Cambria Suites Opens in Pueblo, Colo. (11/19/2008)

PUEBLO, COLO.—The 105-suite Cambria Suites Pueblo is open here.

The hotel is near the Pueblo Convention Center, Colorado State University-Pueblo and the Colorado State Fairgrounds. The facility includes more than 1,000 square feet of meeting space.

Gaylord Abandons Plans for San Diego Area Resort (11/19/2008)

NASHVILLE, TENN.—Gaylord Entertainment Co. said it will no longer develop a resort a convention hotel in Chula Vista, Calif.

The firm announced that an extended planning and approval processes, a complicated regulatory and legal structure and exorbitant off-site infrastructure costs led to the decision.

“We are very disappointed to have made this decision since the greater San Diego region is such an important convention market,” said Colin V. Reed, CEO of Gaylord Entertainment.

The decision to abandon the Chula Vista project does not affect the firm’s other announced development initiatives, the company said.

Joie de Vivre Promotes Summerfield to President (11/19/2008)

SAN FRANCISCO—Joie de Vivre, California’s largest boutique hotel collection, promoted Ingrid Summerfield to president.

Summerfield will be responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company, which manages hotels, restaurants, spas and luxury residences in California. She will oversee the company’s operations, food and beverage services, people services, sales and marketing, revenue management, spa and information technology departments.

Summerfield’s previous position for the firm was chief operating officer, which she will continue to retain, and executive vice president.

Montage Beverly Hills Opens (11/19/2008)

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—Montage Beverly Hills is up and running here.

The 201-room luxury hotel, which has a sister property in Laguna Beach, Calif., includes 9,000 square feet of space. The guest rooms, which include 55 suites, range from 500 to 5,000 square feet, and offer city and foothill views.

Guests booking corner suites and other deluxe suites may enjoy a complimentary Mercedes-Benz to use during their stay. The hotel also features a 20,000-square-foot spa.

Crowne Plaza Newark Airport Completes Renovation (11/18/2008)

ELIZABETH, N.J.—Crowne Plaza Hotel Newark Airport opened after a $10 million renovation and conversion from a Four Points by Sheraton.

The 260-room hotel is located one mile from Newark Liberty International Airport. Amenities include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a fitness center and a business center.

The hotel also features 3,400 square feet of meeting space.

Pennsylvania CC Launches $700 Million Expansion (11/18/2008)

PHILADELPHIA—The Pennsylvania Convention Center started work on its long-anticipated $700 million expansion.

The makeover will include a new business center, upgraded wireless access, more digital signage, mobile tools and the creation of a specialist role dedicated to event technology, among other features.

The 1.3 million-square-foot facility features 440,000 square feet of exhibit space. The expansion is expected to be completed early 2011.

Sense Spa Opens at The Carlyle in Manhattan (11/18/2008)

NEW YORK—Sense, A Rosewood Spa is open at The Carlyle here.

The bi-level spa is located on the third floor. The Art Deco-inspired design of the spa is in keeping with the look of the hotel, which opened in 1930 and is located at East 76th Street and Madison Avenue.

The Carlyle includes 187 rooms and 3,781 square feet of meeting space.

Starwood Opens First aloft hotel in Virginia (11/18/2008)

CHESAPEAKE, VA.—The 136-room aloft Chesapeake is up and running here.

The new property is the first aloft hotel in Virginia, according to the developer. Loft-like rooms and a hip, urban attitude are elements of the newest Starwood brand.

The facility contains 531 square feet of meeting space.

Mauna Kea Set to Open Dec. 20 (11/17/2008)

KOHALA, HAWAII—The Mauna Kea Beach Hotel is slated to reopen Dec. 20, Prince Resorts Hawaii announced.

The hotel has been closed for the last two years due to damage from a 2006 earthquake. The total room count has been reduced from 310 to 258 because some rooms have been enlarged.

Many of the resort’s popular services and activities will also return, including the 13-court Seaside Tennis Club, the Salon at Mauna Kea, children’s activities, Hawaiian cultural experiences, Art & Garden Tour, yoga and exercise classes and the Beach at Kauna’oa Bay, offering services and cabanas.

The hotel had a waitlist of more than 500 names as of October, according to Prince Hawaii Resorts.

MGM Mirage CEO Retiring Amid Resume Questions (11/17/2008)

LAS VEGAS—MGM Mirage CEO Terry Lanni announced he will retire this month as questions surfaced about his educational background, Bloomberg News reported.

Lanni’s company biography states that he graduated with a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Southern California (USC). University spokesman James Grant said Lanni had taken business administration courses but did not earn a degree.

Lanni stated he received an honorary degree from USC, but Grant said he could not verify that.

Lanni recommended MGM Mirage President Jim Murren to succeed him, according to the company. Lanni served as chairman for more than 13 years, expanding the firm from one property in Las Vegas to 17 resorts worldwide.

NBTA Predicts Business Travel Slowdown (11/17/2008)

ALEXANDRIA, VA.—Business travelers can expect increases in travel costs and slower than usual growth for the travel industry in 2009, according to the National Business Travel Association’s (NBTA) 2009 Business Travel Overview & Cost Forecast.

According to the study, travel managers project an increase of 5 percent to 8 percent for business travel costs in 2009. Additionally, the number of business trips will continue to increase, but at a much slower pace than the annual growth from 2004 through 2007.

“In some companies, we are already seeing major cutbacks in travel, while other companies have higher travel budgets in place for 2009,” said Kevin Maguire, president and CEO at NBTA. “Across the board, we can expect to see some changes in the way travel is managed to further maximize value.”

New Assistant Director at San Antonio CVB (11/17/2008)

SAN ANTONIO—Ronnie Price was named the new assistant director of the San Antonio CVB.

Price currently serves as director of group strategy for Marriott International. He will start his new position Dec. 8.

Makeover Complete at The Peaks in Telluride, Colo. (11/15/2008)

TELLURIDE, COLO.—The Peaks Resort & Golden Door Spa completed its renovation here.

The property features more than 10,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The property is located next to the 11,000-square-foot Telluride Convention Center.

SLS Hotel Opens in Beverly Hills (11/15/2008)

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills is up and running here.

The 297-room hotel includes about 15,000 square feet of meeting space. Its ballroom measures more than 4,300 square feet.

Doubletree Introduces New Guest Service Program (11/14/2008)

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—Doubletree Hotels announced the launch of its latest initiative, Requests Upon Arrival, which provides guests with the opportunity to order a number of items before they arrive at a hotel.

Options include a number of complimentary items, snacks and beverages for purchase, and other goodies. Some of the items may be tailored to that destination or are available only at certain hotels.

Indy Airport Opens New Terminal (11/14/2008)

INDIANAPOLIS—A new $1.1 billion terminal at Indianapolis International Airport is open.

The Colonel H. Weir Cook Terminal includes 40 gates and has the capacity to handle as many as 12 million passengers a year. The terminal includes Civic Plaza, a 25,000-square-foot space designed for meetings and other events. It includes 100-foot windows overlooking the runways that have views of the city skyline.

A 250-room hotel is expected to be built at the airport within the next five years.

Mile-High Tourism Board Gets New Name (11/14/2008)

DENVER—The Denver Metro CVB has a new name: Visit Denver.

Along with the name change, the CVB’s official new website is www.visitdenver.com. To investigate a name change, the bureau conducted focus groups of board members, meeting planners, potential visitors, city officials and residents, trying out a variety of new names.

“Our challenge was to find a 21st century name that would be easy to remember and enunciate, be consistent with our brand, and have a call to the action,” said the bureau’s president, Richard Scharf.

New Holiday Inn to Open in Birmingham (11/14/2008)

BIRMINGHAM, ALA.—The 108-room Holiday Inn Birmingham/Homewood will open Nov. 21, InterContinental Hotels Group announced.

The property will showcase the brand’s new signage. The hotel is located minutes from downtown Birmingham.

Mondrian in Miami Beach Getting TiVo (11/13/2008)

MIAMI BEACH, FLA.—The Mondrian South Beach announced a partnership with TiVo to put TiVo recorders in all 335 rooms at the hotel.

The facility features approximately 4,000 square feet of event space. The hotel is set to open December 1.

Pa. Dutch CVB to Receive Less Funding (11/13/2008)

LANCASTER, PA.—Despite a $400,000 cut in the annual state grant to the local visitors bureau, Lancaster County destinations will be marketed as strongly as ever, officials said, according to a report in the Lancaster New Era.

Chris Barrett, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Dutch CVB, said the gap will be filled by more state dollars for regional initiatives and by adjustments at the bureau.

“From a marketing standpoint, we see very, very little effect on what we'll do,” Barrett said. “We'll market the whole region. But all of us realize that, to make it work, we'll have to push the strongest brands in the region--Hershey, Lancaster and Gettysburg.”

Softening the blow, Dutch Country Roads, a partnership that markets destinations in seven counties, will receive $400,000 in the current fiscal year, an increase of $25,000 from the previous year.