The Clift Royal Sonesta Hotel announced Dania Duke is stepping into the role of general manager.  

The World Cup-driven advancements at World of Blue in East Rutherford, New Jersey, include a $100 million comprehensive transformation to the newly rebranded hotel, which takes the place of the former Hilton Hotel.

Detroit’s Dearborn Inn was originally built in 1931 by Henry Ford—the founder of Ford Motor Company. In March 2025, the hotel reopened after an extensive renovation and recently unveiled newly renovated spaces for meetings and events. 

A concept known as “identity disruption,” often the byproduct of change and uncertainty in one’s career, is especially applicable to meeting planners.  

With both the World Cup tournament and the America 250 celebration using the city in a big way, Boston is primed to show the meetings and events industry everything it has to offer.

The 226-room Den Bengaluru, LXR Hotels & Resorts is Hilton’s first LXR property in India, set to open in June. The Hilton offers four meeting rooms and nearly 9,000 square feet of space for 700 guests.

After 36 years on the supplier side of the business, Jim Russell now leads the team of event producers for Maritz, one of the largest meeting and incentive agencies in the world.

The 214-room Virginia Guesthouse Hotel & Conference Center boasts 25,000 square feet of flexible indoor/outdoor meeting space.

Dolly Parton’s SongTeller Hotel and Dolly’s Life of Many Colors Museum is set to open in Nashville this fall. The property features 245 accommodations, including 33 suites and 10,000 square feet of intimate, flexible space for 125 guests.

David Ruiz, executive chef of the Greater Kansas City area’s Overland Park Convention Center, has made quite a mark during his first year and a half leading the facility by upgrading the venue’s cuisine quality, spearheading sustainability efforts and giving back by mentoring the next generation of local culinary professionals.