HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – NOVEMBER 2021

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Rebranded Sal Y Mar Rooftop Bar & Events Venue atop the dual-branded Aloft and Element Hotel in Midtown Tampa, FL has rental deals for holiday events.

The job market is much better than has been pondered, worried over, and misrepresented according to the latest numbers released Nov. 5 by the U.S Labor Department. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 531,000 in October, beating the estimate of 450,000, states the report. “This is the kind of recovery we can get when we are not sidelined by a surge in Covid cases,” said Nick Bunker, economic research director at job placement site Indeed. “If this is the sort of job growth we will see in the next several months, we are on a solid path.” Best of all for the hospitality, leisure, and meetings & events are that these industries have regained 2.4 million positions lost during the pandemic as more than 164,000 Americans have now returned to restaurants and vacations.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – OCTOBER 2021

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Pueblo Bonito’s Mexican resorts offer Day of the Day menus and events.

DAY OF THE DEAD HOLIDAY IS NOT HALLOWEEN

Yes, I know people dress up for Halloween in makeup and clothing that reference the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos), but for Mexicans, the two holidays are vastly different. At Pueblo Bonito resorts (Los Cabos, Mexico), the holiday is celebrated with unique dining options that honor the memory of departed family members and friends. The Day of the Dead is commemorated on Nov. 1 – 2 (All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day according to the Christian calendar) to coincide with the fall maize harvest. Dia de los Muertos has been recognized by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization) on its Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. I have never celebrated Dia de los Muertos, but the food offerings sure make me plan for it in the future. At Cibola at Montecristo Luxury Villas, located high on a bluff overlooking the ocean, breakfast will feature Mexican hot chocolate and pan de muerto, a traditional sugary roll dotted with anise seeds and decorated with skulls and bones made from dough. The bones might be arranged in a circle, as in the circle of life.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – LATE SEPTEMBER 2021

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Main dining room rendering of Nobu Restaurant and Lounge at Paris Las Vegas. photo by Studio Pch, Inc.

CAESARS EXPANDS ITS BRANDS

What happens when Caesars Entertainment, Inc. and Nobu Hospitality (the global lifestyle brand founded by Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro and Meir Teper) decide to expand their longstanding partnership? You get two new Nobu Hotels and restaurants at Harrah’s New Orleans and Caesars Atlantic City, a Nobu restaurant at Paris Las Vegas, and a refresh of the first Nobu Hotel at Caesars Palace Las Vegas, opened originally in 2013. Nobu Hotels and restaurants blend modern, cool luxury and minimal Japanese tradition into a lifestyle with products, services, and unparalleled personalized touches. Each location provides a local experience coupled with Nobu’s signature style. Nobu Hotel Caesars Palace was the first Nobu Hotel with 182 guest rooms and suites, including the extravagant rooftop Nobu Villa and one of the world’s largest Nobu restaurants.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – SEPTEMBER 2021

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FLORIDA HOTELS “RAISE THE ROOF FOR HURRICANE IDA RELIEF”

Raise the Roof raised over $7000 for Hurricane Ida Relief

They came. They ate and drank. They donated to the tune of $7,000 in the one-night “Raising the Roof for Hurricane Ida Relief” program. Patrons of four Florida rooftop bars: EDGE Rooftop Cocktail Lounge (Epicurean Hotel in Tampa); Hi-Fi Rooftop Bar (Fenway Hotel in Dunedin); Vantage Rooftop Bar (The Karol Hotel in Clearwater); and Beacon Social Drinkery (Luminary Hotel & Co. in Fort Myers) donated half of the evening’s sales to directly support of those impacted by the storm. The $7,000 was given to the American Red Cross. “It came together fast, but we wanted to give our guests and neighbors a way to quickly and directly help those affected by Hurricane Ida,” said Joe Collier, President of Mainsail Lodging & Development. “It was great to see so many come out at our four hotel rooftop bars to support the cause, with some guests making private donations, including one $1,000 donation from another local business.” To donate: www.RedCross.org.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – AUGUST 2021

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The Saints go marching in to newly-renamed Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, LA.

RENAMED, RENOVATED AND THE BRAND NEW

The kickoff won’t be until February 2025 for the New Orleans Saints and Caesars Entertainment rebrand of New Orleans’ iconic downtown stadium as the Caesars Superdome. The 20-year, exclusive naming-rights partnership means the Caesars Superdome will host all Saints home football games, and Super Bowl LIX to be played in February 2025. The building will also host the 2022 NCAA Men’s Final Four, the annual Sugar Bowl and College Football Playoff contests, a variety of concerts and hundreds of other annual events including Essence Festival, the Bayou Classic football game between Grambling State and Southern University, the New Orleans Bowl and the Louisiana State High School Athletic Association Football Championships. Caesars Superdome will stand as testament to Caesars’ commitment to the New Orleans Saints and to the city of New Orleans as it embarks on a $325 million renovation to transform Harrah’s New Orleans into Caesars New Orleans. “This partnership sends a strong message about the positive future for the New Orleans Saints, Caesars Entertainment, and the entire state of Louisiana,” said Saints Owner Gayle Benson. “

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – JULY 2021

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Sexual Discrimination in golf packages? You’ll have to read on to see which resort chain only thinks men golf. Venue alert: new hotels and renovated properties are vying for your business. The Galapagos say, “Welcome back”!

OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS

The new Crystal River Rapids ride is an exhilarating way to cool off in Gaylord Palms’ Cypress Springs Water Park.

The two-year, $158 million renovation and expansion of the Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center (Kissimmee, FL) has been completed. More than 100,000 sf of meeting space and 306 guest rooms in the new Gulf Coast Tower have been added. Gaylord Palms has 482,745 sf of meeting space, with 76 event rooms and 10,000 sf in the largest space. Florida Exhibition Hall, Florida’s largest in-hotel exhibition facility has 178,500 sf of flexible space. The new meeting spaces add 30,000 sf of breakout space and 30,000 sf of pre-function space. The expansion includes the 306 additional guest rooms, 13,000 sf outdoor terrace and function space, parking garage, and expanded pool offerings. Added fun for adults and youth: the new Crystal River Rapids ride has twists and turns through varied currents amid limestone rock walls in the Cypress Springs Water Park.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – LATE JUNE 2021

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Pose Rooftop Bar and Lounge at Gaylord National

OPEN AND READY FOR BUSINESS

The $64 million renovation of Gaylord National Resort reopened July 1. Located minutes from downtown Washington DC on the Potomac River, the resort has easy access to National Harbor. The redesign includes the guestrooms, signature Pose Rooftop bar and lounge. The redo enhances the 19-story glass atrium, all-season pool, hot tubs with river views, and the resort’s spectacular 1.5-acre garden atrium.

https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/wasgn-gaylord-national-resort-and-convention-center/overview/?

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – JUNE 2021

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Argentinian Grill now at Caesars Palace Bacchanal Buffet in Las Vegas, NV.

If you are new to my Hotel Happenings & Program Promotions monthly (or more often) blog series, then welcome. I began this originally because I worked for a hospitality, meetings & events magazine that focused on events, destinations, technology, food, wine etc. Life had other plans in store, and soon after I created this blog to further and expand my audience, from just “industry” folk to some leisure travel readers. Pre-Covid-19’s global disruptions, I wrote about my personal travel experiences with the intent of telling you what you might experience and to show off my husband Russ’ fabulous photography that captures destinations’ assets. I am a foodie who isn’t snooty. I love to cook and bake, so my blog site has a Tasty section for restaurant reviews, my recipes, and reviews of cooking shows I have judged. I’ve missed the sharing and now that the world is steadier on its healthier direction, I intend to present as many relevant events, resort deals and openings, new technology and other news of this nature as I can. Share your news. Share your comments.

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – MAY 2021

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Galactic characters welcomed to Pensacola International Airport in Florida

I read a lot of news, from the morning Orlando Sentinel newspaper to various professional organization and general news feeds. It would be easy to buy into just one side of reported events, but when one story says the world is returning to normalcy and that tourism and event numbers are exploding, but the next story says the virus is still rampant and if we don’t continue being careful it will worsen… what is one to believe? As an optimist and psychic for events (did you know that part about me?), I am all in for believing that the second half of this year will be far better for the greater number of people than the past year+ has been. So there. You can help. Start by envisioning where you, your family and friends, and your business will be in just a matter of months. Would love to hear your expectations and successes!

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HOTEL HAPPENINGS & PROGRAM PROMOTIONS – APRIL 2021

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Gaylord Grand National in Washington DC reopens July 1.

The $64 million renovation of Gaylord National Resort will finish in time to reopen on July 1 with all new guestrooms. Located minutes from downtown Washington DC on the Potomac River, the resort has easy access to National Harbor, The redesign includes the guestrooms, signature Pose Rooftop bar and lounge. The 19-story glass atrium, all-season pool, hot tubs with river views, and the resort’s spectacular 1.5 acre garden atrium offer updated splendor.

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