Airport Upgrades on the Way

With 815.7 million passengers traveling the friendly skies in 2018, airports are under greater pressure than ever. They are tasked with providing a venue for massive amounts of people to come through daily and are expected to be efficient, clean, safe, convenient, simple, and relaxing to the millions of people stressed about their flights. Anyone who spends time traveling knows that no airport really accomplishes all of these goals, but with increasing demand, some airports are upgrading with the hopes of becoming your new favorite.

1. Denver International Airport (https://www.denverpost.com/2018/07/07/dia-terminal-construction-impacts/; https://www.flydenver.com/greathall). America's newest major airport was built in 1995 and is working on several projects. Among them are a $1.5 billion gate expansion that will add a total of 39 gates to its 3 concourses and be completed in spring 2021 as well as a $1.8 billion improvement project in the main terminal due to finish by the end of 2021.

2. Salt Lake City (https://www.slcairport.com/thenewslc/). SLC is well on its way to a essentially brand new airport with the goal of making the growing hub simpler for travelers, more efficient, and more sustainable. The first phase is scheduled for completion in fall 2020 with a new terminal and the second phase including demolition of the old facilities is scheduled to be completed in 2024.

3. Orlando International Airport (https://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/os-cfb-orlando-airport-expand-south-terminal-20180122-story.html; https://orlandoairports.net/getting-around-mco/south-terminal-complex/). Orlando is one of the most visited cities in the U.S. and with its one airport competing with areas like New York and Los Angeles which boast 3 and 4 available airports, MCO is embarking on a $2.1 billion expansion. The brand new South Terminal will add 19 gates and a technology corridor as well as additional food options, decor, and upgraded baggage handling systems. The South Terminal is scheduled to open in 2021.

Which new airport experience are you most looking forward to?

Hyatt's Newest Brand: Caption by Hyatt

Last week, Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that it will be launching a new brand of hotels called Caption by Hyatt. This new brand will focus on bringing people together and creating personal connections through unique common areas, guest rooms, and dining experiences. Hyatt realized that in our modern world, there has been a loss of face to face human interaction. That is what sparked the development of this new brand that will encourage guests to unplug and connect with their fellow travelers, locals, and their destination. At Meeting Sites Pro, we are always excited to hear about new locations that offer a unique experience for guests.

For more information, please visit: https://newsroom.hyatt.com/092419-Hyatt-Introduces-Caption-By-Hyatt-A-New-Brand-Designed-to-Inspire-Personal-Connection

Hilton Hotels: A New Approach to Meeting Spaces

In preparation for renovation, Hilton spent a considerable amount of time surveying and interviewing meeting planners to find out what they want in meeting spaces. Their research revealed that planners want rooms that are flexible and energize attendees. The Hotel Chain has found creative ways to fulfill these requests by integrating open workspaces and personalization. One unique feature they implemented into select meeting spaces is the ‘creativity button’. Meant to inspire creativity both literally and figuratively, this button releases citrus-infused air when pushed and has so far received very positive feedback from both planners and attendees. As a meeting planning company, we are always excited to explore new spaces that can create the best experiences for our clients!

For more information, please visit: https://www.meetingstoday.com/magazines/article-details/articleid/33635/title/hilton-meeting-space-design-new-approach

The Hotel Zags: New Opening in Portland

Previously Hotel Modera, the downtown Portland property has now been transformed into The Hotel Zags Portland. This is Pebblebrook Hotel Trust's sixth "Z Hotel", a collection of properties inspired by nature and eccentric art culture. With the first Z Hotel having opened in San Francisco, this portfolio of hotels draw from the unique urban characteristics of its city's surroundings. The Hotel Zags Portland offers 174 completely renovated rooms along with environmentally friendly decor and a game room for all ages. In addition to these offerings, the Portland hotel also provides guests with a wide variety of gadgets, such as scooters and Go-Pros, that enable them to have an exciting adventure of their own. With clients always looking for a new and unique meeting experience, its great to see a new hotel that provides exactly that!

For more information, please visit: https://www.thehotelzags.com/

DoubleDutch: Cvent's Next Acquisition

Cvent, the well-known event management software company, has acquired DoubleDutch, a provider of mobile event technology. This San Francisco-based company will join SeedLabs, QuickMobile, and CrowdCompass in the list of companies added to Cvent's growing portfolio. With these acquisitions, Cvent is focused on expanding its mobile-app and on-site solution capabilities. This trend of growth for Cvent also includes the decision to hire almost 1,000 new employees this year. With the increased integration of technology in the pre-planning and on-site management of events, Cvent hopes to be the industry's leading provider. As a company always looking to provide high-quality services, we are excited to see what this acquisition will mean for Cvent.

For more information please visit: http://www.meetings-conventions.com/News/Meetings-Technology/Cvent-Acquires-DoubleDutch-Mobile-Event-Technology-Platform/

B&B Hotels: Goldman Sachs Looks to Make Massive Investment

Goldman Sachs is in discussion with PAI Partners to purchase B&B Hotels from them for a massive sum of $2.1 billion. PAI Partners had previously acquired the brand three years ago, which included 320 properties. Today, B&B Hotels has expanded into Spain, Italy, and Germany and includes 486 properties with 42,832 rooms. If sold to Goldman Sachs at $2.1 billion, this would be three times the amount that PAI Partners had originally acquired it for. With this exponential growth, Fabrice Collet, CEO of B&B Hotels, is looking to further its global expansion potentially with Goldman Sachs as a major investor. As a company with clients all over the world, we are excited to see this rising brand continue to grow internationally!

For more information, please visit: https://tophotel.news/goldman-sachs-in-talks-to-buy-bb-hotels-for-2-1-billion/

Spotlight on a New Property: The Hotel Bennett

After 47 months of building, the Hotel Bennett, located in the heart of Charleston, opened this past January. With 179 guest rooms and 12,000 square feet of meeting space available on the fashionable King Street overlooking the historic Marion Square, this new property is focused on providing a uniquely luxurious experience for each guest. As Charleston continues to be a major U.S. tourist hot spot, the Hotel Bennett is quickly becoming a popular addition to the top rated city.

Learn more by clicking here: https://www.hotelbennett.com/

Canopy by Hilton: Growing a Global Portfolio

Canopy by Hilton, one of Hilton's rapidly growing lifestyle brands, is continuing its global expansion with the addition of five new properties to its portfolio.With over 30 properties planning to open within the next five years, Hilton has aggressively focused on making this modern and sustainable lifestyle brand accessible to guests around the world. Some of the places Canopy by Hilton will operate in include France, Italy, Iceland and Washington D.C. These properties will offer rooftop bars with great views and be positioned near well-known attractions. As a global company, we love to see the development of new properties all over the world and what they offer for our clients!

For more information, please visit: http://www.meetings-conventions.com/News/Hotels-and-Resorts/Canopy-by-Hilton-Adds-Five-New-Signings/

Oxford Capital: Company Shifts Its Focus to Growth and Rebranding

Oxford Capital Group, a hotel brand specializing in lifestyle boutique properties, has added four new hotels to its portfolio which are all located in downtown San Francisco. Their acquisitions include the Hotel Vertigo, Americania Hotel, Carriage Inn, and Good Hotel, which will provide a total of 418 rooms. With this decision to grow, also comes the desire to rebrand. Oxford Capital plans to take advantage of the increase in hotel demand and rise in development and renovate each property to ensure that they stand out in this historic downtown area. As a company who loves all San Francisco has to offer, its exciting to see what new meeting space is being developed!

For more information, please visit: http://www.meetings-conventions.com/News/Breaking-News/Oxford-Capital-Acquires-Four-Downtown-San-Francisco-Hotels,-Will-Likely-Rebrand/ 

Innovation at Events: Brands Introduce Motion-Capture Technology

As the meeting and events industry continues to push towards creating innovative experiences for attendees, brands are introducing high-tech and eye-catching interactive installations to their events. With the use of LED pixel walls, animations and music, companies are looking to inspire creativity and rouse the senses of each attendee. Whether its walking through a tunnel filled with digital butterflies or a virtual tour of the human mouth, brands like Pandora and Colgate are pushing the boundaries to create an added layer of attendee interaction during events. With a consensus of positive responses, other companies such as Sony and DirecTV are also developing unique digital installations that help to ensure that the wide variety of guests have a memorable experience. As a team that loves new and unique ideas we are excited to see what advancements in this technology will bring next to the industry!

For more information, please visit: https://www.bizbash.com/experiential/media-gallery/21062032/motion-capture-technology-at-events

Spotlight on Nashville: 2019 a Big Year for Hotels

The hotel development in Nashville has reached an all-time high with 20 hotels set to open by the end of this year. After the opening of the Music City Center six years ago, hotel companies have flocked to this unique city to get in on the action. Known for its lively music and art scenes, Nashville has welcomed a variety of major brands such as the Four Seasons which is set to begin the development of its first Tennessee property in April. With the addition of this hotel, this will bring the grand total of rooms being added in 2019 to 3,245. As we watch the major growth occurring in Nashville, we are eager to assist clients with site selection in this area!

For more information, please visit: http://www.meetings-conventions.com/News/Hotels-and-Resorts/20-hotels-to-open-in-nashville-in-2019/

“United Meetings”: Airline Launches Online Portal to Drive Business

As the Meeting industry continues to bring in high levels of business for airlines, many companies are starting to take notice. In a move to stay ahead of competitors, United Airlines has introduced “United Meetings”, an online platform created specifically for the travel of meeting attendees. As an extension of its existing web portal known as Jetstream, United has promised to bring even more value by offering features such as discounts that can be credited towards amenities and a dashboard making it easy to track past and future travel plans. With this new offering, United’s goal is to be the go-to airline for meeting planners. As a company that manages meetings all over the world, we love to see major airline companies introducing innovative services for those in need of air travel to get to their next meeting!

 For more information, please visit: https://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Airline-News/United-launches-meetings-portal

Viva Las Vegas: MGM’s ‘Grand’ Expansion

After almost two years, MGM Resorts International has revealed an impressive 250,000 square foot addition to its MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Included within the three-level expansion, are two massive ballrooms that can be divided into 16 breakout rooms, floor to ceiling windows, and an entire level dedicated to health and wellness programs. Bringing the total size of the MGM Grand Conference Center to 850,000 square feet, the company’s goal was to create a meeting space with a wide variety of possibilities and integrate it flawlessly with the existing venue. MGM’s undertaking of this colossal development coincides with the company’s commitment to continue its meeting space growth at other local sister properties which include Mandalay Bay, ARIA, and Park MGM. With such a major investment in meeting space, our clients are looking forward to the endless possibilities MGM has to offer!

For more information, please visit: https://www.meetingstoday.com/newsevents/industrynews/industrynewsdetails/articleid/33284/title/mgm-grand-conference-center-wraps-innovative-expansion

Signia Hilton, A New Brand with Meetings in Mind

At a recent press conference, Hilton announced the development of a new hotel brand, Signia Hilton, the company’s solution to providing a space specifically for meetings and events. After analyzing feedback from meeting professionals, Hilton has pinpointed main areas for improvement that they plan on targeting with the development of the Signia Hilton brand. Signia branded hotels will have a minimum of 500 guest rooms and 75 square feet per room of meeting and event space as well as a signature restaurant, premium wellness facilities and a "wow" factor. Focusing on modern design, smart technology, and culinary experience, Hilton intends to launch the brand with existing hotels in Indianapolis, Atlanta, and Orlando at a date not yet disclosed. With such a big push in innovation, we at Meeting Sites Pro, Inc. are excited to see how this affects the rest of the industry and if others will follow suit!

For more information visit https://www.pcma.org/hilton-introduces-signia-hilton-meetings-events-focused-hotel-brand/