Dominican Republic
- Eden Roc at Cap Cana opened in December in the Punta Cana region. The 34-suite luxury resort is managed by Solaya Hotels & Resorts and offers meeting space for small groups and corporate events. For more information, call 809.468.7469 or visit www.edenroccapcana.com.
Florida
- Embassy Suites Orlando-North in Altamonte Springs underwent a $3.5 million renovation, updating public areas that include the atrium, lobby and meeting space. The 277-room hotel caters to business travellers and has 5,200 square feet of event space. For more information, call 407.834.2400 or visit www.emmbassysuites.com.
Georgia
- Atlanta’s 300-room Emory Conference Center Hotel completed a renovation of its LEED-Silver and IACC-certified meeting facility. The ballroom, theaters and meeting spaces were all refurbished. Also new is the adjacent Emory Point mixed-use development with dining and shopping. For more information, call 404.712.6000 or visit www.emoryconferencecenter.com.
Oklahoma
- Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tulsa unveiled a new gaming and entertainment zone, adding 500 electronic games and 15 table games. The expansion replaced a portion of the facility that was destroyed in a 2011 blizzard. Later this year, a 10-story hotel will open, increasing the Hard Rock’s room count to 456. The venue offers 35,000 square feet of event space, including a 23,000-square-foot convention center and 4,800-square-foot ballroom. For more information, call 800.760.6700 or visit www.hardrockcasinotulsa.com.
- The 90-year old Enid Convention Hall, featuring an 11,000-square-foot grand ballroom and other event spaces, recently reopened. A renovation of the neighboring event center is scheduled to be completed in June. For more information, call 580.234.0400 or visit www.enid.org.
Texas
- The 303-room DoubleTree by Hilton Houston Hobby Airport opened and has begun a large renovation that will add a private wine room and executive lounge. A guest room modernization is scheduled to begin this month. The DoubleTree offers 18,000 square feet of function space that can accommodate groups of up to 900. For more information, call 713.645.3000 or visit www.doubletree.com.
- The former Radisson Dallas property near Southern Methodist University was converted to the Holiday Inn Dallas Central-Park Cities and underwent an $8 million refurbishment. The nearby George W. Bush Presidential Library is scheduled to open this spring. The 295-room property has 12,000 square feet of meeting space. For more information, call 214.750.6060 or visit www.holidayinn.com.