East Coast Copes with Superstorm

East Coast Copes with Superstorm Hurricane Sandy on Tuesday continues its onslaught on the East Coast, with no definitive end in sight. As of Noon EST, twenty-six deaths have been confirmed in the U.S. and Canada, and close to eight million residents across 15 states and the District of Columbia have been left without electricity. ... Read more >> Massive Vegas Resort Rebrands Hilton Worldwide is returning to the Las Vegas Strip with the opening of Tropicana Las Vegas - a DoubleTree by Hilton in January 2013... Read more >> Historic Catalina Hotel Restored The Santa Catalina Island Company (SCICo), which has operated lodging, dining, sightseeing and expeditions on Catalina Island for 118 years, recently completed major renovations to the Hotel Atwater in Avalon... Read more >> Chicago Hotel Launches ‘Kosher Kitchen’ The InterContinental Chicago Magnificent Mile has announced the opening of a kosher kitchen that will be used for banquets held within the hotel. With a new menu provided by Danziger Catering, guests who live a kosher lifestyle will be able to choose from a wide variety of custom options when planning a function in one of the property’s event spaces... Read more >> Oregon Want to hold a green meeting in Oregon? A bigger challenge is not to. Whether they are relaxing with a frosty pint at a neighborhood brew pub or grabbing a cup of coffee between sessions at the Oregon Convention Center, meeting attendees in Oregon experience sustainability in action at every turn... Read more >> Oregon News >> Colorado Mountain Resorts From craft brews to sparkling champagne, adventure to relaxation, Colorado defies description— and gravity —offering a bounty of high-altitude venues and experiences... Read more >> Colorado Mountain Resorts News >> Hawaii, The Big Island Hawaii Island is a place of ancient traditions, from luaus to lava flows, that have been enlivening visits for eons. But that doesn’t mean you can’t find anything new for attendees to experience in paradise... Read more >> Southern Arizona The last of the contiguous states to join the Union in 1912, Arizona celebrated its centennial this year with a number of commemorative events and legacy projects... Read more >> Southern Arizona News >> San Francisco Travel For your citywide or self-contained meetings the San Francisco Travel Association provides a full-service convention sales and services staff. With $56 million in Moscone Center improvements (now LEED Gold certified), 33,000 hotel rooms and a full calendar of only-in-San Francisco events coming in 2013, prepare to be amazed. Don’t miss the SFJAZZ Center and Exploratorium openings, the World Baseball Classic and the 34th America’s Cup. For more on what’s up in San Francisco, visit www.sanfrancisco.travel. Risks and Rewards: Crowd Sourcing an Event for 30,000 People Have you thought about giving up more control of your conference? What is holding you back? There is no guarantee your attendees will achieve their goals and objectives, even if you continue to plan your event the way you always have... Read more >> Surround Yourself with Great People Great people are the backbone to any organization. Identifying the right people is a skill that requires a little strategy and practice. Here are some tips for preparing for an interview... Read more >> Easy Entertainment How would you like entertainment on your meeting program itinerary guaranteed to “wow” your attendees with limited logistical details for you? It sounds too good to be true, right? It’s not, if you integrate a meeting or incentive with major happenings like the music and food festivals and cultural and sports events scheduled... Read more >> Gaming: Nevada is Back on a Roll What a difference a few years can make to a tourism-dependent gaming state like Nevada. Las Vegas is now set to top its visitor-volume record achieved in 2007, while its hotels still have some way to go for their occupancy rates to recover... Read more >> Perfection in Paradise The Kahala Hotel & Resort has announced its Perfect Meeting and Incentive Package for group travel in 2013. The new offer is priced starting at $295 per night (subject to room availability, Run of House category)... Read more >> Capital Savings Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants is offering a special opportunity to experience the 57th Presidential Inauguration, taking place January 21, 2013. The boutique hotel company is offering up two of its hotels—in their entirety—to two groups of colleagues, friends or family to enjoy... Read more >> Site Scene The Peninsula Beverly Hills completed a renovation of its 193 guest rooms, 36 suites and 16 villas. The Peninsula has 3,892 square feet of flexible function space, accommodating events from board meetings to verandah receptions... Read more >> Short Takes The FlyOver Canada virtual flight attraction is scheduled to open in spring 2013 at the iconic Canada Place building, home to the Vancouver Convention Center, along the city’s waterfront. The $15 million experience will operate in a former IMAX theater... Read more >> San Diego Hotel Spices Things Up -10/23/12 IMEX America Ready to Roll in Vegas -10/9/12 New Vegas Entertainment District Names First Tenants -10/2/12 Loews Partners with Homeland Security - 9/25/12 Glitzy Upgrade for Hawaiian Venue - 9/18/12 Disability Groups’ Hotel Boycott Pushes AH&LA To Act - 9/11/12 Wi-Fi Fees Waived At 500 Accor Hotels - 9/04/12 San Diego CC Accused Of Inaccurate Reporting - 8/28/12 U.S. Travel Going To RNC, DNC Conventions - 8/21/12 New Look for Historic San Francisco Hotel - 8/14/12 Travel Industry Making Impact on Washington - 8/7/12 October 30, 2012 Dan Hockaday Hotel Murano Tacoma, WA Are there any quirky places we should check out? The Red Hot in Tacoma's 6th Avenue district is one of my favorite places to send guests who are looking for something a little different. The Red Hot is a bar with a menu boasting all sorts of gourmet hot dogs with all sorts of toppings from cream cheese and tomatoes to peanut butter with bacon. Aside from the food menu, a huge selection of rotating craft beers makes returning to the Red Hot a must. The decor is great with vintage bicycles and a huge collection of tap handles hanging from the ceiling. Red Hot has weekly specials on Wine and select beers as well as a movie night every Thursday where memorable movies both new and classic are shown on a giant screen... Read more >> View All Insights >> Ray Bloom, Chair IMEX Group On Location: Tyler Davidson at IMEX “If you have a meeting that is on Halloween, what activities are you planning?”