed another upgrade. Guests can now enjoy the Trinity Corridor.  Bordering the seven-acre Anatole Sculpture Park, the Trinity Corridor provides unobstructed, enclosed and air-conditioned movement from the hotel into the Trinity Ballroom and Exhibit Hall.

Darren Temple has joined the Dallas CVB as senior VP sales & services.  Most recently, Darren was executive VP of global sales for PSAV. 

The Fairmont Dallas announced the appointment of Nicole Considine as DOSM.  Most recently, Nicole worked with Wyndham Hotels & Resorts.

Jim Gabler, formerly DOSM at The Worthington, a Renaissance Hotel in Fort Worth, has joined the Adolphus Hotel as DOSM.

Hyatt Regency Dallas at Reunion announced the appointment of Paul Buff as director of sales.  Paul previously served as DOS at Hyatt Regency Orlando International Airport.  He succeeds Brian Booth who was promoted to vice president of revenue, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts.

The Sheraton Dallas Hotel recently announced that Fritz Doss has joined the hotel as executive chef.  Prior to joining the Sheraton Dallas, Fritz supervised and managed food and beverage services for Hyatt Hotels in Atlanta, Dallas, Irvine, Calif., Newport Beach, Calif., and Orlando, Fla.  The Sheraton Dallas was named a finalist of the Metroplex Technology Business Council’s 11th Annual Tech Titans Awards in the Technology Adopter category.  Tech Titans are recognized as outstanding technology companies and individuals in North Texas who have made significant contributions to their industries.

Marriott City Center Dallas has recently completed renovations of its guest rooms, fitness center and concierge lounge - the first ever for this hotel, spanning 5,000 square feet.  Additionally, the lobby will be renovated in September with a completion date of Dec. 29.  The hotel was awarded Four Diamonds by AAA.

Juan Calderon, director of hotel operations at the Dallas Marriott Solana, recently received Marriott’s coveted EDGE Award in Bethesda, MD, one of eleven worldwide recipients.

At the Hotel Palomar, senior sales manager Ruth Bilbo was awarded the Members Choice Award from the MPI DFW Chapter.  Emily Emerson has joined the hotel and will focus on corporate group sales. She was previously with the Westin Park Central Hotel.  Hotel Palomar has achieved eco-certification with the Green Seal Silver Certification.

Westin Galleria welcomed Nora Borrego to their group sales team as a sales manager for the SMERF market.  She joins the hotel from Sheraton Arlington.

Chef Mike Pacheco has been named executive chef at the Warwick Melrose Dallas Hotel, overseeing the culinary team of the famed Landmark Restaurant and The Library bar, along with all banquet and catering services.    Warwick Melrose Dallas Hotel has tapped 13-year hotel sales veteran Deanna Beckham as its new group sales manager.

Brendan Carlin, managing director of The Joule, Dallas, announced the appointment of Abby Morgan as DOS.  Most recently, Abby was senior sales manager at Hotel ZaZa Dallas.

Le Meridien Dallas announced two new key staffers:  Jennifer Richardson has joined the hotel as general manager, and Shelly Campbell, most recently with the Hilton Waco, is the hotel’s new DOSM.

Thomas Economos, CHA, CRME, has joined the Sheraton Dallas North as GM.  Most recently, Thomas was GM at the Le Meridien Dallas.  Both properties are part of the HEI Hotels & Resorts family.

Hong Kong-based New World Hospitality hotel management company has recently completed a $229.5 million transaction to purchase Rosewood Hotels & Resorts and will operate it as the ultra-luxury brand within the New World Hospitality portfolio.

Rosewood Hotels & Resorts announced that Radha Arora has been appointed president of the company.  Most recently, Radha was with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts where he served as regional VP and GM of Beverly Wilshire.  Paul Arnold has been appointed VP global development team for the Middle East, Africa and the Indian Ocean at Rosewood Hotels.

Richmond, Virginia-based Apple Nine Hospitality has purchased the 10-year old 224-room Hilton Dallas-Park Cities hotel in Preston Center.  The new owners say they plan to upgrade the 11-story building.

Chris Conwell, most recently with Collinson Publications in Atlanta, has returned to Dallas and has joined the ad sales team at D Magazine.

Steve Huey has joined Alliance Hospitality as DOS at the DoubleTree by Hilton Dallas Market Center.  Steve comes to Alliance Hospitality from his most recent role as sales manager for the AT&T Hotel & Conference Center at the University of Texas in Austin.

James Montgomery, regional director of operations for Gateway Hospitality Group, announced that two GHG managers participated in the 2011 Conrad N. Hilton College - Short Course by receiving scholarships from the Hotel Association of North Texas. 

Aaron Cotton - night manager, Hilton Garden Inn Dallas/Duncanville and Renee Green - guest services manager, Hyatt Place Dallas/Garland, were selected from many applicants to be awarded these scholarships.  Aaron was selected as the “Outstanding Student” for the week-long hospitality training program.

Carlson announced further expansion of the Park Inn by Radisson brand in North America with the recent opening of the Park Inn by Radisson Dallas-Love Field.

Meeting Professionals International recently announced its lineup of future host cities for its World Education Congress – Minneapolis in 2014, San Francisco in 2015, and Philadelphia in 2016. Previously announced cities for WEC include St. Louis in 2012 and Las Vegas in 2013.

The International Association of Venue Managers announced the appointment of Vicki Hawarden, CMP as president and CEO.  She most recently served as VP of knowledge and events with MPI.

plano /   The Marriott Plano at Legacy is in the midst of a $1 million dollar renovation that will be completed in September.  Each of its 404 guest rooms will be getting new carpet, new drapes, new desk chairs, and new soft seat chairs.

The Plano CVB and Plano Centre announced Millerann Jockel as the new marketing manager for both organizations.  Millerann is a 2010 graduate of Texas Tech University, a sixth-generation Dallasite, and wanted to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps, retired Dallas Fire Chief Dodd Miller, and work for a city government.

irving /   The Irving CVB was honored to receive two of the most prestigious awards in the meetings industry - Successful Meetings magazine’s Pinnacle Award, and Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine’s Award of Excellence.

grapevine /   Janet Williams, CASE, has joined Great Wolf Lodge as sales manager.

lewisville /   Courtyard by Marriott has three new managers on staff:  Amy Bovis – GM, Giselle Kuykendall - assistant GM and Romesh Abeyratne- F&B manager. 

fort worth /    The Fort Worth CVB announced the appointment of Merianne Roth as VP of marketing communications.  Most recently, Merianne was consumer brand marketing and publicity director of JCPenney Corporation.

Hilton Fort Worth announced that Kelly Tumaian has joined the sales team as convention services manager.  Kelly was most recently at the Sheraton Fort Worth.

rockwall /  Hilton Bella Harbor has begun work on The Training Center.  Scheduled to open in October 2011, the Training Center will feature a 52-seat amphitheater with state of the art audio visual equipment.  Adjacent to the Amphitheater are two lake-view breakout rooms which will hold up to 60 attendees. The project will add 5,000 square-feet of additional meeting space to the existing 25,000 square-feet of space.

mckinney /   The McKinney CVB launched a Smartphone app.  The “Visit McKinney Texas” app is available by free download for iPhone and iPad from the Apple App Store and for Android from the Android Market.

frisco /   LaChelle Evans was recently promoted to senior sales manager at the Frisco CVB and Maureen Gutierrez joins the bureau as sales manager handling the religious, education and government markets.  Most recently, Maureen worked with the Farmers Branch CVB.

Adrian Chavez has been appointed general manager of the Comfort Suites at Frisco Square.

Home2 Suites by Hilton celebrated the official groundbreaking of its new mid-tier, extended-stay hotel in Frisco.  The property is the eleventh Home2 Suites to break ground since Hilton Worldwide first introduced the brand concept in early 2009, and joins the San Antonio Home2 Suites as the second hotel in Texas.  The hotel is slated to open in 2012.

el paso /  The El Paso City Council recently reversed the city’s Historic Landmark Commission and approved the redevelopment of a Downtown Building as a 44-room hotel.  “The 1915 Rogers Furniture Building will be redeveloped as a high-end hotel,” said Miguel Fernandez, Jr, one of the developers.

houston /   Barbara Beaton, director of  sales at SMG-Reliant Park, announced two new additions to the Reliant Park sales department, Maggie Casey and Candace Cantu. Maggie returned to her role as sales manager at Reliant Park after further developing her sales skills in the hospitality industry and Candace joins Reliant Park as the event sales coordinator and comes to Reliant Park from the American Bank Center, another SMG facility located in Corpus Christi.

Tanya Taylor, DOSM for the Crowne Plaza Houston Downtown, announced that Melanie Campbell as joined her team as director of catering and Jamie Cooper joined the hotel as social catering manager.  Jamie comes from the Downtown Club at the Plaza. 

Adam Rineer, CMP, director of catering & convention services for the Westin Galleria & Westin Oaks has been appointed chair for the National Membership & Chapter Relations Committee for the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE).

At the Hilton Americas-Houston, all guestrooms have been completely redesigned and now offer new luxurious Hilton Serenity beds, HDTVs, coffeemakers, granite-topped dressers and workstations with ergonomic chairs.  The Executive Lounge received an update, with new furnishings and fresh amenities.  New carpeting has been installed in all third floor meeting rooms, the Grand Ballroom and adjacent pre-function space, and the second floor Ballroom of the Americas.

Kary Martinez has joined the 255-room Hotel Sorella as director of catering.  Prior to joining Hotel Sorella, Kary was with the Sheraton Houston Brookhollow.  Hotel Sorella just debuted a 15,000 square-foot meetings and events facility which complements the hotel’s existing venues.

Hilton Americas-Houston announced the promotion of Bonita Bevel from senior catering manager to assistant director of catering.

Scott Austin, formerly with the Embassy Suites Houston Galleria, has joined the Embassy Suites Houston Downtown as GM. The hotel is owned and managed by Houston-based American Liberty Hospitality.  Leo Serrata has joined the Embassy Suites Houston Downtown as DOSM.  Most recently, Leo worked with the Embassy Suites Houston – Energy Corridor.

Angela Corns, DOS for the Hilton Houston Hobby Airport, announced that Christopher Pool has accepted the position of director of F&B and Gail Melancon is the new corporate catering manager.

Benchmark Hospitality has appointed Fekade A. Wolde director of F&B for the Hotel Granduca.  Mary Grace Gray, Benchmark’s GM at Hotel Granduca, made the announcement.  Most recently, Fekade was with Omni Houston Westside.

DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Downtown announced it is undergoing renovations that will be completed in December 2011.  The guest bathrooms in the lobby and meeting space area will be completely renovated and the lobby bar will get a fresh new look. 

Interstate Hotels & Resorts announced the completion of a multi-million dollar revitalization of the 390-room Houston Marriott North.  The renovation includes the brand new Fort Worth meeting room, increasing the hotel’s meeting space to 16,074 square-feet.  Troy Schroeder, GM, and Tara Lightsey, DOSM,  lead the hotel’s Interstate management team.

The Houstonian Hotel, Club & Spa announced the addition of Marifer Zambrano as a group sales manager for the transportation, computer/high-tech, legal, printing/publishing and consulate markets.  Jeff Everts has been promoted to director of F&B at The Houstonian after serving six years as executive chef and Neal Cox has been promoted to executive chef.

Mercedes Dixon, sales manager at downtown’s Hyatt Regency Houston, was presented with the Supplier of the Year Award by members of the Society of Government Meeting Professionals – Houston Gulf Coast Chapter.

An endowed scholarship to honor longtime convention center legend Jimmie Dee Fore has been established at the University of Houston’s Conrad N. Hilton College of Hotel and Restaurant Management.  The Jimmie Dee Fore Scholarship Endowment was created to preserve Fore’s legacy by helping top students pursuing an education and career in convention, meetings and facility management.

Lisa Quesada has been named guest services manager at the 190-room Hilton Garden Inn Houston Energy Corridor where she will oversee the hotel’s front office operations, and Juan Diaz has been named housekeeping manager.

The Houston Area Chapter of Meeting Professionals International recently named Lori Roberts, event coordinator at Meetings To Incentives, Inc., “Meeting Planner of the Year” at its annual banquet.

the woodlands /   The Woodlands Waterway Cruisers, having served hundreds of thousands of passengers since they were first launched in 2004, will receive much-needed cosmetic and mechanical refurbishments beginning later this summer.  “The Waterway Cruisers play a key role in promoting The Woodlands as a destination for leisure travel, corporate meetings, conventions, festivals and special events,” said Casey Snyder, GM of The Woodlands CVB.

Benchmark Hospitality International has named Brad Hayden chief financial officer and Michael O’Neil director of corporate accounting.  Lisa Maria Stice was appointed vice president of global online marketing and the company has named Alex Cabañas president, business development and finance. 

sugar land / Steve Scott, formerly DOSM at the Westchase Hilton, has joined the Sugar Land Marriott Hotel Town Square as DOSM.  The hotel is managed by Dallas-based Remington Hotels & Resorts.

webster /   Vicki Jackson, regional DOSM for the Hilton Garden Inn & Hampton Inn & Suites, was recently appointed to the board of directors for the Bay Area Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

galveston /   Jamie Weir, DOSM at the Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa and Convention Center, announced the opening of Moody Brews, a Starbucks outlet.  The New Lazy River at Palm Beach is a huge success and is perfect for families to relax.  The Rainforest Pyramid’s expansion is mind boggling – you can actually get close enough to touch the monkeys.

kerrville /   The Inn of the Hills Resort & Conference Center recently began its first phase of renovations.  They are remodeling 80 rooms and expect to have them complete by this fall.  The second phase which will include the remaining 85 rooms, hotel lobby and restaurant will begin shortly after.

laredo /   The historic La Posada Hotel is celebrating 50 years of being Laredo’s premiere hotel.  One of La Posada Hotel’s claims to historical fame is the fact that Laredo once flew seven flags, one more than the six flags of Texas.  Laredo was once its own republic, and the capital of the republic of Rio Grande is now a museum that is part of the main building at La Posada Hotel.

lubbock / Kurt Metcalf, GM of the Overton Hotel & Conference Center, announced that the hotel received the Four Diamond Award for 2011 from AAA.  The Overton is the only AAA Four Diamond property in all of West Texas and the Panhandle.

san antonio /   Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center is unveiling $40 million in renovations.  The Lonesome Dove Room, which can accommodate up to 500, is inspired by a story as big and bold as Texas.  Scheduled for completion this fall, Plaza Acequia will be the convention center’s newest outdoor event space.  The 2,400-seat Lila Cockrell Theatre recently reopened after an extensive $26 million refurbishment.

Casandra Matej, executive director of the San Antonio CVB, and her services team recently presented their Service Manager of the Year Award to Sarah Linley, CMP, conference service manager of the Hotel Valencia Riverwalk. 

Fun Factory Events is celebrating its 25th anniversary.  The parent company, FFE Texas, has emerged with two divisions -- Fun Factory Events, which handles Special Events and Destination Management Services and Superior Expo Services, which handles their state-of-the-art tradeshow division.  Congratulations to FFE owner, Ken Thornton, on his recent appointment to the Dallas CVB Board of Directors.

Paulina Saldana has joined the San Antonio Marriott Northwest as senior sales manager. Paulina most recently worked with the Marriott Plaza San Antonio.

Brian Getman, DOSM, reports, “The Hilton Palacio del Rio River Walk is currently undergoing a $27 million dollar guest room and corridor renovation to be completed by year end. The interior transformation will convey a contemporary flavor within a hacienda setting. Bold accent colors pop in textiles, art and area rugs creating a hip hacienda attitude.”

The JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort and Spa announced the addition of Tom Tabler as DOSM for the resort.  Tom previously was the GM of the Westin Austin at The Domain and decided to rejoin the Marriott family.

Nelda Tope has just joined Drury Hotels as regional sales manager.  Nelda was previously DOS for the Sheraton Gunter Hotel.  In Nelda’s new role she will be responsible for 13 hotels in Texas and Louisiana.

Mark Kucera, president of COO of Presidian Hotels and Resorts, announced the appointment of Sergio Cardenas to the position of corporate DOSM.  Most recently, Sergio worked with TOG Hotels’ Full-Service Division and will remain based in Dallas at the new Presidian office near Las Colinas.

Omni La Mansión del Rio has been recognized as one of the “Top 20 Mainland U.S. Hotels” in Celebrated Living’s annual Readers’ Choice Platinum List.

Bryan Davis, area director, sales & marketing at the Omni La Mansión del Rio and Mokara Hotel & Spa recently won Omni’s ‘Director of Sales & Marketing of the Year’ award.  Mokara Hotel & Spa has appointed Movita Hernandez as spa director.

The Omni San Antonio Hotel at the Colonnade has appointed Delfin Ortiz as general manager.  Delfin most recently served as the director of operations at the Omni Houston Hotel.

tyler / Tyler has restored its downtown Liberty Theater.  This 330-seat theater first opened in 1930.  The city of Tyler purchased the closed theater in 2008 for $180,000 and then partnered with the East Texas Symphony Orchestra to raise more than a million dollars of private donations to restore the theater.  The facility is being prepped to become one of the city’s go-to entertainment destinations with performances that will include live stand-up comedy, concerts and popular films.

waco / Dennis Havranek, CHA, has joined the Hilton Waco as general manager and Julianna Viertel has joined the hotel as DOSM.

Karin Alvarado is president of LP Meetings, a hotel and venue selection company based in Northwest Arkansas.  Karin reports the Arkansas news. 

alvarado.karin@gmail.com

Kelly Ball is a Dallas-based regional director for HelmsBriscoe, a leading meeting services firm, and reports the Dallas area news.
kball@helmsbriscoe.com

Dayne P.S. Sullivan is a meeting planner/event manager for Adventures LLC in San Antonio.  He reports the Texas Hill Country news.
dayne@adventuresinsa.com

Sandra Zimmerman, CMP is the meeting planner and public information coordinator for Overaters Anonymous and reports the New Mexico news.

szimmerman@oa.org

Glen Parnell is regional director for HelmsBriscoe, a leading meeting services firm in Houston and reports Houston news. gparnell@helmsbriscoe.com

Marti Jenkins is regional director for HelmsBriscoe, a leading meeting services firm.  Marti reports the Oklahoma news. mjenkins@helmsbriscoe.com