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.. Say Goodbye To The UFOC; Dunfey Brothers To Be Honored; The Plaza Hotel Reopens After a $400 Million Renovation; Independent Franchise Associations Form a Coalition |
By Stanley Turkel, MHS, ISHC
April 2008 1. Say Goodbye To The UFOC
2. Dunfey Brothers (Jack, Bob &
Gerry) To Be Honored
3. The Plaza Hotel Reopens After A
$400 Million Renovation
The New York Landmarks Preservation Commission recently recommended the approval of a waiver that will allow 39,000 square feet of commercial space. It gave permission to make changes to the exterior of the building including adding a new entrance for the stores. The commission also bestowed landmark status on eight of the hotel�s famous public rooms, adjacent corridors and vestibules, including murals, chandeliers and decorative metalwork. The rooms include the Palm Court, the setting for a scene from the movie, �The Great Gatsby�, the Terrace Room, where Marilyn Monroe�s dress strap once slipped off her shoulder during an interview; the Oak Bar, where Cary Grant�s character was kidnapped in Alfred Hitchcock�s �North by Northwest�; Walter Matthau in �Plaza Suite� and Barbra Streisand in �The Way We Were� used the Plaza as a stage set. The Plaza in 1930 was the backdrop in a scene for �No Limit�, the first talking picture filmed on location in New York City. Its star was the famous �It Girl� Clara Bow. Unfortunately, the Persian Room, a legendary nightclub at the Plaza, which presented the most talented live performers will not be reopened. It opened on April 1, 1934, four months after the repeal of Prohibition, in the southern half of the Fifth Avenue Urban with murals by Lillian Gaertner Palmedo. Until it closed in 1975, the Persian Room featured such stars as Liberace, Carol Channing, Burl Ives, Eddy Duchin, Kitty Carlisle, the Mills Brothers, Bob Fosse, Victor Borge, Marge and Gower Champion, Eddie Fisher, Xavier Cugat, the McGuire Sisters, Dinah Shore, Vic Damone, Bob Hope, Robert Goulet, Frankie Laine, Ethel Merman, Eartha Kitt, Henny Youngman and Hildegarde, among others. 4. Independent Franchisee Associations
Form a Coalition
The coalition will focus on government affairs at the state and federal levels, along with education and training, leadership development and collective purchasing opportunities. The leaders hope they will be able to provide better services by combining their efforts. �Franchisee groups have long been mandating similar issues, which range from navigating government mandates to negotiating meeting venue contracts,� said CFA Chairman Frank Capaldo, who heads the National Franchisee Association, which represents Burger King owners. The board of directors of the coalition includes the founding members of the organization, including leaders from: the Brown Board Owners Association (MBE), the Dunkin� Donuts Independent Franchise Owners Inc., Independent Hardee�s Franchisee Association, International Pizza Hut Franchise Holders Association, Meineke Dealers Association, National Association of Buffalo Wings Franchisees, National Coalition of Associations of 7-Eleven Franchisees and the National Franchisee Association of Subway Franchisees. �The organization generously provides members vast opportunities to interact with, teach to and learn from their peers,� said Steve Ellerhorst, CFA�s vice chairman and executive director of the Hardee�s franchise association. 5. Quote of the Month
Stanley Turkel, MHS, ISHC operates his hotel consulting office as a sole practitioner specializing in franchising issues, asset management and litigation support services. If you need help with a hotel franchising problem such as encroachment/impact, termination/liquidated damages or litigation support, call Stanley at 917-628-8549 or email [email protected]. |
Contact:
Stanley Turkel, MHS, ISHC
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