Connecticut
Mashantucket’s Foxwoods Resort Casino announced the opening of its renovated Rainmaker Expo Center. The center spans 47,075 square feet and can accommodate up to 5,000 guests for events such as tradeshows, corporate meetings and functions, sporting events and specialty Foxwoods activations.
Brand-new features to the center include 43 65-inch customizable monitors throughout, a 2,100-square-foot breakout room that can be used for meetings or meals, and an extensive prefunction area with six registration counters, as well as a soon-to-be-opened outdoor patio.
Foxwoods Resort Casino features six world-class casinos and more than 2,200 rooms, as well as multiple F&B outlets, spas, award-winning golf, state-of-the-art theaters and the Tanger Outlet Mall. The resort also announced a landmark deal with Great Wolf Lodge, set to open in 2024.
[Related: New and Renovated Washington D.C. Hotels and More Eastern News]
Massachusetts
Global luxury hospitality leader AKA opened its second Boston hotel in mid-January, Hotel AKA Boston Common. Previously Kimpton Nine Zero, the 190-room hotel will undergo renovations while remaining open for stays to showcase a chic and eclectic design across the hotel’s lobby, Better Sorts Social Club, guest rooms, suites and 1,000-square-foot penthouse.
Hotel AKA Boston Common’s prime location in the Financial District provides an ideal backdrop for executive retreats, corporate gatherings and social receptions of all sizes across a number of venues that can accommodate up to 130 guests and total 2,400 square feet.
[Related: Massachusetts' New Marriott and More Eastern Hotel News]
Northern Virginia
Hilton Alexandria Mark Center completed a multimillion-dollar renovation featuring a revitalized lobby, public spaces, guest rooms and meeting space, as well the debut of the new Sushi Bar and Marketplace.
The hotel’s 48,000 square feet of refreshed event space includes 37 meeting rooms, all inspired by Georgian and Victorian architecture and the styles of local artists.
The Plaza Ballroom, serving as the largest event space, measures 10,200 square feet, and Hilton Alexandria Mark Center also features a patio, gazebo and evergreen gardens. The premier Sushi Bar now sits in the hotel lobby, adjacent to the bar, and offers a high-end selection of sake and Japanese beers.
Pennsylvania
The Yorktowne Hotel, Tapestry Collection by Hilton announced the grand reopening of the 100-year-old hotel on January 31, marking the 100th Tapestry Collection by Hilton hotel. Located in the heart of downtown York, The Yorktowne Hotel is near popular destinations like Harrisburg, Gettysburg, Hershey and Lancaster. The 123-room hotel offers more than 10,000 square feet of flexible meeting space.
The complete redesign of The Yorktowne Hotel’s interior enhanced meeting spaces with signature amenities and new technology in venues including the Stewart Companies Room, used for private dining; the WellSpan Ballroom, measuring 3,720 square feet with a maximum capacity of 400; and The Graham Rooftop Lounge, offering more than 4,500 square feet and panoramic views of the city.
CVB Rebrands to Note
The Greater Boston CVB (GBCVB) announced its new organizational name and corporate identity, Meet Boston, late last year at its annual meeting.
Launched alongside the unveiling of a new tourism campaign with the theme “Boston Never Gets Old,” Meet Boston’s rebranding from the GBCVB reflects the organization’s plans “to continually elevate Boston across the world,” said Martha J. Sheridan, president and CEO of Meet Boston.
The new Meet Boston corporate identity and tourism campaign was first unveiled to more than 400 hospitality business professionals and saw an “overwhelmingly positive” response, according to the Meet Boston press release.
Shortly into the new year, Meet AC, Atlantic City’s DMO, launched its new branding as Visit Atlantic City with a coinciding website. The Meet AC team worked with industry agency Simpleview over the past year to define its new brand.
Visit Atlantic City embodies a series of “personality traits” set to guide the DMO in marketing materials and plans moving forward: Playful, Bold, Eclectic, Celebratory and Iconic. The five verbs “describe the vibe visitors expect when visiting the destination,” according to the Visit Atlantic City announcement.
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