Around Town – October 2010

(Editor’s Note: Here’s a collection of newsworthy items from our industry members and South Florida community. HSMAInsider, Julie Wernick)

Scoop, the HSMAI-South Florida Chapter’s online blog, has just celebrated its third anniversary. Congrats!

Southeast Florida:

Sam Nazarian, founder/CEO of Los Angeles-based SBE, plans a $65 million redevelopment of the (closed) Ritz Plaza Hotel at 1701 Collins Ave. It will reopen in spring 2012 as a boutique hotel called the SLS South Beach, with 142 rooms.

In Fort Lauderdale, B Hotels & Resorts is refurbishing the former Holiday Inn-Sunrise, along the ocean at Sunrise Boulevard, into a 240-room and suite hotel. The Fort Lauderdale hotel, which is expected to open in December, will be the first one for the company.

A new 3.4 million square foot rental car facility opened at MIA in July. It houses 16 rental car companies that were previously scattered around the airport.

The Fontainebleau Miami Beach ranked first in the South Florida Business Journal’s list of largest area hotels. The hotel has 1,504 guest rooms. Other hotels in the top five included: The Boca Raton Resort, The Westin Diplomat (Hollywood), Loews Miami Beach, and the Eden Roc (Miami Beach).

According to Smith Travel Research, for the week ended Oct. 2, occupancy in Miami-Dade County rose to 62.4 percent from 54.4 percent in the prior-year period. Occupancy in Broward County rose to 57.2 percent from 53.4 percent. Occupancy in Palm Beach County rose to 50.7 percent from 45.6 percent. Occupancy across the U.S. rose to 61.2 percent from 55.7 percent.

For the week ending September 18, 2010, occupancy rose last week for South Florida hotels, according to Smith Travel Research. Occupancy in Miami-Dade County rose to 62 percent from 54.9 percent in the prior-year period. Occupancy in Broward County rose to 54.2 percent from 51.1 percent. Occupancy in Palm Beach County rose to 44.1 percent from 42.3 percent. This compares to occupancy rates in the US which rose to 63.5 percent from 59.5 percent.

The Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau reported that development taxes increased 11.8 percent in July, to $3.28 million from $2.93 million.

RCL, the world’s second-largest cruise company, reported that revenue for the 3rd quarter improved from1.8 to $2.1 billion.

Palm Beach County hotels have had 10 straight months of occupancy growth and the county leads Florida in percentage of occupancy growth – 11 percent – according to CVB President Jorge Pesquera.

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection awarded a $750,000 grant to Port Everglades to cut diesel emissions as part of a federal program. Broward County, which operates the port, is also contributing $510,000. The idea is to reduce emissions from diesel engines which will result in healthier air at the port and surrounding communities.

The Village at Gulfstream Park has announced the arrival of Symphony in Lights, a spectacular, dancing light show choreographed to the holiday music of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. More than 250,000 LED lights will be affixed to buildings and trees in The Village at Gulfstream Park’s Champions Plaza. Beginning Saturday, November 20th, the blinking, twinkling computer-animated extravaganza will run through December 31st.

Southwest Florida:

Three Paradise Coast Resorts made the Conde Nast Traveler 2010 Reader's Choice Top 100 list for Mainland U.S. Large Resorts: The Ritz-Carlton, Naples beach resort is number 14; The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort, Naples, is number 18; and the Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort is number 70 on the list.

Naples Grande Beach Resort - The Waldorf Astoria Collection, has been named as the #8 tennis resort in the country by Tennis magazine in an article on The Top 50 Tennis Resorts in the U.S

The Naples, Marco Island, Everglades Convention and Visitors Bureau took home two top Henry Awards and was a finalist in an additional four award categories at the annual Flagler Awards, honoring the best in Florida tourism marketing. The CVB won Henry awards in the Mixed Media Campaign and Television categories.

The Ritz-Carlton, Naples is celebrating its upcoming silver 25th anniversary this coming December. The hotel has made plans for a special anniversary celebration concert featuring John Tesh.

The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club has received the prestigious "Pinnacle Award" from Successful Meetings magazine. This marks the seventh consecutive year the resort has captured Successful Meetings' coveted "Pinnacle Award," considered one of the most prestigious awards in the meetings industry and is given only to those hotels and resorts that represent the highest standards of excellence.
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To submit items for future editions, send to jwfranklin1@gmail.comBest, Julie Wernick, HSMAInsider