February 9, 2001 - Hotel management and resort management are apples and oranges, as anyone who�s ever worked in both will tell you. In an effort to reach a broad hospitality audience, most educational offerings miss the mark entirely when it comes to appealing to resort professionals.

The unique issues facing resort management professionals were first in mind in planning the curriculum for the first-ever Resort Management Conference, to be held April 8-10 in Vail, CO. The International Resort Managers Association and the University of Denver developed the conference.

The Vail Cascade Resort, the conference headquarters hotel, will host an opening reception. This informal session will give attendees the opportunity to network with fellow resort managers. 

In the two-part opening session, Michelle Russo, senior analyst for Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown will present the bank�s two latest studies � a destination luxury resort analysis and a ski industry overview. Her findings, and the direction of the industry in general, will be discussed by an expert panel consisting of  Stephen Bartolin, Jr., president and CEO, The Broadmoor, Colorado Springs, CO; Ted Kleisner, president and managing director, CSX Corporation - The Greenbriar, White Sulphur Springs, WV;  Charles S. Peck, President, Destination Hotels and Resorts, Denver, CO; and Anton J. Piringer, vice president -- hospitality, Vail Resorts Management Company, Vail, CO.

The second part of the general session will include an opportunity for attendees to participate interactively in an examination of resort trends and issues. Their opinions will be recorded using wireless audience response devices. The results will be instantly tabulated and displayed for discussion purposes. 

In the  third general session, results from two surveys � one examining the facilities, amenities, demographics and compensation from nearly 1,500 resorts, and the other analyzing operating data from 141 properties � will be presented. Panelists from such properties as The Broadmoor and The Boulders will lead the discussion of the data.

In breakout sessions there will be presentations of resort development case studies and coverage of such issues as pricing, dining, customer loyalty, and information technology. Attendees can tour behind-the-scenes at three different Vail properties � The Sonnenalp Resort and Spa, The Lodge at Vail, and The Vail Resort.  

Registration for the two-day event is only $495 for non-IRMA members. The member rate is $295.  Attendees who decide to join IRMA under a special conference membership offer will have their $200 membership fee waived and will receive a free copy of the recently published book Resort Management and Operation. The book is normally priced at $70, so new IRMA members receive a $765 value for your $495. The Vail Cascade Hotel is offering an early bird room rate of  $99 per night through March 10.