Market Reports
Jason Cabrera Appointed Hotel Manager for Hilton Orlando
Hilton Orlando | February 6, 2019
ORLANDO, Fla. – Feb 6, 2019 – The AAA Four Diamond Hilton Orlando is proud to announce the appointment of Jason Cabrera as hotel manager. Over the course of two decades in the hotel industry, Cabrera has amassed a notable track record for generating year-over-year sales increases at his properties. He joins Hilton Orlando during the hotel's pivotal 10th anniversary and will oversee strategic development to prepare for another successful decade-plus in operation. In his new role, Cabrera will supervise daily operations for each of the hotel's departments, implementing new strategies that build upon the hotel's reputation for ...
Midas Hospitality Appoints Linda Eigelberger as Vice President of Sales and Revenue Management
Midas Hospitality | February 6, 2019
(St. Louis, Mo., Feb. 6, 2019) Leading hotel development, management and investment firm Midas Hospitality recently added Linda Eigelberger to the leadership team as Vice President of Sales and Revenue Management. In this position, she will drive revenue across all managed hotel properties by guiding the team with long-term planning, day-to-day sales operations leadership, and talent development. Eigelberger will spearhead strategic initiatives that make Midas Hospitality hotels a preferred partner to customers, and leverage hotel marketing tools to efficiently reach more potential guests. Eigelberger previously worked for InterContinen...
PM Hotel Group Names Nate Pinkowski as VP, Revenue Management and Tina Meredith as VP, Portfolio Revenue Management Strategies
PM Hotel Group | February 6, 2019
Chevy Chase, MD. – (Feb 6, 2019) – PM Hotel Group, recognized as a leader in the hotel management industry, is strengthening its revenue management team with the addition of industry veteran, Nate Pinkowski as Vice President of Revenue Management and Tina Meredith as Vice President of Portfolio Revenue Management Strategies. "Our continued success at PM Hotel Group starts with our team, and these new leadership roles illustrate our continued commitment to our owners to invest in top revenue management talent to ensure our competitive advantage as we continue to grow," said PM Hotel Group President, Joseph Bojanowski. Nate Pi...
Kimpton Names Matthew Hurlburt Area Director of Hotel Operations for New York & Pennsylvania and General Manager of Kimpton Muse Hotel
Kimpton Muse Hotel | February 5, 2019
NEW YORK – (February 5, 2019) – Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is pleased to announce the appointment of Matthew Hurlburt as its new Area Director of Operations for New York and Pennsylvania and as General Manager of Kimpton Muse Hotel in Manhattan. In his new role, Matthew will oversee six Kimpton properties in both states: Kimpton Hotel Eventi, Kimpton Ink48 Hotel and Kimpton Muse Hotel in New York City; Kimpton Hotel Monaco Philadelphia and Kimpton Hotel Palomar Philadelphia and Kimpton Hotel Monaco Pittsburgh. As Area Director of Hotel Operations for New York and Pennsylvania, Matthew will work closely with the General...
A Primer on 2019 in the Lodging Industry: Economy, Loyalty, and Specific Markets
Robert Rauch | February 5, 2019
By Robert Rauch When forecasting what will occur in a given year, I often quote lots of others, which reduces the risk I am taking as a sole prognosticator. Yet having now been around the industry exactly 45 years, I am going to create some predictions of my own. 2019 is the year where supply and demand come in balance, with about two percent growth for each. That means occupancy levels will be flat in the U.S. – though certain markets have some supply growth well beyond that and might see occupancy reductions. Let's begin with the economy, and then move into lodging industry projections. U.S. Economy Stock market volatility won't...
BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, Names Andrew Spinelli Director of Food & Beverage for Turtle Bay Resort, Oahu
Turtle Bay Resort | February 5, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, February 2019 … BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has appointed Andrew Spinelli director of food and beverage for Turtle Bay Resort, a Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property located on Oahu's North Shore. Jerry Gibson, Benchmark's vice president and managing director for the resort, made the announcement. "It is a pleasure to welcome Andrew to Benchmark and to Turtle Bay Resort," said Mr. Gibson. "He brings senior management-level experience, as well as hands-on cooking talent gained from age 15 on, to our resort. We look forward to his leadership and success as a vital part of our exe...
Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) Appoints Jamie Lee Tiffany, Director of Sales, Western U.S.
Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI) | February 5, 2019
BOSTON, MA (February 5, 2019)–Associated Luxury Hotels International (ALHI), the premier global sales organization for independent luxury hotels and resorts and small luxury brands in the meeting, incentive, convention and exhibition industry, today announced the appointment of Jamie Lee Tiffany as director of sales within the company's western U.S. sales team. "Jamie's sales experience in some of Southern California's most sought-after luxury hotels makes her a natural fit for our company," said ALHI Regional Vice President Amber Voelker. "I am confident in her abilities to provide planners with the exceptional experiences and se...
GF Hotels & Resorts Appoints Feliks Schwartz as General Manager at Hilton Charlotte University Place
Hilton Charlotte University Place | February 5, 2019
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Feb. 05, 2019 -- Hilton Charlotte University Place, a beautiful lakeside hotel ideal for business and leisure travelers, is pleased to announce the appointment of Feliks Schwartz to General Manager at the property, effective immediately. Feliks has over 25 years of experience in the hospitality industry and is passionate about upholding the world's most famous hotel brand's standard of excellence. Boasting spacious accommodations and an impressive list of services, Hilton Charlotte University Place is one of the top-rated hotels in Charlotte, North Carolina. All the same, the property is confident Mr. Schwartz will elev...
Joelle Shearin Appointed General Manager and President at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe
Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe | February 5, 2019
Feb. 5, 2019 (STATELINE, Nev.) – Joelle Shearin, a 15-year casino hotel and finance executive has been appointed general manager and president for the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe. Shearin will oversee all operations for the fully integrated gaming resort. Her most recent role was vice president and general manager at the Argosy Casino Alton in Alton, Ill., as the first female general manager for Penn National Gaming. There she facilitated day-to-day gaming operations with more than 800 slot machines and 12 table games as well as multiple restaurants. She oversaw and completed an extensive interior remodel and redesign....
Carver Hotel Group Names Keisha Hart as Director of Task Force
The Carver Companies | February 5, 2019
ATLANTA, GA – February 5, 2019 – Carver Hotel Group (CHG), a subsidiary of The Carver Companies, has named Keisha Hart as director of their Task Force division. Task Force provides hotels and hotel management companies with temporary staffing for open sales or operations positions. Hart joins the team with more than 25 years of experience with the Marriott and Hilton brands, in both sales and operations. Previously, she worked alongside CHG as a Task Force consultant. In her new role, Hart will help drive revenue, build relationships with new and existing clients, and act as the principal liaison between CHG, their clients a...
Alexander Schnoeller Appointed Director of Food & Beverage for JW Marriott Nashville
JW Marriott Nashville | February 4, 2019
NASHVILLE, TN/UNITED STATES — JW Marriott Nashville is pleased to announce the appointment of highly-accomplished hospitality leader, Alexander Schnoeller to Director of Food & Beverage for the 33-story property which opened in June 2018. In this role, Schnoeller oversees the property's food and beverage outlets including Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina, a modern American steakhouse with a twist, Stompin' Grounds Restaurant & Market featuring locally-inspired cuisine and Cumberland Bar inspired by luxurious hotel bars of the past. He will also manage all banquet and catering services, as well as in-room dining. "We ...
Lore Group Appoints Kasia Bronisz as Director of Sales and Marketing for Riggs Washington DC Opening Late 2019
Lore Group | February 4, 2019
NEW YORK, NY (February 4, 2019) – International hospitality company Lore Group is pleased to announce the appointment of Kasia K. Bronisz to Director of Sales and Marketing, DC for the Riggs Washington DC, a new hotel property opening in late 2019 in D.C.'s high-profile Penn Quarter neighborhood. As Director of Sales and Marketing, DC, Bronisz will be responsible for leading all sales and marketing efforts for the launch of Lore Group's first U.S. hotel. Housed in the former historic Riggs National Bank building, the forthcoming property will feature 181 guest rooms, a ground-level restaurant, rooftop, and basement bar, where Bron...
Eldorado Resorts Appoints Bret Yunker Chief Financial Officer
Eldorado Resorts, Inc. | February 4, 2019
RENO, Nev.--Eldorado Resorts, Inc. (NASDAQ: ERI) ("Eldorado" or the "Company") announced today that Bret Yunker has been named Chief Financial Officer, effective May 2, 2019, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Mr. Yunker will assume the CFO position from Thomas (Tom) R. Reeg, the Company's Chief Executive Officer, who on an interim basis has also served as the Company's Chief Financial Officer following his appointment as Chief Executive Officer on January 1, 2019. Mr. Yunker brings more than twenty years of gaming industry investment banking experience to his new role at Eldorado, most recently serving as Managing Director at J...
Marriott, Hilton and IHG Development Projects Lead the U.S. Hotel Construction Pipeline
Lodging Econometrics | February 4, 2019
February 4, 2019 – PORTSMOUTH, NH – In the Lodging Econometrics (LE) year-end report for 2018, analysts detailed the leading franchise companies and their brands in the construction pipeline. Marriott International tops the list with 1,498 projects/197,227 rooms, Hilton Worldwide with 1,359 projects/152,060 rooms, and InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) with 972 projects/98,377 rooms. Sixty-nine percent of the projects in the pipeline derive from these three franchise companies. Marriott and Hilton both have pipelines that are up 6% by project count year-over-year (YOY). The two companies set new all-time pipeline records at...
BENCHMARK® Names Dan Paradiso, CMP, Director of Sales & Marketing for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
February 4, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, February 2019… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named Dan Paradiso director of sales & marketing for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark. The Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property, located in Monticello, New York, within the Catskill Mountains, will open in March on 1,600 wooded acres, the site of the Resorts World Catskills entertainment complex. David Kohlasch, general manager, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to welcome Dan to The Kartrite," said Mr. Kohlasch. "He brings important sales leadership skills to our property, and significant experience within ou...
Gaming CEO Pay in a Year of Reckoning
Keith Kefgen | February 4, 2019
By Keith Kefgen The last eighteen months has been a reckoning for powerful men in the business world and gaming has been no exception. The #MeToo Movement struck down one of the most recognizable names in the gaming industry when Steve Wynn stepped down from the company he founded, Wynn Resorts. These issues have continued to shine a spotlight on CEO pay, severance and golden parachutes. Four other CEOs in gaming are out or on the way out soon. Caesars recently announced that Mark Fissora is stepping down at the end of the year. All that said, it was a very solid year for casinos stocks, with many of the bigger companies outperforming t...
AAHOA Names Rachel Humphrey Interim President & CEO
AAHOA | February 1, 2019
ATLANTA, Ga, Feb. 1, 2019 – AAHOA appointed Chief Operating Officer Rachel Humphrey to serve as the Interim President and CEO effective January 26. Humphrey also will continue to execute her duties as COO during the interim period. The move follows an announcement made in December by current President and CEO Chip Rogers that he would step down in late January. AAHOA Chairman Hitesh (HP) Patel said, "The Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Rachel Humphrey accepted the position of Interim President and CEO. Rachel is well known and respected, both in AAHOA and in the hospitality industry. She joined AAHOA in 2015 as the ...
Kurt Furlong Assumes Chairmanship of IHG Owners Association
IHG Owners Association | January 31, 2019
JANUARY 30, 2019 (Atlanta, Georgia) The IHG Owners Association, which represents InterContinental Hotels Group® (IHG®) franchise hotel owners worldwide, announced that Kurt Furlong has assumed chairmanship of its Global Board of Directors for 2019. Kurt is Chief Revenue Officer and Partner with Genuine Hospitality, LLC and possesses expertise in hotel asset management, bottom-line enhancement, revenue generation, and revenue management. Kurt succeeds Deepesh Kholwadwala, President and CEO of Dreamcatcher Hotel Group and Sun Capital Hotels. "I am honored to assume the role of Chair, and I look forward to working with IHG exe...
Aimbridge Hospitality Appoints Natalie White as Executive Vice President of Marketing
Aimbridge Hospitality | January 31, 2019
DALLAS (January 31, 2019) – Aimbridge Hospitality, the nation's largest and highly recognized independent hotel investment and management firm, expands its executive team with the addition of Natalie White as Executive Vice President of Marketing. White joins Aimbridge Hospitality with an impressive background in hospitality marketing. With more than 20 years of experience, White is an accomplished marketer with a proven record of leading successful and impactful campaigns for hospitality clients across all spectrums including boutique, luxury, independent and upscale brands. Prior to joining Aimbridge Hospitality, White owned a m...
Scott Sloan Appointed General Manager for Saint Kate, The Arts Hotel, Set for Spring Debut in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
January 31, 2019
MILWAUKEE-- Jan. 31, 2019— Saint Kate, Milwaukee's first-of-its kind independent arts hotel, announced today the appointment of luxury hospitality veteran Scott Sloan as general manager. Preparing for a spring opening, Sloan will be the mastermind behind all daily operations of the 219-room arts destination. This includes managing all pre-opening and opening activities, overseeing the creation of three new restaurants, leading over 170 passionate team members, collaborating with community influencers and artists, and shaping experiential moments for all those who visit Saint Kate. Leveraging a career dedicated to crafting unforget...
BENCHMARK® Appoints David Kohlasch General Manager for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
January 31, 2019
The Woodlands (Houston), Texas, January 2019… BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, has named David Kohlasch general manager for The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark. The Benchmark Resorts & Hotels property, located in Monticello, New York, within the scenic Catskill Mountains, will open in March on 1,600 wooded acres, the site of the Resorts World Catskills entertainment complex. Greg Champion, Benchmark's president and COO, made the announcement. "I am very pleased to welcome David back to Benchmark and to The Kartrite," said Mr. Champion. "He brings important executive leadership skills to our resort, and vas...
Runtriz Welcomes Riccardo Galanti as Senior Director of Sales, EMEA
January 31, 2019
Riccardo Galanti brings a wealth of sales and hospitality experience to the leading team in guest services technology LOS ANGELES, CA (January 31, 2019) – Runtriz™, a leading developer of innovative technology solutions for hotels, resorts, and casinos announced the addition of Riccardo Galanti as Senior Director Sales, EMEA. In his role, Riccardo will expand Runtriz' growth in the EMEA market. He will also work closely with the leadership team to position Runtriz as the leader in guest engagement services. With over 10 years experience in sales and account management for hotels, Riccardo joins Runtriz with a plethora of in...
Supply Increase Impacts Occupancy in UK’s Provincial Hotels, Says Hotel Market Tracker
HVS | January 30, 2019
30 January 2019, London: The fortunes of London's hotels compared with those in the provinces widened in Q4 2018 as occupancy in London rose by 5% year-on-year compared with a more modest 1% increase in hotels outside the capital. According to the latest UK Hotel Market Tracker: Q4 2018, produced by HVS London, AlixPartners and STR, average room rates in Q4 also rose by 5% in London's hotels, to £157.20*, boosting RevPAR [rooms revenue per available room] by an impressive 10%. RevPAR growth was 3% for the full year. Conversely in Q4 hotels in the provinces failed to see any growth in average room rates, causing RevPAR to plateau. ...
The Year-End U.S. Hotel Construction Pipeline Continues Steady Growth Trend
Lodging Econometrics | January 30, 2019
January 30, 2019 – PORTSMOUTH, NH – At the end of 2018, analysts at Lodging Econometrics (LE) reported that the total U.S. construction pipeline continued to trend upward with 5,530 projects/669,456 rooms, both up a strong 7% year-over-year (YOY). However, pipeline totals continue to trail the all-time high of 5,883 projects/785,547 rooms reached in the second quarter of 2008. Project counts in the early planning stage continue to rise reaching an all-time high of 1,723 projects/199,326 rooms, up 14% by projects and 12% by rooms YOY. Projects scheduled to start construction in the next 12 months stand at 2,153 projects/255,0...
1
Industry Happenings
2
Technology
3
Operations
4
All Things Independent
5
Appointments/People on the Move