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GSA Changing Per-Diems; AH&LA Urges Protest
The General Services Administration— which sets hotel per diem rates for the federal government—is seeking to reduce travel costs by changing the way it calculates per diem rates... Read more >>
Big Easy CC Buys An Unconventional Meeting
In an unusual but seemingly strategic move, the board of the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, in New Orleans, has voted to purchase exclusive rights to the International Disaster Conference and Expo, the start-up event it created and co-hosted in January... Read more >>
Seattle's Eittel Building May Become Boutique Hotel
One of downtown Seattle's most-neglected historic buildings could become a boutique hotel.
Ariel Development of Seattle has signed a contract to buy the 7-story, 108-year-old Eitel Building, according to an Ariel owner... Read more >>
San Diego Westin Undergoes Total Makeover
Westin Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego has completed a multi-phase, property-wide transformation. All 450 guestrooms were updated while the hotel’s 35,000 square feet of meeting space was also redone... Read more >>
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Denver/Boulder/
Colorado Springs
For planners tasked with booking events for active attendees who enjoy getting outdoors in their downtime, who prefer destinations packed with cultural and culinary variety, and who might be traveling on a budget, Colorado’s top meetings players are standing by... Read more >> |
Reno
Reno has been the scene of constant reinventions during its roughly 160 years of life, first as a crossroads for California-bound settlers, then as a mining and agricultural boomtown thanks to the silver fever of the Comstock Lode, then as the divorce and gambling capital known as the “Biggest Little City in the World.”... Read more >> |
Montana/Wyoming
Long-celebrated for their laid-back atmosphere and adventurous pursuits, Montana and Wyoming are bursting at the seams with awesome and unexpected experiences and venues for groups...
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Downtown L.A./
Hollywood/Valleys
The list of fabulous group-friendly off-site venues in the Los Angeles area is as long—and filled with as many stars—as the Hollywood Walk of Fame... Read more >> |
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The Fairmont Orchid
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Hawaii’s luxury resort, inspired by culture, well-being and genuine Aloha, sits on 32 oceanfront acres on Hawaii Island’s famed Kohala Coast, just 20 miles from Kona International Airport. Choose from 30,000 square feet of indoor space and 76,000 square feet outside, with virtually unlimited beach and plantation venues. Reserve today.
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| Visit www.fairmont.com/orchid for more information. |
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Practicing The Art Of Conversation
The key to engaging a stranger in conversation is to find common ground. By common ground, I mean finding something that you and the other person share. It could be an interest, children, pets, a place you have both been, or people you both know.
In order to find your commonality, you have to ask A LOT of questions. The best ones to ask are “open ended” questions...
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Pinterest and StumbleUpon are Worth a Look
While not exactly ‘standard’ platforms of social media, Pinterest and StumbleUpon are possible site/venue selection tools worth exploring—especially for visually... Read more >>
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Responsible Takeover
The 50 bicycles were wheeled into a conference room, one-by-one, at the Four Seasons Hotel Seattle. Also in the room were dozens of workers from a local apparel company, who had united in the mission of assembling the bikes, which were to be donated to needy children in the Puget Sound areas... Read more >>
Step By Step
Creating an inspiring incentive involves more than attendees having a great time. While it’s an important part of the process, it’s just one goal of many.
The trip must excite the imagination enough to push employees to perform beyond what an encouraging boss or competitive peer could do during a typical work week. It has to leave them with memories they will draw on for years... Read more >>
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| Three Bear Lodge |
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Set amongst the pine trees and mountain air of South West Montana, with Yellowstone National Park as a backdrop, Three Bear Lodge makes for a unique meeting setting.
With easy access from Idaho Falls in the South and Bozeman to the north, and a choice of conference facilities capable of hosting up to 125 people, 70 hotel rooms Three Bear Lodge will make your next meeting a memorable one. |
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| Learn more at www.ThreeBearLodge.com. |
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Small-Town Trio
Cobblestone Hotels continues to grow its reach into small-town America with the opening of a 44-room Cobblestone Hotel and Suites in Killdeer, North Dakota. The new hotel–located at 158 Rodeo Drive–is the third new Cobblestone Hotel that has opened in North Dakota this summer and has been much-anticipated by the community of Killdeer... Read more >>
Dynamic Duo
With more than 60 plus years of meetings industry experience, Jorge Hernandez, CHME, CAM and Patricia Palacios have joined together in announcing the establishment of GlobauxSource, a dynamic meetings resource company, poised to make huge inroads in today’s meetings market... Read more >>
‘Easy’ Opening
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. has announced the opening of Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter at the center of New Orleans' world-famous historic district. Previously known as The Inn on Bourbon, the former Ramada property completed a multi-million dollar renovation prior to opening under the Four Points flag...
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Airlines Float Premium Seat Fees
They’re at it again. In an effort to try and make up for rising fuel costs and other expenses, airlines now are levying extra fees for the booking of window or aisle seats... Read more >>
Short Takes
Seattle’s waterfront Bell Harbor International Conference Center is offering a summer meetings package for groups of 20 or more. Available through September, the package deal includes room rental, basic AV equipment, a continental breakfast, snacks and an afternoon break. Bell Harbor offers 18 meeting rooms totaling almost 100,000 square feet... Read more >>
Site Scene
The 374-room Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel renovated its meeting space, adding approximately 4,000 square feet of event space and a new large room that can accommodate 150 people classroom-style. The Calgary Marriot is attached to the Calgary TELUS Convention Center, which welcomes groups of up to 4,000 with 122,000 square feet of meeting space, 47,000 square feet of exhibit space and a 20,000-square-foot ballroom...
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