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Trump SoHo New York Debuts In April

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke announced that Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority President and CEO Rossi Ralenkotter has been chosen to lead the U.S. Travel and Tourism Advisory Board. The board provides counsel to the secretary on government policies and programs that affect the U.S. travel and tourism industry, and provides a forum for discussing and proposing solutions to industry-related concerns. Travel and tourism is one of the nation’s most significant exports, accounting for 2.7 percent of the nation’s GDP and supporting more than 8 million jobs. Ralenkotter, who has more than 35 years of experience in the travel and tourism industry, will be sworn in as the chair at the board of directors meeting in April. He joins 28 other travel industry professionals on the board.

The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA) brought a solar panel just like those on the roof of the Atlantic City Convention Center to a February 22, 2010 Convene Green Alliance (CGA) Focus Forum, where ACCVA Vice President of Convention Sales Gary Musich and Charlie Beirne, general manager of the Atlantic City Convention Center, explained how the center has focused on sustainable energy. The solar panels provide 28 percent of the electricity used by the center. Shown here (left to right) are Diane Dalisera of D3 Associates, Charles Beirne, Brian Knapp of IMN Solutions, Jack Sammis of IMN Solutions, Gary Musich, David Barack of Barack Association Management Inc., Tracey Messina of CGA, Carrie Harris of ACCVA, Sara Meeks of CGA, and Jessica Elleman of Barack Association Management, Inc. www.convenegreen.com, www.atlanticcitynj.com

The Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) announced that Melissa Van Dyke was named president of its organization. She will be responsible for overall management and operation of the IRF, whose primary mission is to develop usable and actionable incentive research to raise the awareness and knowledge of incentive practices to the industry and business community at large. Van Dyke succeeds Frank Katusak, who is leaving the IRF at the end of March. Prior to her IRF appointment, Van Dyke was managing consultant, employee engagement practice, at Maritz. www.theirf.org

Eventi Opening Soon In NYC
Eventi, A Kimpton Hotel, will open in spring 2010 in New York City’s North Chelsea neighborhood.  Managed by Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, the 292-room hotel represents the company’s fourth hotel in New York City. Adjacent to the outdoor public plaza is a 20-foot-wide multimedia art screen to be used for events. Eventi offers more than 15,000 square feet of multifaceted meeting space, including three outdoor terraces. www.eventihotel.com

The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa Merges With Diplomat Golf Resort
The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, FL, recently merged with the Diplomat Golf Resort & Spa, a member of the Starwood Luxury Collection. Together, as one destination, The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa now offers golf, spa and beachfront accommodations and amenities, including the Troon Golf-managed 18-hole golf course, tennis center with 10 clay courts, full-service spa, teambuilding program, infinity-edge pool, Westin’s Kid Club, Westin Destination Club and several onsite dining options, such as the Hollywood Prime signature seafood and steakhouse. The resort offers 952 guest rooms and 106 suites. Total meeting facilities include more than 220,000 square feet of meeting and convention space with an unobstructed, 50,000-square-foot Great Hall, six ballrooms, 41 breakout rooms and ample outdoor venues. westin.com/diplomat

Telepresence Virtual Meetings Becoming A Reality
When the 313-room JW Marriott Marquis Miami opens this summer, it not only will boast the largest ballroom in downtown Miami, but will be the city's only hotel to offer telepresence virtual meetings capabilities, a rapidly emerging technology that enables groups to collaborate in multiple locations worldwide in real time. The technology combines high-definition video, which projects meeting participants in life-size dimensions, with real-time audio. Marriott is the first major global hotel company to offer Cisco TelePresence meeting options with the AT&T network to its customers in locations worldwide. Marriott's "GoThere Virtual Meetings"  studios are now open at the New York Marriott East Side and the Bethesda North Marriott just outside Washington, DC. Marriott plans to expand to 25 hotels around the world in the first phase. In addition to the JW Marriott Marquis Miami, the next hotels to offer GoThere Virtual Meetings will be Grosvenor House, a JW Marriott Hotel; JW Marriott Hong Kong; Renaissance Sao Paulo; Renaissance Washington, DC; Atlanta Airport Marriott Gateway; and Dallas/Fort Worth Airport Marriott with more to follow. Photo courtesy of PRNewsFoto/Marriott International Inc. www.gotherevirtualmeetings.com

New Hotel To Open Across From Denver Convention Center
The new-build, 403-room Embassy Suites Denver Downtown hotel is scheduled to open directly across from the Denver, CO, Convention Center in December 2010. The hotel is being developed by White/Peterman Properties Inc. in Merrillville, IN, and will be managed by Windsor Management Services, the hotel management arm of Windsor Capital Group, headquartered in Santa Monica, CA. The new 403-room Embassy Suites Denver Downtown hotel will feature 17 function rooms totaling 21,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space. “This hotel is in a prime location, and our convention groups will be very excited about this addition to our skyline,” said Rachel Benedick, vice president of sales & services for Visit Denver, the city’s convention and visitors bureau. www.windsormanagementservices.com

Experient Announces New CEO
Experient, an integrated meeting and event solutions company, has appointed Jeff Price as president and chief executive officer. Price succeeds interim President and CEO George Benson, who was appointed in June 2008. Benson, a partner at The Riverside Company, will remain on the company's board of directors. Andrew W. Strauss, chairman of the board for Experient and partner with The Riverside Company, said, "Jeff is the right executive to move Experient into the next phase of its evolution. He has the right combination of leadership, energy and industry savvy that we've been looking for." Price's prior assignment was as Executive Vice President and COO of Freeman, an event services contractor headquartered in Dallas, TX. www.experient-inc.com

Orlando/Orange County CVB Boosts Business
The Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau Inc. announced that 528 meetings, conventions or shows have been confirmed in the past six months (August–January) at the Orange County Convention Center as well as hotels located in Orlando/Orange County, by the Orlando/Orange County CVB. These confirmed events represent an estimated 834,755 attendees with more than $820 million in estimated spending and more than 1 million hotel room nights. During the same time period in 2008, 509 meetings were confirmed, with fewer estimated attendees (765,267), lower room nights (988,253) and less attendee spending ($762 million). www.orlandocvb.com

InterContinental New York Times Square To Debut In July
Opening this summer, the InterContinental New York Times Square is one of the closest hotels to the Javits Convention Center and a short walk to the Broadway theater district and Fifth Avenue shopping. The hotel offers 607 oversized guest rooms each averaging 350 square feet and including an oversized bathroom with walk-in rain showers. The property boasts 10 meeting rooms totally 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting and events space, inclusive of a 4,000-square-foot ballroom. Additionally, there are 25 flexible suites that can be utilized as event space. "Opening the largest new-build hotel in the New York City market since 2002 — especially in this economy — is a tremendous milestone," said Jim Abrahamson, president, The Americas, IHG. Upon completion, the hotel will be the largest new-build hotel to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. www.intercontinental.com

NBTA, ISM Summit Attendance Grows 25 Percent
The National Business Travel Association (NBTA) and the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) welcomed 170 corporate travel, meetings and procurement professionals to the second ISM and NBTA Summit on Travel & Meetings in Tampa, FL, January 27–28, 2010. With more than 25 percent growth in attendance over last year, despite a down economy, the Summit offered its attendees a unique forum for travel and meetings managers and those in procurement with supervisory oversight of travel and meetings to collaborate and share insights. Attendees were split evenly between buyers and suppliers — making the summit unique among industry events. Craig Banikowski, CCTE, C.P.M, CMM, NBTA president & CEO, said, “Economic changes of the last 18 months have heightened the importance of cost  containment, transparency, and supply chain management. The better we understand each other as procurement, travel, and meetings, professionals, the more we can meet these challenges on behalf of our companies." www.nbta.org, www.ism.ws

Incentive Research Foundation Pulse Survey Results
The Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) has released findings from its most recent Pulse Survey "Incentive Industry Trends 2010." "Cautiously optimistic is the term I would use to describe the overall message in the data from the survey," said Mark Peterman, chairman of the IRF Research Committee. "Our sense is that companies may have been sitting on budgets for the past 10 months or so waiting to see how things were going to play out and whether there was going to be more pushback from the media and community regarding incentives." Key findings on incentive travel include: 44 percent of respondents anticipate no change with regards to incentive travel program destinations in 2010, while 47 percent anticipate a switch from international to domestic destinations. A combined 16 percent of respondents indicate that they expect budgets for incentive travel programs in 2010 to increase, while 30 percent say they expect budgets to remain unchanged. For more information go to www.theirf.org. For a complete copy of the survey results, contact Lois Russo at lrusso@sellingcommunications.com or 212-736-0797

Site International Foundation Releases Technology Study
In support of its mission to improve the effectiveness of the incentive travel and motivation industry, the Site International Foundation has released the findings of its study "Site Index: Focus on Technology." The report reveals technology usage and viewpoints in the motivational events industry today as it relates to business operations, motivational programs and online resources. Among the surprising results, 28 percent of respondents want more technology but are restrained by the lack of funds. Findings demonstrated that approximately 44 percent of investment is made in response to the market — either direct demand from clients (19 percent) or based on new product development (25 percent). "We knew technology was important, but were surprised that just 8 percent of respondents indicated satisfaction with their current technology," said Fay Beauchine, CITE, Site International Foundation president and president, engagement and events, Carlson Marketing. "The report...suggests that the greatest area for technology growth rests with cross-organizational collaboration using social media tools with interactive online groups." The complete report is available at www.siteglobal.com.

Hilton Worldwide Posts Record Year For Openings
Hilton Worldwide recently announced that, building on the record year the company had in terms of development in 2008, the next best year in the company’s 91-year history was 2009. In 2009, Hilton Worldwide added 302 new hotels and more than 45,000 rooms to a total count that is now more than 3,500 hotels and 585,000 rooms. In 2008, Hilton Worldwide opened 327 properties. For the fourth consecutive year, Hilton Worldwide opened more newly constructed guest rooms in the U.S. than any other company, according to Smith Travel Research’s “U.S. Pipeline Report, December 2009.” Additionally, Hilton Worldwide’s pipeline includes more than 900 hotels with more than 129,000 rooms scheduled to open. www.hiltonworldwide.com

JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort Opens
The new 1,002-room JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort & Spa, San Antonio, TX, welcomed its first guests January 22. The first JW Marriott resort in Texas is set on 600 acres of rolling hills, meandering creeks and Live Oak trees, minutes from San Antonio. JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country Resort features more than 140,000 square feet of convention and meeting space, including the 40,000-square-foot Grand Oaks Ballroom, 21,000-square-foot Cibolo Canyon Ballroom, the 40,000-square-foot Nelson Wolff Exhibit Hall, 20,000 square feet of space in 19 breakout rooms and three outdoor event venues. www.jwsanantonio.com

Disney Names New Destination Resort On Oahu
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts has announced the name of its new Hawaii resort: Aulani, A Disney Resort & Spa, Ko Olina, HI. It is scheduled to open in 2011. Aulani (pronounced aw-LAH-nee) means "the place that speaks for the great ones" or "the place that speaks with deep messages." Adjacent to historical sites on the western side of Oahu, Aulani will be located on 21 acres of oceanfront property in the Ko Olina Resort & Marina development. It will feature 350 guest rooms and 481 two-bedroom-equivalent villas, a full-service spa and extensive recreation amenities. The resort will offer more than 50,000 square feet of ballroom/meeting space and event lawns, including a 14,000-square-foot conference center. www.disneymeetings.com

American Express Extends Loyalty Services
American Express recently launched LoyaltyEdge from American Express. The program will work with strategic business partners and merchants to create, implement and/or enhance their customer loyalty programs to help attract and retain customers. Long-time strategic partner Delta Air Lines is the first to utilize LoyaltyEdge. "Our expertise and success in the rewards program business spans two decades from our award-winning Membership Rewards program to our cobrand cards," said Ralph Andretta, executive vice president, cardmember services, American Express. "We know that effective loyalty programs help drive customer loyalty and deepen customer relationships. Through the launch of LoyaltyEdge, we are helping business partners build and manage customized rewards programs that will resonate with their customers and give them an edge over the competition in an increasingly challenging and competitive marketplace." For more information, e-mail loyaltyedge@aexp.com.

Makena Beach & Golf Resort Offers New Event Venue
Makena Beach & Golf Resort, Makena, Maui, has introduced its newest outdoor special occasion venue, Makena Vista, situated nearly 600 feet above the Pacific Ocean on the slope of Mt. Haleakala. The new venue features sweeping views of the ocean and neighboring Hawaiian islands from near the signature 14th hole of the Makena Golf Course. A short shuttle ride from the resort, the landscaped area provides seclusion for up to 150 guests. The onsite events staff provides full-service setup including lighting, tables, chairs and cocktail seating and accessories. For bookings from February 1, 2010 to October 31, 2010, guests can receiv up to a 50 percent introductory discount on the site fee for Makena Vista, including transportation for events of 50 people or more. www.makenaresortmaui.com

New Beach Debuts At The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun
The Ritz-Carlton, Cancun has recently added a 300-foot-deep beach as part of Cancun's $71 million beach recovery project. "It has been a truly unique experience to witness first hand a project of this magnitude and we are extremely happy to begin the new year with what probably is one of the world's best beaches. Guests will find new programs designed to bring back to life the lively ambience of vacationing on the beach which will make the travel experience to Cancun even more memorable," said Hermann Elger, general manager. The hotel offers 365 guest rooms overlooking the sea, a full-service spa, award-winning restaurants and  27,000 square feet of function space. www.ritzcarlton.com

Kalahari Resort-Virginia Project Gets New Life
The state of Virginia jump-started financing for the much-anticipated Kalahari Resort in Fredericksburg, VA, with $25 million in bonds. The $260 million, 2,400-acre project has been on hold since 2007 due to financing challenges. Plans for the Kalahari Resort-Virginia include an 832-room hotel, America's largest indoor waterpark (200,000 square feet), 100,000-square-foot indoor theme park, 100,000-square-foot convention center, four restaurants, spa and fitness center and 10,000 square feet of retail space. Said Todd Nelson, president and owner of Kalahari Resorts, "Although there is still work to be done to secure the remainder of our financing, these bonds demonstrate a strong commitment to this project from both the city of Fredericksburg and the state of Virginia and we consider this a victory." The bond application states that Kalahari Resorts must begin construction by June 30, 2010. The grand opening is projected for March 2012. www.kalahariresorts.com

Sundance Breaks Ground On Redford Conference Center
Robert Redford's Sundance Resort in Sundance, UT, has broken ground on the new Redford Conference Center, which will provide nearly 3,500 square feet of meeting space featuring reception areas, wrapping patios, large group fireplace, full-service catering kitchen and design elements consistent with the natural surroundings. In addition, Sundance is currently undergoing a multimillion-dollar lodging room renovation. Situated at the base of 12,000-foot Mount Timpanogos, Sundance offers 95 guest cottages, 10,000 square feet of meeting space, the Spa at Sundance, nature center and unlimited mountain recreation options. www.sundanceresort.com

Syracuse CVB Achieves Destination Marketing Accreditation
The Syracuse Convention & Visitors Bureau (SCVB) announced that it has been awarded accreditation from the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) for 2009-2013. The SCVB is one of only three marketing organizations (DMOs) in New York state and one of only 101 DMO’s in the world to be accredited.
DMAP is an international accreditation program developed by the Washington, DC-based Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI). In earning the DMAP accreditation, DMOs communicate to their community, buyers and potential visitors that their DMO has attained a significant measure of excellence. www.visitsyracuse.org, www.destinationmarketing.org

Royal Caribbean Names Traveling Partner Of The Year
Royal Caribbean International announced the cruise line's 2009 Travel Partners of the Year. For a second time, Miami-based America’s Vacation Center/Avoya Travel received the year’s top honor, the President’s Award for Overall Achievement. Cruises-N-More (Lake Mary, Fla.) was named the Online Partner of the Year and Cruise Planners (Coral Springs, Fla.) picked up the Home-based Partner of the Year for a third consecutive year. Additionally, Buy the Sea (Plantation, Fla.) won its second consecutive award for the Corporate Incentive category. www.royalcaribbean.com

Palm Springs Touts Hotel Collection
Palm Springs, CA, has introduced a new marketing campaign showcasing its new “Better, Bolder, Beautiful” hotel and convention center collection. The campaign is focused on meeting planners across the country and informing them about the $180 million dollar investment in new hotels, property renovations, and the 300,000 square feet of meeting and convention space available. "Planners and attendees will experience new facilities, new amenities, and competitive rates and incentives,” said Jim Dunn, General Manager of SMG Palm Springs. “The transformation of the Wyndham into a Renaissance, and the renovated Hyatt Regency Suites, will join a number of other recently renovated or transformed properties to greatly enhance the experience for large conventions and meetings.” www.visitpalmspringscc.com

Naples Grande Beach Resort Tailors Spa Experience For Groups
The Naples Grande Beach Resort, The Waldorf Astoria Collection, Naples, FL, now offers custom spa services for groups and meetings. Planners can select from massages, wraps, facials, manicures, pedicures and more in the private Golden Door spa pavilions, host a private after-hours event amidst the spa's gardens with outdoor whirlpool, sauna and steam chambers, or arrange a custom spa break. The spa team also can create welcome amenities that reflect the meeting theme or goals, provide spa gift certificates or gift baskets as incentive gifts or offer pre- or post-event spa services as added recognition. Contact Vanessa Carter, Golden Door Spa director at vanesssa.carter@hilton.com or 239-594-6013. www.naplesgranderesort.com

Tradewinds Island Grand Updates Guest Rooms
The TradeWinds Island Grand Resort, St. Pete Beach, FL, is currently undergoing a $10 million facelift. The interior renovation, which began in December, will be completed in phases to avoid any disruption to guests. Renovations to all beachfront accommodations in the 288-room Jacaranda building will be completed in March 2010. All 584 of the TradeWinds Island Grand's guest rooms are expected to be updated and completed by late 2011. The updated tropical décor will complement the $2.5 million meeting space renovation that was completed at the end of 2008. www.tradewindsmeetings.com

Fairmont To Open Seven New Hotels In 2010
Throughout 2010, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts will open seven new hotels in growing markets around the globew. While most are newly developed properties, Fairmont also will newly restore two of the world's most celebrated addresses: The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel in London and the Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai. The new hotels are Makkah Clock Royal Tower, A Fairmont Hotel in Saudi Arabia; Fairmont Pacific Rim in Vancouver, BC; Fairmont Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, PA; Fairmont Bejing; and Fairmont Zimbali Resort in South Africa. www.fairmont.com

Shelly Green Heads Durham CVB
Shelly Green was named incoming president and CEO for the Durham (NC) Convention & Visitors Bureau following the retirement of Reyn Bowman. Green, a 20-year veteran of destination marketing, has served as chief operation officer for DCVB since January 2000. In addition, she served as the first executive director of the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau and executive director of the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau. In addition to her role at DCVB, Green serves on the 11-member board of the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program, the group that evaluates and dtermines accreditation for more than 1,000 destination marketing organizations worldwide. www.durham-cvb.com

Salt Lake City Joins Baltimore And Fort Worth In Multicity Partnership
Visit Baltimore and the Fort Worth Convention & Visitors Bureau announced the addition of the Salt Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau to their innovative sales partnership as the third city and West Coast destination. The multicity sales partnership is based on a national hotel model that encourages groups to sign multiyear contracts at properties located around the country, often with an incentive for doing so. By joining forces and co-selling each city the three sales organizations have the ability to be more competitive by offering possible discounts for booking Baltimore, Fort Worth and Salt Lake City in a multiyear deal. If one of the cities isn’t a good fit for a group, the sales team will still push the other two destinations. www.baltimore.org, www.fortworth.com, www.visitsaltlake.com
 
Millennium Broadway Hotel New York Upgrades Wi-Fi Service
The Millennium Broadway Hotel New York announced an update to its amenities and services for meetings and conventions guests with the introduction of a new state-of-the-art Wi-Fi system by Transbeam. With an onsite meeting facility approved by the International Association of Conference Centers (IACC), 110,000 square feet of meeting space and 750 guest rooms, the Millennium Broadway Hotel New York is one of the first hotels in New York City to offer such a fast and large-scale Wi-Fi system. Wired throughout for high-speed and wireless Internet access, the Millennium Broadway Hotel New York has 45 mbs of bandwidth for its rooms as well as 45 mbs of bandwidth for events, totaling 90 mbs of secure access. With Transbeam’s Wi-Fi system, more than 1,500 people can concurrently access the Internet. www.millenniumhotels.com

Acapulco International Convention Center Reopens
The Acapulco Destination Marketing Office in conjunction with the Secretary of Tourism, C. Ernesto Rodriguez Escalona, announced the reopening of the Acapulco International Convention Center for the duration of 2010. The convention center was temporarily closed on November 30, 2009 while new investors were sought in order to fully upgrade and renovate the facility to meet the changing needs of the meetings community. Since then the CAABSA Group has become involved in the project, investing over $40 million as well as overseeing the construction and development of a new convention center. The construction of the new convention center, set to be built adjacent to the existing Acapulco International Convention Center, will take two years to complete and will feature 22 meeting rooms for conferences and conventions, the newest technology and nearly 3,000 parking spaces. The current space will be transformed into a new shopping center featuring world-renowned fashion brands, eateries and entertainment. www.visiteacapulco.com

Visit Baltimore Offers New Incentives To Planners
Meeting planners who book a new meeting in Baltimore with at least 1,000 room nights before June 30, 2010 that takes place in Baltimore before December 31, 2012, will receive a $1,000 educational credit. This credit can be used by the individual planner to maintain membership in an industry association, participate in an industry certification program or attend educational events. In addition, several Baltimore hotels are offering a 4 percent rebate off the master account for new meetings booked before June 2010.  Participating hotels include: Baltimore Marriott Waterfront; Baltimore’s Tremonts; Hampton Inn at Camden Yards; Harbor Magic Hotels; Hilton Baltimore; Hyatt Regency Baltimore; InterContinental Harbor Court; Renaissance Harborplace Hotel; Sheraton Baltimore City Center; Sheraton Baltimore North; and Sheraton Inner Harbor. http://www.baltimore.org/pages/incentives/terms.html

Viking River Cruises Garners Top Ratings
Viking River Cruises was recognized with top ratings from multiple consumer and trade awards in 2009. "We are honored by all of the recognition and accolades we have received over the past year," said Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen. "As we continuously strive to exceed the expectations of our guests and travel agents alike, we are gratified to know that these awards are the highest form of positive feedback anyone can give. Viking River Cruises, the world's largest river cruise company, offers scenic cruising along the rivers of Europe, Russia, China and Egypt. www.vikingrivercruises.com

Paradise Point Resort & Spa Set To Unveil Renovations
Paradise Point Resort & Spa, San Diego, CA, will complete an extensive $20 million renovation of its 462 bungalow-style guest rooms and bayfront, 35,000-square-foot meeting facilities by late February 2010. Guest rooms will feature new color schemes with an Asian motif, including South Pacific-style furnishings. The refurbished meeting facilities also will reflect an Asian-infused, contemporary style. www.paradisepoint.com

The Fairmont Pittsburgh Opens March 2010
Scheduled to make its debut in March 2010, The Fairmont Pittsburgh will feature 185 guest rooms, 12,000 square feet of meeting space and a 6,000-square-foot health club. The new Fairmont will be housed in Three PNC Plaza, the largest high-rise construction project in the City of Pittsburgh, PA, in the last 20 years, and one of the largest mixed use buildings to be certified by the U.S. Green Building Council in accordance with the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. Included in the 12,000 square feet of meeting space are a 6,000-square-foot main ballroom, three additional meeting rooms and one boardroom. www.fairmont.com

Carroll Armstrong Remembered
The family of hospitality industry executive Carroll Armstrong, who passed away December 20, 2009, released the following remembrance:
"On Sunday, December 20th Carroll R. Armstrong passed away as a result of complications from pneumonia. He retired from the Hospitality and Tourism Industry in 2005 after working with ConventionPlanet.com and the hospitality and marketing firm he founded, CRA Enterprises. There were three loves in Carroll’s life, his wife Barbara Blount Armstrong, Baltimore and Jazz. He will be remembered for his tailored suits, spreading the message of Baltimore’s “second renaissance” during his tenure as the head of the Baltimore CVA, and for the many lives he touched throughout his life. Despite Carroll’s prestigious position within the hospitality community, he always took the time to impart his wisdom to those new to the industry. His favorite mantra was '...say what you mean, mean what you say and always deliver more than you promise.' Carroll R. Armstrong will be missed by family, friends and colleagues. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Margaret DeMan Armstrong Award for Excellence c/o Associated Black Charities, 1114 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, MD 21201."
 
Richard Geiger To Head Forsyth County TDA
Richard Geiger was named president of the Forsyth County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) in Winston-Salem, NC. He begins his new position on February 1, 2010. Geiger has extensive experience in growing all facets of the visitor industry, including cultural tourism, conventions and sporting events, which are the key growth opportunities for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County. “I am excited about the potential to move Winston-Salem to the next level as a destination for meetings, conventions, and visitors,” Geiger said. “In previous positions, I have led the transformation of their markets, and Winston-Salem has exactly the assets it needs to become a well-known destination. It truly is a City of Arts and Innovation that can attract thousands of visitors each year.” Geiger served from 1995 to this year as president of the Buffalo Niagara Convention and Visitors Bureau. Previously, Geiger was the director of convention sales and marketing for the Orlando/Orange County CVB. www.visitwinstonsalem.com

Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain Opens
Southern Arizona's newest luxury property, The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, celebrated its opening with an official ribbon-cutting that featured the release of 72 white doves symbolizing the property as the 72nd within The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Situated northwest of Tucson in the scenic town of Marana, the 250-room resort is spread over 850 acres of Sonoran Desert in the Torolita Foothills. In addition the 250-room hotel, the property features a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course, destination spa and luxury homes at The Residencees at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. There are a variety of meeting spaces to choose from, including three ballrooms of 9,000, 5,000, and 2,100 square feet and five individual function rooms; plus three outdoor, scenic lawn areas, which offer 360-degree views of the Tortolita Mountains. www.ritzcarlton.com/dovemountain

Aria Resort & Casino Celebrates Grand Opening Gala
Under a canopy of fireworks illuminating the night sky, Aria Resort & Casino opened its doors December 16. Aria is the centerpiece of the urban resort destination CityCenter on The Las Vegas Strip. Its debut signifies the official grand opening of this city-within-a-city, following two weeks of celebrations for the reveals of Vdara Hotel & Spa, Mandarin Oriental, Las Vegas and Crystals retail and entertainment district.
“Aria and CityCenter reflect a combination of innovation, energy and visionary design that we believe will reshape how the world views the destination resort experience and attract visitors from around the globe as a landmark of taste and style,” said Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM Mirage, which developed CityCenter in partnership with Infinity World Development Corp. At 18 million square feet, CityCenter is the largest private sustainable development in the world, having received six LEED Gold certifications for its buildings. The 4,004-room gaming resort offers approximately 300,000 square feet of meeting and convention space. Aria also will feature Cirque du Soleil's Viva Elvis spectacular. www.citycenter.com

New Westin And Marriott Hotel Brands Headed For Phoenix
The Phoenix City Council has paved the way for two new hotel brands in the city’s downtown core. The council recently approved a pair of agenda items that will facilitate development of a 280-room Westin in a new downtown tower and allow a 520-room hotel located a block away from the Phoenix Convention Center to be rebranded a Marriott Renaissance. The latter hotel, currently operating as the Wyndham Phoenix, will get a 20-year tax discount in exchange for improvements and rebranding. The hotel’s owners will use the tax savings to make $10 million worth of upgrades to the property, capping a $40 million renovation that began in 2005. The fully renovated hotel would be operated under Marriott’s Renaissance flag. Steve Moore, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the rebranding likely would bring more meetings and conventions to the newly expanded Phoenix Convention Center because of Marriott’s group-sales expertise. The city council approved a similar deal for the Westin, which is to occupy about half of the floors in the 26-story One Central Park East Office Building, three blocks from the convention center. In addition to the hotel rooms, a new entrance and a pool deck will be added to the upscale tower. www.visitphoenix.com

Rosen Shingle Creek To Expand
Orlando hotelier Harris Rosen, President and COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts announced that he has recently purchased a 25-acre parcel of land (fronting Shingle Creek Golf Course) where he intends to build a 300 to 500-unit luxury villa addition to his Rosen Shingle Creek hotel. This addition to the Rosen family will expand his newest convention hotel, Rosen Shingle Creek, to close to 2,000 guest rooms and will bring the combined number of Rosen convention hotel guest rooms (at Rosen Plaza, Rosen Centre and Rosen Shingle Creek) to approximately 4,000. The property, which is contiguous to the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, will feature a pool, restaurant, private check-in and registration desk, a private club house and private meeting space. Guests of the new property will have full access to all of Shingle Creek's amenities, including the Shingle Creek Golf Club, The Spa at Shingle Creek, fitness center, 12 lounging/dining options and more. All villa rooms will have golf course views. The design team will talk to a multitude of meeting planners to determine what features and amenities are important to their clients. "We have confidence in the rebound of the economy and even more confidence in the future of the Orlando meetings industry, so we have no serious qualms about building while others may be riding out the storm," said the hotelier. "To stay competitive in this business, you must have your eye on the future. www.rosenhotels.com

First Convention Center To Connect With Major Airport
Georgia International Convention Center (GICC) is the first convention center in the U.S. with a direct connection to a major airport. The ATL SkyTrain, a free elevated people mover, was recently opened to connect passengers from the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport directly to the GICC and rental car center. The first stop on the ATL SkyTrain is at the new GICC station. "This marks an exciting day for the GICC," said Hugh Austin, executive director of GICC. "This convention center was strategically built in this location to capitalize on Hartsfield-Jackson's new rental car center and specifically the accompanying people mover, the ATL SkyTrain. This new direct connection to Hartsfield-Jackson truly makes the GICC one of the most internationally accessible convention centers in the country." www.gicc.com, www.atlanta-airport.com

Visit Jacksonville Announces Contest For Planners Only
Visit Jacksonville announced a contest that will offer meeting planners a chance to win a $250 American Express gift card.  Participation is strictly limited to meeting planners and is based on participation in a short survey on their familiarity, perceptions and attributes of Jacksonville as a meetings destination. The survey is located at http://bit.ly/JaxAMEX and no purchase is necessary to win.  After meeting planners complete the required information on the survey, participants will be automatically entered into the random drawing for the gift card.  All entries must be completed by January 22, 2010.  The random drawing will take place on January 24, 2010. For rules and regulations on the contest, visit http://bit.ly/JaxRules.
 
Santa Fe Convention Center Earns LEED Gold Certification
The Santa Fe (NM) Convention Center, which opened in late summer of 2008, was recently awarded a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, confirming Santa Fe's commitment to environmental responsibility and the merit of the center's design, construction, and operation. The rigorous process began with the design competition in 2005 and continued through the new center's first year of operation as data was gathered and processed. While the new building was designed to a LEED silver standard, the resulting quality of construction and operation warranted the higher gold designation. www.santafe.org, www.santafenm.gov

New Orleans CVB Achieves Destination Marketing Accreditation
The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced that it has been awarded accreditation from the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP). DMAP is an international accreditation program developed by the Washington, DC, based Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI).  In earning the DMAP accreditation, destination marketing organizations (DMOs) communicate to their community, buyers and potential visitors that their DMO has attained a significant measure of excellence. “The New Orleans CVB is honored to be one of only 101 organizations in the world to receive the Destination Marketing Accreditation for providing outstanding services in accordance with international standards and benchmarks,” said Steve Pettus, Chairman of the Board of the New Orleans CVB and Managing Partner of Dickie Brennan & Company. www.neworleanscvb.com

'FACE TIME. It Matters' Campaign Launches In January
Responding to one of the most challenging years ever faced by the meeting, convention and exhibition industries, major industry associations have aligned under the Convention Industry Council (CIC) to develop a unique grassroots industry effort to promote the benefits of meeting face-to-face.The multifaceted campaign, “FACE TIME. It Matters,” will launch in January 2010 as the CIC’s 34 member organizations roll out the logo, slogan and related marketing tools on members’ Web sites, in trade and partner consumer advertising, and at a variety of industry shows and events.

Industry associations that contributed to funding the initiative include the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE), the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), Meeting Professionals International (MPI), the Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI), the International Special Events Society (ISES), the International Association of Exhibitions and Events (IAEE), the Society of Incentive and Travel Executives (SITE) and the Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR).

The campaign was developed in response to the findings of a recent national survey of corporate and association meeting planners conducted by Ypartnership wherein 35 percent of respondents cited “image/publicity/public policy” considerations as a reason they expect to book fewer face-to-face meetings in 2010. “We’re very excited about the launch of this grass roots campaign,” said Gregg Talley, chief strategy officer for the CIC. “The Convention Industry Council and its members will utilize the message to promote the irreplaceable benefits of human interaction and relationship building that may only be realized only through face-to-face meetings.” www.conventionindustry.org

Downtown Los Angeles Welcomes New Hotels In February
Downtown Los Angeles will welcome two new headquarters hotels supporting the Los Angeles Convention Center in February 2010: The JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. Live and The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles. Both hotels are part of the $2.5 billion downtown Los Angeles revitalization project known as L.A. Live, which offers many dining, sports and entertainment venues including the Staples Center, Nokia Theatre, the Grammy Museum, the Lucky Strike Bowling Center, ESPN Zone and the Conga Room. Both the 878-room JW Marriott and the 123-room Ritz-Carlton will offer direct access to 77,000 square feet of meeting space on three levels called The Gallery Collection, which comprises three ballrooms and nine ancillary meeting rooms. The hotels are within a short walking distance of the convention center. www.lalive.com, www.ritzcarlton.com, www.marriott.com

Silversea Announces Silver Spirit's Inaugural World Cruise In 2011
In 2011, for the very first time, Silversea's new Silver Spirit will embark on a full World Cruise traversing both hemispheres. Themed "Spirit of Discovery," the voyage begins in Los Angeles on January 19, when Silver Spirit is set to welcome no more than 540 privileged guests for a 119-day odyssey exploring 60 destinations in 25 countries — with 11 overnight port visits — before concluding in Southampton on May 19.  Silversea is hosting four complimentary World Cruise Events ashore for guests sailing the full 119-day itinerary. In addition to these benefits and a 5 percent Extended Voyage Savings, the following complimentary amenities will also be available to guests who book the full 119-day cruise: an overnight stay on January 19 on board Silver Spirit, including a Bon Voyage Gala cocktail reception and dinner; eight Silversea Experiences ashore (one per voyage segment); baggage handling service between guest's home and ship in Los Angeles and Southampton; a $2,000 Onboard Spending Credit (per double-occupancy suite); roundtrip Business Class Air and private car transfers (airport/ship/airport); and special commemorative gift.  Fares start at $61,924 per person, based on double occupancy. Guests may also travel on shorter segments. For complete details, visit www.silversea.com.

Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa Completing Renovation
The AAA Four Diamond Laguna Cliffs Resort & Spa is nearing completion of its full-scale, multimillion-dollar renovation that will transform the venerable ocean-side resort with enhancements to the interior design, exterior structure and amenities. Guest rooms and will be completely refurbished, and meeting and banquet space will be expanded to 20,000 square feet. The renovations also include a new porte cochère entrance and marble lobby with waterfall, a new pool and Splash Zone activity area for families, and new, lush, eco-friendly landscaping. www.lagunacliffs.com

Groupe Aeroplan Completes Acquisition Of Carlson Marketing
Groupe Aeroplan Inc. announced the completion of the acquisition of Carlson Marketing, a privately owned marketing services provide headquartered in the U.S. Groupe Aeroplan, which owns Aeroplan, Canada’s premier loyalty program, also announced that its existing businesses and Carlson Marketing will continue to operate separately and independently. Jeff Balagna, president and CEO of Carlson Marketing, and his executive team, will continue the management of Carlson Marketing. Jeff has also been named executive vice president, Groupe Aeroplan. www.groupeaeroplan.com, www.carlsonmarketing.com

Las Vegas Meetings By Harrah's Entertainment Launches New Reuse Program
Las Vegas Meetings by Harrah’s Entertainment has announced the launch of a new program benefiting the Teacher Exchange, a reuse and recycle resource center for all Southern Nevada public school teachers that offers learning tools to enhance in-class projects and curriculum. Seven Las Vegas properties — including Bally’s Las Vegas, Caesars Palace, Flamingo Las Vegas, Harrah’s Las Vegas, Imperial Palace, Paris Las Vegas and Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino — have installed bins in meeting areas where conference attendees can deposit name badges, tote bags, giveaway items and just about any other useable items they don’t want or need. Additionally, meeting organizers can work with the property to easily donate their leftover building materials, carpeting, furnishings, office supplies, sample items, plants and décor, and much more. This allows planners and their attendees to responsibly “dispose of” things they might otherwise throw out or have to bear the cost of shipping back home, all while helping the local Las Vegas community. For more information visit http://www.ccpef.org/programs_exchange_participate.html

Dittman Incentive Marketing Receives MarCom Awards
Dittman Incentive Marketing, New Brunswick, NJ, a leading innovator in the incentive and performance improvement field, has taken top MarCom Awards honors for the third consecutive year.
Dittman received a Platinum Award, the highest honor, for the winner's fulfillment materials for its Great Escapes individual incentive travel product and a Gold Award for TotalPRO, its industry-leading performance improvement Web platform. Gold Awards and an honorable mention were also given for Dittman’s product advertising on the Web and in print. The MarCom Awards is an international competition that recognizes creative excellence (copy and design) in marketing materials. Organizations of every type and size from around the world compete each year. www.dittmanincentives.com

Harrah's Entertainment Aims To Acquire Planet Hollywood
Harrah's Entertainment plans to purchase and manage Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on The Las Vegas Strip, according to The Wall Street Journal. Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide currently manages the property. Harrah's new subsidiary, PHW Las Vegas LLC, filed an application to purchase with the Nevada Gaming Control Board the week of November 23.

JW Marriott Indianapolis Topped Out
The JW Marriott Indianapolis has been topped out, marking the completion of a major exterior construction milestone on the property, which is the centerpiece of the unique, new Marriott Place Indianapolis development, and which will connect to the Indiana Convention Center. “We are on schedule to open the JW Marriott Indianapolis in February, 2011,” said Cory Chambers, director of sales and marketing for Marriott Place. “As the largest JW Marriott in the world, with more than 1,000 rooms and 104,000 square feet of meeting space, this property will offer flexibility and amenities not found anywhere else in the Midwest.” In fact, the 40,500-square-foot ballroom in the JW Marriott Indianapolis will be the largest ballroom in the region. In addition to the flagship JW Marriott Indianapolis, Marriott Place includes the Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown and the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown (all scheduled to open in February, 2010) and the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown (currently open). Altogether, Marriott Place Indianapolis will bring 1,626 new rooms to downtown Indianapolis, all of which are steps away from the world-class shopping, dining and destinations of downtown Indianapolis. www.jwindy.com

Vdara Hotel & Spa First To Open At CityCenter
Celebratory events marked the first opening at Las Vegas' CityCenter, Vdara Hotel & Spa. In recognition of the profound significance of the job creation resulting from Vdara and CityCenter’s opening, company officials welcomed Vdara’s employees to be the first to officially walk through the hotel’s doors. During the press event, Jim Murren, chairman and CEO of MGM MIRAGE, said, “We are incredibly proud to offer the world this first taste of all that CityCenter will bring to the Las Vegas Strip. Travelers will finally find in Las Vegas what they find in other great cities around the world — spectacular architecture, culturally significant art, great public spaces, sophisticated hotels, unique restaurants and incredible amenities. We look forward to unveiling all of this and more as the month unfolds."
Vdara, connected to Bellagio and directly adjacent to Aria Resort & Casino, is an all-suite hotel and spa designed for those who prefer to enjoy Las Vegas in an exclusive, non-gaming, smoke-free environment. The 1,495-suite hotel, which has achieved LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council, features more than 10,000 square feet of ground-level conference space. www.vdara.com

Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Coming To Punta Cana
Hard Rock International and Palace Resorts recently announced an agreement to bring the world’s first “ultimate all-inclusive” Hard Rock Hotel & Casino to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Slated to be rebranded next spring, the 1,800-room Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana will combine the distinctive atmosphere and guest experience of the Hard Rock brand together with the five-star Moon Palace Resort all-inclusive experience. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Punta Cana will feature more than 48,000 square feet of gaming space and more than 65,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, equipped with state-of-the-art technology. www.hardrockhotels.com

New And Improved CMP Application To Launch January 1
The Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) Board of Directors has approved a new streamlined CMP application which will take effect January 1, 2010. The updated application has been modified to ensure relevancy to a broader global meeting professional while maintaining the high standards of the credential. For questions on the CMP application please contact Convention Industry Council (CIC) headquarters at 571-527-3116 or via email at cichq@conventionindustry.org. In addition to the CMP program, CIC's programs include the Accepted Practices Exchange initiative and other industry resource projects. www.conventionindustry.org

Viking River Cruises Honored
Viking River Cruises has been named "World's Leading River Cruise Operator" by the 16th Annual World Travel Awards voted on by thousands of worldwide travel professionals. Described as the "Oscars" of the global travel and tourism industry by the The Wall Street Journal, nearly 3,000 travel companies were nominated in more than 200 categories. In related news, Viking won "Best River Cruise Line" at this year's British Travel Awards ceremony. www.vikingrivercruises.com

ICCA, IMEX And Fast Future Launch 'Convention 2020' Study
The International Congress and Convention Association, the IMEX Group and Fast Future Research today announced the formal launch of Convention 2020 – a groundbreaking research study looking at the future of live events, venues and meeting destinations. All three organizations have become founder sponsors of the study. The study is being conducted by Fast Future Research and will explore the underlying trends and drivers that could shape the industry over the next decade. The aim is to develop a range of models and scenarios for how live meetings might evolve over that time period. The study will center on understanding the "meeting experience" and the changing needs of live event attendees. These insights will help drive new thinking on event design, facilitate innovation in business models and highlight the strategic implications for venues, destinations and industry suppliers.The study will have three main deliverables — a report on a global survey on the future of meetings to be published in January 2010, a report on the ‘"Future Meeting Experience" to be launched at IMEX in Frankfurt in May 2010 and a final report on "Tomorrow’s Convention Centre" to be launched at the ICCA Congress in Hyderabad India in October 2010. Full details on the study and sponsorship opportunities are available from convention2020@fastfuture.com. The survey on the future of meetings can be found at http://tinyurl.com/ICCA2020.

Smith Travel Research Predicts Hotel Recovery In 2011
The latest U.S. hotel industry forecast by Smith Travel Research indicates that rates, revenue and occupancy will be in full swing by 2011. "I wouldn't call it optimistic for 2010, but it's definitely optimistic for 2011," said Mark Lomanno, president of Smith Travel Research. "Overall conditions in the economy will begin showing significant improvement as 2010 unfolds, and that will help fuel a recovery for the hotel industry." For the full report visit www.strglobal.com.

MPI Releases Latest Business Barometer
Meeting Professionals International (MPI) has released its October 2009 Business Barometer, which indicates that the tide is turning for business professionals in the meeting and events industry. June 2009, August 2009 and October 2009 Business Barometers have reported an increase in favorable current business conditions from 13 percent to 15 percent to 19 percent respectively. For complete details, click Barometer. The bimonthly Business Barometers survey MPI's Industry Advisory Panel, a select group of senior level meeting professionals from MPI's global community of 24,500 members, with a short series of quantitative questions related to the economy and a qualitative question regarding their professional outlook. www.mpiweb.org

Sanibel Harbour Resort Becomes Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort
Sanibel Harbour Marriott Resort & Spa announced their official inauguration as part of the Marriott International family, bringing the first full-service Marriott Hotels & Resorts brand to Lee County in Southwest Florida. The 347-room resort, owned and managed by Columbia Sussex, will operate under a franchisee agreement with Marriott International Inc. In the transition to a Marriott, the resort will offer an upgraded bedding package and installation of flat-screen, high-definition televisions in the Sanibel Tower and Captiva Tower. Along with a number of other upgrades, the total resort renovations are expected to be complete by the end of 2011. Sanibel Harbour Marriott offers 45,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space. www.sanibel-resort.com

The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island Completes Ballroom Expansion
The 440-room Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island has completed construction on a $22 million ballroom expansion, concluding a 14-year effort to increase the footprint of the luxury oceanfront resort. The new facility will provide 11,000 square feet of additional meeting space to the property, making it one of the largest conference hotels in the region with a total of 35,000 square feet of meeting space. www.ritzcarlton.com/ameliaisland.

Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel Celebrates Grand Opening
Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide Inc. and Interlink Group announced the grand opening of the new Sheraton Puerto Rico Convention Center Hotel & Casino. Located adjacent to the Puerto Rico Convention Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico’s vibrant commercial and residential district, the new 503-room property offers exceptional meeting facilities, a full-service casino and resort-like amenities, including a sundeck/pool, spa and retail space. Sheraton Puerto Rico is the first new full-service hotel and casino built in San Juan in more than 10 years and is part of a $6 billion worldwide effort to revitalize Starwood’s most global, iconic brand. This effort includes an investment of over $2 billion in new hotels internationally and, in North America, an investment of $2.3 billion in new hotels, $1.5 billion in renovations and $400 million in signature brand initiatives. www.starwoodhotels.com

Coming Soon: The Largest Ballroom In Downtown Miami
The JW Marriott Marquis Miami, the first Marquis in the JW Marriott brand, announced  that it will boast the largest hotel ballroom in downtown Miami when completed. Located in Miami’s new Metropolitan Miami development, the 313-room JW Marriott Marquis Miami will feature a total of 80,000-square-feet of premium event space, including the 20,000-square-foot Grand Ballroom. Currently under construction, the hotel is set to debut in mid-2010. The Grand Ballroom "is designed to accommodate up to 1,800 guests for a meeting," said Paul Pebley, the hotel's director of sales and marketing. www.marriott.com/miami

Silversea's Sean Mahoney Installed As International Site President
Silversea Cruises announced today that its global vice president of corporate and incentive sales, Sean J. Mahoney, was formally installed as the international president of Site, the global organization dedicated to connecting motivational experiences with business results. Mahoney assumed the role at Site's 2009 International Conference in Aruba October 30–November 2. He will serve as Site president in 2010 and will be responsible for the overall governance, stewardship and strategic direction of the organization. In his remarks following the installation at Site's Annual General Meeting, Mahoney said, "It is an honor and privilege to serve Site as we bring people together from around the globe that buy, supply and support motivational experiences to drive business results. Site is committed to delivering the programs that contribute to your personal development and professional growth, including relevant regional events, activities, tools, and resources that will make your career and business more successful." www.silversea.com, www.siteglobal.com

Hilton Atlanta Unveils Multimillion-Dollar Renovation
The third largest hotel in downtown Atlanta, the Hilton Atlanta, has completed a transformation that included all 1,242 guest rooms and suites, as well as the lobby and atrium areas, 119,000 square feet of meeting space, food and beverage outlets, and fitness facilities. In addition, a third-floor executive conference room center was created, providing an additional 3,000 square feet of meeting space. A new sky bridge was created that connects the Atlanta Hilton with the neighboring Marriott Marquis Hotel.The new access provides a combined 279,000 square feet of meeting space and 2,800 rooms all under one roof in the center of one of the most desirable and accessible convention destinations. According to Tradeshow Week, Atlanta has topped the list for the second year in a row as one of the most affordable U.S. cities to host trade shows. www.atlanta.hilton.com

Incentive Marketing Association Announces 2010 Leadership Team
Jimmy Beyer, Vice President Business Development for Helix Global Solutions, Miami, FL has been elected to serve as the 2010 president of the board of the Incentive Marketing Association, the leading voice of suppliers in the incentive marketplace. Beyer’s goals for 2010 include helping members from the diverse incentive marketplace take advantage of the latest tools and techniques in the industry, while continuing to raise the corporate community's awareness of the bottom-line effect of incentive programs, especially during challenging economic times. The IMA’s board also elected a full slate of officers for the 2010 term. They include: President Beyer; Executive Vice President Barbara Hendrickson, CPIM of Design Incentives, Livonia, MI; Vice President Spencer Toomey, IP, of The Corporate Marketplace, Westport, CT, Treasurer Dave Peer, CPIM of Hinda Incentives, Chicago, IL; Secretary Mike Arvelo, CPIM of Paramax., Red Bank, NJ; and Past President Norma Jean Knollenberg, CPIM, of Top Brands, Inc., Oshkosh, WI. www.incentivemarketing.org