Arizona
Omni Hotels & Resorts announced plans to construct a hotel in downtown Tempe. Working with USA Place, Omni plans to create a multiuse development, including the headquarters of USA Basketball, a 4,500-seat arena and a 30,000-square-foot conference center at the 330-room Omni. Construction is scheduled to begin this year and conclude in late 2015.
California
Chef Wolfgang Puck’s WP24 Restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles unveiled new Chinese-inspired menus, which attendees can enjoy in the rooftop garden or indoor function space. The restaurant and lounge can seat up to 80 for daytime events, or accommodate up to 400 for an evening cocktail reception. The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles offers 123 guest rooms and 100,000 square feet of function space.
The Meritage Resort in Napa unveiled a new deck space, designed for group functions of up to 200 people. The resort offers an additional 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including two large ballrooms and three covered terraces.
Colorado
Denver’s Curtis–a Doubletree by Hilton hotel completed a $3.4 million expansion of its meeting space, adding a 2,500-square-foot patio with fireplaces. Indoors, the new Curtis Four Square ballroom measures 4,200 square feet and can seat 260 guests. The two spaces are connected by a retractable glass wall.
The new Renaissance Denver Downtown is scheduled to open in December in the historic Colorado National Bank building. The 230-room property will offer 6,000 square feet of function space, including three board rooms located in the bank’s original vaults, complete with 33-inch steel doors. Decor will include 16 original murals by Western artist Allen Tupper True.
Hotel Madeline Telluride created new Rocky Mountain team-building challenges for corporate groups. Showcasing the surrounding mountains, the adventures include a historic Telluride orienteering quest, a winter rescue challenge that teaches participants wilderness safety protocol, and off-road races in the nearby San Juan Mountains. Hotel Madeline offers 4,000 square feet of function space and is next door to the Telluride Conference Center.
Hawaii
The boutique Park Shore Waikiki on Oahu unveiled a $10 million renovation, updating its lobby, guest rooms and outdoor areas. The 221-room hotel features two on-site restaurants and is located two miles from the Hawaii Convention Center.
Oregon
Inn at the Commons will open in Medford this fall. The full-service convention hotel will add 118 guest rooms and 9,000 square feet of function space that will be able to accommodate as many as 900 guests. Medford’s downtown is experiencing an urban revival, with the opening of a new park and a growing restaurant scene.
Washington
The Spokane Convention Center celebrated the groundbreaking of its final expansion project this summer. The center currently offers more than 100,000 square feet of exhibit space, 23 meeting rooms and access to the 100-acre Riverfront Park along the Spokane River. New construction will add 20,000 square feet of space, allowing Spokane to pursue larger conferences and making it possible for multiple groups to use the center simultaneously.