Breaking News

Week of January 30

New L.A. Convention Center Plan Revealed
According to a report in the Contra Costa Times, Anschutz Entertainment Group and Los Angeles city officials unveiled plans for a new 20,000-sf downtown convention center hall that will replace the current West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center. Rising a story above the street so cars can pass underneath, the new airy and light facility will connect the existing South Hall with the proposed NFL football stadium (Farmers Field) so that the entire complex will become one contiguous space and attract more large conventions. A new free-standing building, which could be used as a ballroom, is planned for a site directly southeast of the new hall. It is speculated that the convention center construction would be completed a few years ahead of the stadium, which is aiming for a 2016 opening.

CIC Applauds U.S. Travel and AH&LA on International Travel Advocacy
The Convention Industry Council (CIC) released a statement in support of the U.S. Travel Association and the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AH&LA) for their role in bringing international travel and tourism to the national stage. “On behalf of CIC, I congratulate U.S. Travel and AH&LA for their public commitment and continued support of the meetings and tourism industry,” says Steven Hacker, president of the International Association of Exhibitions and Events and current president of the CIC. “As a result of their leadership and the efforts of all CIC members, the meetings industry contributes more to the GDP than the auto manufacturing, air transportation and the motion picture industry, according to the Economic Significance Study released by CIC last year in 2011.” For the full statement and more information, go to www.conventionindustry.org.

International Association of Venue Managers Restructures
The International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) was restructured to respond to current economic times and meet member needs, according to President and CEO Vicki Hawarden, CMP, who set up the staff into three lines of service: education; sales and business development; and operations and finance. Hawarden says, “The goal is an organizational structure that will ensure we have strong leaders focused on our core business: value to our members, financial stability and growth, and operational excellence.” Accordingly, Rodney Williams, DBA, was promoted to vice president of education; Roy Benear was named vice president of sales and business development, and Steve Flamm, IAVM COO/CFO, will continue to oversee operations and finance. www.iavm.org

IACC Advances Vision for Conference Center Excellence
The International Association of Conference Centers (IACC), which represents 300 conference centers around the world, is clarifying its role as a standard bearer of the meetings industry through its new Vision and Mission Statement. “Rather than simply provide first-class meeting venues, IACC members deliver more broadly conceived meeting experiences,” IACC Global President Neil Pompan says. “Our new vision statement captured the wider lens of the IACC Meeting Concept along with the new spirit of what is being referred to as IACC 2.0.” This updated version acknowledges an evolution, which has witnessed the staffs at IACC-member conference centers taking increasing responsibility for meeting productivity. The more comprehensive function is written into the IACC Quality Standards, which supersede the organization’s former Universal Criteria, and serves as a blueprint for IACC facilities. iacconline.org

Marriott, Disney and Best Western Invest in Brand USA
Brand USA, the national marketing entity charged with promoting the U.S. to international travelers, announced that Marriott International, the Walt Disney Company and Best Western International have each committed to investing $1 million in cash — along with in-kind commitments. In FY2012 the federal government will match private sector contributions 2-1, which means these investments will yield $21 million in new funds for Brand USA’s growing marketing budget. “We are incredibly proud and grateful that these three iconic brands have chosen to invest at such a significant level in Brand USA,” said CEO Jim Evans. “Recently President Obama called for a national travel and tourism strategy to attract more international visitors, and Brand USA is a major pillar of that. This is more than an investment in a marketing program — it is an investment in job creation and economic growth for hundreds of visitor destinations across America.” Dozens of financial commitments have been received from other businesses, destinations and individuals across the country. “We are well on our way to reaching and exceeding our target of $100 million in FY12,” says Evans. “Brand USA already has great momentum, which will ensure a strong budget for the global marketing campaign we are preparing to launch in April.” www.thebrandusa.com

Hawaii Visitor Tally Highest Since 2007
According to a report in The Wall Street Journal, the number of visitors to Hawaii rebounded in 2011 to its highest level since 2007. The number of visitors to Hawaii rose 3.8 percent to 7.28 million from 7.02 million in 2010. Visitor spending was up 15.6 percent last year to $12.58 billion, very close to the record of $12.63 billion in 2007. Hawaii’s economic climate is improving. “The outlook is very optimistic, very bright,” says Mufi Hannemann, president and chief executive of the Hawaii Lodging & Tourism Association and former mayor of Honolulu. “It’s like our weather, very sunny.” The tourism authority used advertising blitzes to help gain back visitors. About one-fifth of Hawaii’s visitors arrive from Japan, which was devastated from the earthquake and tsunami last year. Thus, the number of visitors from Japan declined 17.6 percent in the second quarter. Hawaii sent a delegation of tourism representatives to Japan and began spending more of its $54 million annual marketing budget on U.S. campaigns to try and offset the falloff, said Hannemann. www.hawaiitourismauthority.org

Las Vegas Hotel Performance on the Upswing
The performance of Las Vegas hotels is steadily on track and in line with hotels in other cities in the U.S., according to a report in Hotel News Now. Year-to-date occupancy in Las Vegas through November was 84.8 percent, up 3.7 percent from that same time in 2010 and an increase in average daily rate of 10.8 percent through November 2011 as compared to year-to-date November 2010. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported that hotels achieved a 90.4 percent occupancy during 2007 showing there is plenty of room to improve. One noticeable trend is properties aligning with a chain, such as the Venetian/Palazzo’s partnership with InterContinental Alliance Resorts and The Cosmopolitan’s affiliation with Marriott International’s Autograph Collection.

Atlantis Paradise Island Continues Renovation
According to Travel Weekly, despite a financial reorganization, Atlantis Paradise Island, Bahamas will move ahead with the renovation of 700 rooms in the 3,614-room resort, a makeover of several bars and lounges, an expansion of the sports bars, beach restoration and more. “We continue to reinvest in the property by adding new features, activities and guest services,” says George Markantonis, president and managing director of Kerzner International Bahamas, operator of the resort. Winter bookings are ahead of 2010 and “group business this year is forecast to run 12 percent ahead of 2011, which ran 35 percent ahead of 2010,” he says. Despite the reorganization, Markantonis says that “there are no changes planned regarding the status of our employees, our sales and marketing initiatives and management. There will be a resolution regarding the financial status in the near future.” www.atlantis.com/bahamas

 PCMA’s 2012 Annual Meeting Sets Records
The Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) announced that attendance for its San Diego Convention Center 56th Annual Meeting, Convening Leaders, exceeded the 2011 Las Vegas record breaker by a small margin. The 2012 meeting realized a Year-Over-Year (YOY) 9 percent increase in professional planner participation. More than 300 2012 Convening Leaders registrants indicated they were influenced to attend face-to-face by their previous participation in a PCMA virtual or hybrid meeting. Of those, 112 had either never attended Convening Leaders or had not done so in the past six years. PCMA expanded its hybrid broadcast coverage in 2012 to include four general sessions, two masters series, two hour-long segments from the learning lounge, daily interviews with conference speakers and industry luminaries, nine of 64 concurrent sessions, the PCMA press conference and PCMA Town Hall. Total hours spent in sessions increased from 3,123 in 2011 to 5,123 in 2012. A complimentary rebroadcast of the top hybrid sessions, with opportunities to chat with speakers, is scheduled for January 31. Participants can register to attend at http://www.conveningleaders.org/hybrid. www.pcma.org

Sustainability Reporting Guidance Launched
Event organizers can now report on sustainability issues such as impacts on communities, natural environments, and local and global economies, thanks to new guidance published by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) helped to develop the guidance as part of a multi-stakeholder working group and advisory group. The new Event Organizers Sector Supplement (EOSS) covers the complete project life cycle of an event, from bid to planning, execution and, finally, post-event, including the issue of event legacy. The supplement can be used to report before or after an event has taken place. GMIC’s President Paul Salinger, who is V.P. of marketing at Oracle, says, “The release of the event organizers sector supplement through the GRI, which is the global standard for corporate sustainability reporting, gives an enormous boost to the credibility, materiality and relevance of sustainability reporting for meetings and events.” www.gmicglobal.org, www.globalreporting.org

Washington State Convention Center Begins Renovation Project
The Washington State Convention Center (WSCC) has begun an extensive refurbishment of its downtown Seattle facility that will include upgrade of finishes, furnishings and signage, to be completed by 2013. The $20 million upgrade will incorporate sustainable materials, from carpet and wall coverings made with recycled materials, long-life toxin-free porcelain tile, Greenguard and NFS-certified solid surfacing material, low VOC paints, paneling and trim. More than 95 percent of the existing carpet materials will be recycled. Wood and natural finishes will be combined with classic and elegant features. Restrooms will be completely renovated with new porcelain tile, mirrors, solid surface countertops and energy-efficient plumbing fixtures. “We have already completed substantial portions of the project with no impact to our clients,” says Ed Barnes, WSCC vice president of operations. “All of the exhibit halls, meeting rooms, ballrooms and prefunction spaces have been refinished and re-carpeted. The largest remaining portion of work will be scheduled during times when there are few if any events to have the least possible impact on them.” www.wscc.com, www.visitseattle.org

Youth Hospitality Summit Held at Pennsylvania Convention Center
More than 50 of Philadelphia’s hospitality leaders joined nonprofit youth development organization Philadelphia Academies Inc. for a hospitality summit “Preparing Today’s Young People for Tomorrow’s Hospitality Industry” recently at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. The gathering explored ways to continue to shape and grow the tourism and hospitality work force starting at the high school level. Pictured (left to right) are Ahmeenah Young, president and CEO, Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority; Shaquay Small, Valiscia Johnson, Lisa Nutter, president, Philadelphia Academies Inc., Leticia Thomas, Kayla Scheidt and Jack Ferguson, president and CEO, Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau. Small, Johnson, Thomas and Scheidt are 11th grade students at Swenson Technical High School in Philadelphia. www.pcvb.org

MPI Survey Reports Rise in Demand for Meeting Planners
According to the Meeting Professionals International’s (MPI) December 2011 Business Barometer, a bimonthly quantitative perspective of the global business of meetings and events, meeting professionals around the world report a sharp jump up in employment numbers within the meetings industry. In addition, the report suggests hoteliers, venues and destinations should note that while corporate business is up, meetings are focusing on customer satisfaction rather than sales meetings or incentives. Also, Europe and Canada are seeing their largest gains in international association meetings while the U.S. sees the greatest gains in corporate domestic meetings. European, Canadian and U.S. meeting professionals each report modest increases in attendance over last year (up 1.7 percent) as well as modest increases in budget/spend over last year (up 1.3 percent). Furthermore, uncertainty about global economic conditions continues to dominate business concerns, with a renewed emphasis on Eurozone instability. In December 2011, 64.42 percent of Business Barometer respondents indicate current business conditions are favorable compared to one year ago (up from 63 percent in October 2011). www.mpiweb.org

New Orleans Hilton Hotels Announce Upgrades
DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans and Hilton New Orleans Riverside announced a range of property improvements and introduced a collection of newly renovated guest rooms. The 367-room DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans on Canal Street converted to a 100 percent non-smoking facility, redesigned guest rooms and added two Louisiana-inspired companies — WOW Café and PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans. The hotel features more than 15,000 sf of flexible function space. The 1,600-room Hilton New Orleans Riverside hotel (pictured), which offers 130,000 sf of meeting space and is adjacent to the convention center, began a six-year, $63 million capital improvements project in 2011 that includes guest room renovations, upgrades, new furnishings in public areas, the creation of a new marketplace and renovations to the hotel’s banquet kitchen, grand ballroom and health club facilities. www.hilton.com

San Antonio Convention Center Expansion Outlined
According to the San Antonio Express–News, a proposed expansion of the San Antonio Convention Center, which would add 100,000 sf of space, is under consideration. Michael Sawaya, head of San Antonio’s Convention, Sports and Entertainment Facilities Department, unveiled a general outline of the planned expansion at a recent San Antonio Hotel & Lodging Association meeting. “The time for an expansion is now,” Sawaya says. “This is about building the best convention center for the future, not getting significantly bigger.” The proposal calls for 528,000 sf of exhibit space, to include two new exhibit halls and a multipurpose hall and banquet area, and a new entrance to the facility. meetings.visitsanantonio.com/cvb, www.mysanantonio.com

Los Angeles Convention Room Bookings Jump By 51 Percent
When the final figures are in, The Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau (LA INC.) projects that in 2011 Los Angeles hosted more than the 25.8 million overnight visitors, breaking the 2007 record of 25.9 million visitors. Los Angeles experienced a 51 percent jump in convention room bookings in 2011 and a 16 percent increase in overseas visitors. According to LA INC., downtown Los Angeles hosted 20 conventions and conferences in 2011, up from 17 events last year. Many of these events had higher attendance than previous years. One of the largest events was the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), which drew 65,000 attendees to the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC), compared to about 41,000 the previous year. Another major event in 2011 was the Microsoft Worldwide Partnership Conference in July, which attracted about 11,000 attendees who booked 53,567 room nights. www.discoverlosangeles.com

The Westin Cleveland Convention Center to Open in 2013
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. announced plans to introduce its popular Westin brand to Cleveland, OH. The Westin Cleveland Convention Center will open in summer 2013 in a prime location, adjacent to the Cleveland Medical Mart and Convention Center complex. Owned by Sage Hospitality, the former Crowne Plaza will undergo a $64 million renovation prior to re-opening as a Westin. The Westin Cleveland Convention Center will offer 481 luxurious rooms, a full-service restaurant, 26,000 sf of meeting facilities and the full suite of Westin signature amenities and services. Overlooking Lake Erie, The Westin Cleveland Convention Center will open in the city’s financial district, close to the Cleveland Clinic and the offices of PNC Bank, Easton Corporation and Sherwin Williams. The hotel is located next door to the new Cleveland Convention Center and Medical Mart complex, which is scheduled to open in 2013. www.starwood.com

New Utah Valley Convention Center Nearly Complete
The Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau (UVCVB) is offering sneak peeks of the nearly completed Utah Valley Convention Center, located in historic downtown Provo, UT. Hard-hat tours and new interior renderings will give interested groups and organizations an exclusive view of the 83,578-sf meeting space before its grand opening in May 2012. Tour participants will receive exclusive access to all three floors of the LEED Silver-certified Utah Valley Convention Center during the final construction stage, including the 19,620-sf exhibit hall, 16,894-sf ballroom, 9,563-sf breakout meeting space, 663-sf boardroom and 5,553-sf open roof-top garden. Utah Valley Convention Center is within walking distance of 39 restaurants and near 1,349 lodging rooms. The new facility is located four miles from the Provo Municipal Airport and 45 miles south of the Salt Lake City International Airport. To schedule a tour of the convention center, call 888-414-8824 or visit www.meetinutahvalley.com.

MPI's EMEC to Introduce Innovative Meeting Design Elements
The European Meetings and Events Conference (EMEC), an innovative conference for meeting professionals in Europe, will be held January 29–31, 2012 in Budapest, Hungary. “We are committed to demonstrating ‘innovation’ to our EMEC attendees because the business challenges facing meeting professionals are unprecedented,” says MPI President and CEO Bruce MacMillan. “Our array of speakers and experts will showcase unique new elements within EMEC’s event design that complement the educational program.” Delegates will encounter a Meeting Design Area with demonstrations of meeting-room innovations. MPI offers EMEC 2012 apps, now available on smartphones, that allow delegates to evaluate speakers and sessions in real time, access social networking sites, direct message other delegates and maintain a customized diary for the conference. www.mpiweb.org/EMEC

Anaheim Convention Center Plants Rooftop Garden
As part of their sustainability plan, The Anaheim Convention Center planted a 2,000-sf herb garden on top of their arena box office, which will supply Aramark, the caterer with herbs such as rosemary, thyme, parsley and lavender. The project was made possible by a federal grant. The LEED-certified convention center is committed to environmentally conscious practices and features a comprehensive green zone recycling center, which includes onsite composting. www.anaheimoc.org

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Begins Major Renovation
A $110 million expansion and renovation of the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place, Chicago, will begin in phases. The first project, a new 460-room tower including 12 suites and two premium suites, is slated for completion in mid-2013. Phase two begins in spring of 2012 with the redesign of the hotel’s coffee shop. An expanded seating area will be built adjacent to Daily Grind, complete with Wi-Fi access, for working or relaxing. Phase three renovations, which begin in late 2012, include the main lobby, followed by the renovation of the existing 800 guest room tower in January 2013 and the expansion of Shor, a fine dining restaurant.. The redesign and renovation of the 25,000-sf Hyatt Conference Center will include a redevelopment of the 4,000-sf Prairie Center into a more flexible meeting and catering space, along with the addition of three new boardrooms and a new business center. The hotel, which is directly next to McCormick Place Convention Center, currently has 800 guest rooms and 43,000 sf of function space. www.hyatt.com

Harris Rosen Honored for Philanthropy
The editorial board of the Orlando Sentinel named Harris Rosen, president and COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, the 2011 Central Floridian of the Year, citing the hotelier’s “far-reaching philanthropy and work ethic.” Rosen’s philanthropic endeavors include his earthquake recovery and rebuilding efforts in Haiti; charitable contributions to the University of Central Florida; Rosen’s Perfect Pizza, a program designed to bring more healthful foods to public schools and also fund scholarships and educational grants; and Tangelo Park Project, a program Rosen started in 1993, that offers free preschool as well as full college and vocational school scholarships to disadvantaged youth in the Tangelo Park neighborhood. To date, more than 200 students have received a college education from the program.
Rosen truly enjoys giving. “The crazy thing is that giving is so joyful. The return on that investment, if you can put it in business terms, is so unbelievable, I often wonder why people who can don’t,” says Rosen. “I suspect they don’t realize how much joy and gratitude they would receive from giving.” Rosen’s goal is “to see a Tangelo Park kind of program in every disadvantaged neighborhood in the United States.” The hotelier hopes to grow the program via the private sector.
Rosen owns and operates the largest independent hotel chain in Florida with 6,300 rooms or approximately six percent of the total room inventory in Central Florida, which includes seven properties in the Orlando area. www.rosenhotels.com

IACC's Bolman Announces Retirement
The Board of Directors of the International Association of Conference Centers announced that Tom Bolman, executive vice president of IACC, will retire at the end of 2012. Bolman began his career with IACC as executive director in 1986 and was promoted to executive vice president in 1996. Bolman helped build membership from 66 member conference centers in the United States and Canada to 300 facility members in 13 countries along with 125 allied, affinity partner, corporate headquarters and individual members. A longtime member of the American Society of Association Executives, Bolman has held the organization’s certified association executive (CAE) credential since 1993. He served on the council of delegates of the Convention Industry Council (CIC) for 25 years and serves as a member of the CIC board of directors. He has held every officer position of CIC including chairman of the board. www.iacconline.org

Hilton Anaheim Earns Green Seal Bronze Certification
Hilton Anaheim was awarded the Green Seal Bronze certification for its dedication to environmental stewardship. Green Seal is a Washington, DC, non-profit organization that provides science-based environmental certification for environmental and sustainability practices. The Green Seal Standard for Hotels and Lodging Properties, GS-33, is one of the most robust environmental standards in the hospitality industry. In order to receive certification, a hotel must meet and adhere to stringent guidelines. Hilton Anaheim met the requirements for the prestigious award by establishing initiatives that include, but are not limited to: launching a recycling program throughout the entire hotel, waste minimization via the donation of any leftover food to approved local shelters or food banks, replacing all TVs, DVD players, alarm clocks, hair dryers, coffee/tea makers in all its rooms with energy efficient products and updating all indoor lighting. www.hilton.com, www.greenseal.org

PCMA Holds Inaugural Town Hall Meeting at 2012 Convening Leaders
Leaders of the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and the PCMA Education Foundation joined with members at the organization’s first Town Hall Meeting held on January 11 at Convening Leaders in San Diego to share 2011 accomplishments and discuss plans for the future. Outgoing PCMA Chairman of the Board Susan Katz — director of corporate events and travel for True Value Company — reported that attendance was very strong at the annual conference. Highlights from 2011 also included positive membership trends (a record number of members — 6,400 — and a retention rate of 83 percent), a strategic investment in the Virtual Edge Institute to accelerate the development of education and standards for virtual events, the creation of a New Professionals Task Force to engage new or younger professionals in PCMA, efforts to help connect domestic and international planners and suppliers, and the development of virtual events and social media to expand the organization’s reach. Incoming PCMA Chairman of the Board Kent Allaway, CEM, CMP – vice president, meetings and trade shows for the Produce Marketing Association, said he will focus on embracing digital delivery vehicles that will help members learn and connect, extending the PCMA brand and its offerings to the global community, and developing targeted programs and tools to serve members in specialized niches. www.pcma.org

Music City Center Books More Than 600,000 Room Nights
Pre-opening sales for the Music City Center have exceeded 600,000 room nights, according to the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau (NCVB), nearly reaching their goal of booking one million room nights for the center prior to its opening in 2013. “The enthusiasm for Nashville is at an all-time high in the marketplace,” says Butch Spyridon, president of the CVB. “Having reached this point, and contracted 100,000 room nights in two months, speaks to the continued high demand for Nashville.” The meetings booked for the Music City Center range from its opening year of 2013 to 2026, and include multiyear agreements for many groups. The Music City Center, the flexible, multiuse convention facility, will be roughly three times the size of the existing Nashville Convention Center.  The average size of convention currently meeting in the Nashville Convention Center is 2,300; the average size of a group being booked for the Music City Center is 6,800. www.visitmusiccity.com

Houston's George R. Brown Begins 25th Anniversary Year
Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center will be celebrating its 25th year of operation with a series events throughout 2012. The silver anniversary year was formally launched during New Year’s Eve Live at Discovery Green park. With the convention center in the background, Mayor Annise D. Parker cuts into a really big cake made to resemble the GRB. On hand for the confectionary carving were, from left to right, Luther Villagomez, general manager of the GRB,  Dawn Ullrich, president and CEO of Houston First Corporation,  Greg Ortale, president and CEO of the Greater Houston Convention and Visitors Bureau, Robert Eury, executive director of the Houston Downtown Management District, Mayor Parker, Houston City Councilman James Rodriguez. Photo by Bruce Bennett.

Expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center Forecasts Strong 2012
According to the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB), Philadelphia’s convention and tourism experience for 2012 looks strong for the meetings and conventions industry in Philadelphia. The PCVB has booked 225 meetings and conventions for the upcoming year, with 565,866 total hotel room nights, with an economic impact of more than $813 million. “An expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center is helping Philadelphia reach a broader audience nationally and internationally,” says Jack Ferguson, president & CEO, PCVB. “Working with our partners at the convention center and throughout the hospitality community, more visitors are expected to fill our hotels, restaurants and attractions in 2012.” The convention center will host The Wendy’s Group, owners of hamburger giant Wendy’s, in Philadelphia, October 1-2, with its Update Meeting featuring 1,400 attendees. For 2012, other notable events include: Risk and Insurance Management Society in April; UBM Canon Communications, LLC, in May and the American Chemical Society in August as well as Army-Navy Weekend in December. www.philadelphiausa.travel

Don Freeman Receives PCMA Lifetime Achievement Award
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) and the meetings and convention industry, PCMA honored Donald S. (Don) Freeman, Jr., chairman of Freeman, with the PCMA Lifetime Achievement Award. “Leading by example, Don Freeman has supported the commitment of countless Freeman employees and clients, each of whom dedicated their time and energy to allowing PCMA to offer the very best in education, research and industry innovation,” said PCMA Chairman Susan Katz. “Not only has he donated his time and that of his organization for the betterment of PCMA, he has also provided significant financial support enabling us to provide resources to our members. PCMA would not be where it is today without Don Freeman’s personal support and dedication, and for that we are extremely grateful.” Freeman is the premier provider of integrated services for face-to-face marketing events including expositions, conventions, corporate events and exhibits. With 40 offices throughout North America, Freeman produces more than 15,000 events annually, including 54 percent of the 250 largest U.S. trade shows. www.pcma.org, www.freemanco.com

New Owners of Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego Reveal Renovation Plan
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego will present the grand redesign of its guest rooms to select meeting planners attending PCMA’s 2012 Convening Leaders meeting in San Diego this week. Slated to begin in May 2012, the entire hotel will be renovated including 1,625 guest rooms, meeting and public space, as well as food and beverage outlets. The project is scheduled for completion in fall 2013. The new owner of Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, a subsidiary of Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. now owns more than 4,600 hotel rooms in the San Diego area. Located on the Gaslamp Quarter’s waterfront, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego overlooks San Diego Bay and is comprised of two connecting towers, the 33-story Seaport Tower and the 40-story Harbor Tower. www.manchestergrand.hyatt.com, www.hosthotels.com