HOT DEALS!
Save on end of summer packages, such as Atlantis Paradise Island resort.
End of summer savings on multiple Rentyl Resorts properties. Your fourth night with 4+ day booking in select rooms is free on Paradise Island in The Bahamas. Must book by Aug.10 for stays through Oct.21. Save 20% with a booking in Cap Cove Resort in St. Lucia. Must book by Sept. 1 for stays through Oct. 31, 2022. Stay three or more nights at The Cottages in the Cayman Islands and save 15%. Must book by Aug. 28 for stays between Sept. 1 and Nov. 15.
https://rentylresorts.com; 321-888-3509
Ocean views from the bathroom at the new Max Beach Resort (Daytona Beach Shores, FL)
Take advantage of this limited offer through September 30 for a two-night stay and a $50 food & beverage credit at the new Max Beach Resort (Daytona Beach Shores, FL). The 12-story, 72 spacious one-, two- and three-bedroom residence-style suites is the area’s first professionally managed, short-term rental offering that includes enhanced guest amenities for leisure and business travelers. Use Promo Code: MAXGO. The project combined development and hospitality management expertise and resources of Bayshore Capital Inc. and Crescent Hotels & Resorts. Upscale resort amenities include full-service dining and fully stocked residential kitchen, an oceanfront pool with private cabanas, bicycle rentals, and a unique sky-level training center and lifestyle lounge. For business and social gatherings, the resort offers sunrise and sunset event terraces, and a ground-level hospitality suite and deck area. State-of-the-art WiFi, curated background music, floor-to-ceiling glass walls throughout, and design advancements such as increased acoustical isolation, turtle-friendly tinted glass, and smart TVs.
The Bahamas now has non-stop air from Orlando, FL
Fly nonstop from Orlando, FL to Freeport and when you book your travel now through September 10 on Bahamasair!, the official national flag carrier, you can take advantage of this introductory promotional package for $297 (Roundtrip, taxes included). Travel must be scheduled on Sundays and Mondays, and you can enjoy a four-day and three-night getaway or a five-day and four-night getaway in The Bahamas second largest city!
50% off summer rental rates at The Garden Villa (Winter Park, FL). The Garden Villa at Florida Federation of Garden Clubs features a banquet hall, elegantly presented food, courteous service, spectacular gardens, and a relaxing ambiance. 125 Max Capacity/
Events@TheGardenVilla.com; (407) 745-5718
NEWLY OPENED, RENOVATED, AND COMING SOON (ALONG WITH JOBS AVAILABILITY)
Now that 1754 Properties, LLC and partner Argosy Real Estate Partners have acquired the 164-room Best Western Premier in the Southside Deerwood Park submarket of Jacksonville, FL, the hotel will be undergoing a comprehensive, multimillion-dollar renovation. The intent is to transform the property into a full-service upscale hotel. “The Delta by Marriott brand is a natural fit, giving our guests the consistency, reassurance and benefits of Marriott’s reservation system, rewards program, and globally recognized brand while competing in the upscale tier,” said Joe Kelley, Head of Operations of 1754 Properties. According to Glenn Willocks, head of Human Resources for 1754, the company is actively looking to hire dozens of new employees. Interested applicants should contact Willocks at gwillocks@1754properties.com. 1754 Properties LLC has offices in Mexico City and Weston, FL. For over 20 years, the company has focuses primarily on larger full-service hotel properties where it can implement its value-add operational, branding and renovation strategies. Argosy Real Estate Partners specializes in opportunistic, value-add, core-plus and Opportunity Zone strategies in the lower middle market.
www.1754Properties.com; www.argosyrep.com.
Chef Chris Santos opens his new Stanton Social Prime restaurant this winter at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, brought to you by Caesars Entertainment and Tao Group Hospitality. Stanton Social Prime will be located adjacent to OMNIA Nightclub, Tao Group’s mega club at the resort. Stanton Social Prime is hiring for management positions, and candidates may apply online at caesars.com/careers. This new concept will feature iconic menu items from the original Stanton Social restaurant in New York’s Lower East Side, which marked Santos’ first restaurant project and was known for its spectacular shareable dishes featuring prime meats.
www.CaesarsMeansBusiness.com and www.CAESARSFORUM.com.
Journey Mexico is expanding into Costa Rica. The new venture into Central America will be spearheaded by Co-Founder and General Manager Javier Echecopar. As with Journey Mexico, the company will offer high-end and ultra-luxury travel experiences. Journey Costa Rica launches operations in September. Echecopar brings 15 years of experience in luxury adventure travel including founding his own photography-focused travel company in Chile and 11 years working in multiple positions for Abercrombie & Kent in both New York and Chile. “Costa Rica is a small destination with immense potential. It is a country that offers a model for sustainability and well-being that could be replicated widely. At Journey Costa Rica, we aim to be radically sustainable in how we approach travel while offering high touch, creative journeys for the most discerning travelers,” said Echecopar. Journey Mexico has been recognized for designing unique, tailor-made itineraries and 24/7 in-country support for more than 20 years. “We’ve had Costa Rica in our sights for a long time,” said Journey Mexico CEO Zachary Rabinor. “Its biodiversity, Pura Vida culture, and commitment to sustainability align with our ethos and values.”
www.journeycostarica.com; www.journeymexico.com
WAIVERSIGN
WaiverSign digitizes agreements signed repeatedly by clients and participants.
WaiverSign has evolved past just being a liability waiver. The affordable online software empowers businesses by collecting and storing signed waivers and other agreements. Additionally, the Salt Lake City, UT-based company helps customize customer data. Digitized forms that are frequently signed by clients and participants save time overall. When WaiverSign works with new clients, the team converts the business’ documents to an online digital version. These can then be linked to a a website, emails, kiosks, or a QR code. The system that makes it easy for patrons of businesses and organizations to then sign the waivers. Signed documents are then securely stored but retrievable within seconds only by authorized staff. This signing/storage/retrieval feature applies to unlimited documents that may be required by, for example, large sporting events. “Event coordinators are especially appreciative of WaiverSign for helping them secure upwards of what can be thousands of waivers per event,” noted Bob Birrell, WaiverSign’s Senior Business Development Manager. WaiverSign services also include custom branding that includes custom logos, images and colors. Those signing WaiverSign may do so in any of multiple languages available. “We’ve tried to anticipate all of the questions and concerns that businesses and organizations new to the concept of waivers may have,” explained Birrell. “And then we go further in our online Q&A into their concerns, which allows us to address the conveniences of digital compared to the old-fashioned system utilizing paper waivers, and, in a courtroom setting, the benefits of digital compared to paper waivers.” He added, “At only the cost of a sandwich each month, it’s a no-brainer for any small business and still far more cost-effective than paper for large businesses.”
https://www.waiversign.com/; (877) 741-7705.
CAESARS WINS TOP HONORS ON DISABILITY EQUALITY INDEX
I don’t typically name companies for winning awards or this column wouldn’t room for any real news, but I think this award is pretty significant. Caesars Entertainment, the largest casino-entertainment company in the U.S., received a top score on this year’s Disability Equality Index ® (DEI), a joint initiative of the American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) and DisabilityIN. The company’s efforts raised them from an 80 last year to acing their ranking at 100, marking it as one of the best places to work for disability inclusion. The DEI is the world’s most comprehensive benchmarking tool to measure disability workplace inclusion against competitors. “At Caesars, we are committed to embracing disability inclusion as a key facet of our overall Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy,” said Tom Reeg, CEO at Caesars Entertainment. “We consistently review current practices concerning disability inclusion. We know how important inclusion is, and we will continue to work toward progress for our Team Members, guests, and the communities in which we operate.” This year, Caesars Entertainment launched AVID, a new business impact group (BIG) for Team Members across the company’s 50+ properties. AVID, which stands for Awareness of Visible and Invisible Disabilities, is a group dedicated to achieving inclusion and equity for those with disabilities by focusing on business development, community service, networking, and professional development goals. AVID is a virtual forum where Team Members with disabilities, caregivers, and their allies can work together to serve the disability community and create a work environment that is welcoming and accessible for all. Caesars Entertainment’s commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is an integral piece of the company’s CSR framework, PEOPLE PLANET PLAY. Caesars is committed to continuing to bridge the gap and embrace diversity and inclusion by setting measurable actions in all aspects of business. The company’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy encompasses five pillars, including Team Members, suppliers and contractors, communities, guests and advocacy.
GREEN SCREEN PHOTOS TRANSPORT YOUR GUESTS TO… WELL, ANYWHERE!
Pixilated Green Screen photo booth.
Transporting your guests to faraway exotic places has never been easier (or cheaper) thanks to Pixilated’s DIY Green Screen Photo Booth Rentals. DIY Green Screen kits include a photo booth kiosk, chroma key background and tripod stand. You can customize your photos with four different backgrounds for your guests from which to choose to create an amazing immersive experience. Choose your Green Screen Photo Booth Rental + Add-ons, and then enter Promo Code: PIX10 at checkout The business day following your event, pack everything up in its original packaging and drop it at the UPS store. Pre-paid return shipping label included.
www.pixilated.com
THIS BREAKUP IMPACTS HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY
Since 1952, Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP®) has been associated with the Uniform System of Accounts for the Lodging Industry (USALI). In recent editions, HFTP provided expertise support and funding for its publication without reimbursement. Widely used across the globe as the standard for hospitality financial and operational reporting, the successive revisions to the USALI have consistently been a collaborative process between representative industry organizations, ensuring the information presented best represents current reporting standards and industry practices. In 2019, HFTP purchased the rights to the USALI and set about revising the current 11th edition. To start, the association established with AHLA the Global Finance Committee (GFC), comprised of financial leaders representing both groups from the largest U.S. and international hotel brands, operators, and owners. Without delving into the arguments, suffice to say the various entities disagreed on what needed to happen. Due to the disparate interests and business models of HFTP and AHLA, HFTP has determined the best path forward to complete the 12th edition is to do so on its own. All current members of the GFC will be invited to continue the project which will be finalized by the end of the year. It is expected that there will be some vacancies on HFTP’s USALI committee which will maintain a balance of hotel owners, operators, and consultants. Industry experts interested in applying for a vacancy should contact Millicent Athanos, HFTPs Staff Vice, Administration at millicent.athanos@hftp.org. Now the two groups are competing for conference dates and vendors. HITEC North America, established in 1972, is the oldest and largest hospitality technology conference in the world. The upcoming HITEC will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada on June 26–29, 2023.
FESTIVALS
September through December: New riverfront Caloosa Sound Amphitheater kicks off its free concert series, Rockin’ on the River, on Sept. 13, with a performance by classic alternative rockers The FIXX. Located adjacent to Luminary Hotel & Co. in downtown Fort Myers, FL, the series will also feature classic pop rock sounds of Pablo Cruise (Oct. 30); country music legend Lorrie Morgan (Nov. 21); and contemporary swing revivalists Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (Dec. 15). All shows begin at 7 p.m. General admission is free but must be claimed in advance at CaloosaSoundamp.com. A limited number of $35 VIP tickets will be available and will include a reserved seat directly in front of the stage (within the first five rows), one complimentary drink and access to VIP restrooms. There will be $50 Super VIP tickets, as well, which include an exclusive meet-and-greet with the artist. The result of a unique public/private partnership between Luminary Hotel & Co. and the City of Fort Myers, the Caloosa Sound Amphitheater is expected to draw a mix of residents and visitors downtown. Mainsail Lodging & Development has partnered with Tampa-based marketing agency, Mind Stone Marketing Group, LLC, to provide marketing, sales, booking and consultation services for Caloosa Sound Amphitheater. www.LuminaryHotel.com
Nov. 9 – 13: World Food Championships in Dallas, TX. Tickets now on sale for five days of tasting experiences. Live culinary cookoff. https://fairparktix.evenue.net/
Karen Kuzsel is a writer-editor based in the Orlando area who specializes in the hospitality, entertainment, meetings & events industries. She is an active member of International Live Events Association, Meeting Professionals International and the Society of Professional Journalists. She is now serving on the 2022-2023 MPI Independent and Small Business Owners Advisory Board. Karen writes about food & wine, spas, destinations, venues, meetings & events. A career journalist, she has owned magazines, written for newspapers, trade publications, radio and TV. As her alter-ego, Natasha, The Psychic Lady, she is a featured entertainer for corporate and social events. Karen@KarenKuzsel.com; www.karenkuzsel.com; www.ThePsychicLady.com; @karenkuzsel; @thepsychiclady.