Oct 22, 2020
Hyatt Regency Seattle, which debuted in December 2018 and is currently the largest hotel in the Pacific Northwest, reopened to the public on Oct. 1 for the first time since closing its doors in March when the pandemic began.
Just 15 miles from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and two short blocks from the Washington State Convention Center, Hyatt Regency Seattle and sister properties Grand Hyatt Seattle and the boutique Hyatt Olive 8 are part of what is now called “A Seattle Collection.” Here are the highlights.
Property Highlights
The design elements throughout the property give it a… more
Oct 14, 2020
With ski season fast approaching, Big Sky Resort in Montana is thinking outside the — ahem, gondola — to reimagine how guests will be able to attend meetings and conferences at ski resorts. Thanks to a new program called Hybrid Mountain Meetings, conference organizers will be able to plan virtual events, presentations and speakers broadcasted from within the resort at Yellowstone Conference Center, while attendees remain socially distanced and comfortable inside their resort accommodations.
At 55,000 square feet, the resort’s Yellowstone Conference Center is one of the largest conference… more
Oct 09, 2020
While the California Department of Public Health’s latest guidelines continue to prohibit in-person gatherings, San Diego meeting venues will be ready the moment that changes. “Our tourism industry collectively has instituted best-in-class protocols and procedures so meeting planners and attendees should feel comfortable when it is time to welcome them back,” says Julie Coker, president and CEO of San Diego Tourism Authority.
As part of the new measures, San Diego’s largest venue — the 2.6 million-square-foot San Diego Convention Center — has achieved GBAC STAR accreditation after… more
Oct 06, 2020
The home of the Packers will also be home to an expansive new event venue by January 2021. Resch Expo, a 125,000-square-foot, column-free exposition center, is located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, adjacent Lambeau Field in the city’s entertainment district. Together with the existing Resch Center — which opened in 2002 and hosts events from concerts to trade shows — it will make up the new Resch Complex.
More than 700 hotel rooms and a dozen restaurants are within easy walking distance of the complex, complementing the city’s more than 4,500 total hotel rooms.
Design of the non-union Resch Expo… more
Oct 02, 2020
In a rather bold move amidst a tumultuous year for the tourism industry, Visit Spokane has unveiled a restructuring of its business model that will lead to a short-term reduction in revenue but ultimately open up other avenues of funding and allow the organization to live more fully into its mission of marketing the whole region.
“We found our old model to be antiquated and restrictive,” says Meg Winchester, president and CEO of Visit Spokane. “The hope is that by restructuring the way we do business we will create better partnerships with Spokane’s hospitality community, which will make… more
Sep 29, 2020
Opening a new convention hotel in the middle of a pandemic may sound preposterous to some. Yet things went on as planned in Rockford, Illinois, which opened the brand-new Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront in early July.
The new hotel is the first full-service property in the Rockford area and located in the center of downtown, which has seen a lot of activity over recent years—think new breweries, restaurants, UW Health Sports Factory and the 2013 renovation of BMO Harris Bank Center. “Talk about a gamechanger in terms of making our downtown a destination,” says Nick Povalitis,… more
Sep 28, 2020
As part of Phase 4 of Governor Andrew Cuomo’s New York Forward plan, meeting venues in New York City are now able to host in-person gatherings of up to 50 people at under 33 percent of the venue’s capacity. Planners can add to these numbers by bringing additional attendees in virtually; that’s why a number of New York venues are embracing the hybrid meetings concept.
“Our world-class venues have adapted to meet the current moment with innovative new hybrid models that will help us to safely welcome meeting delegates and event attendees back to the five boroughs,” said Fred Dixon, president… more
Sep 25, 2020
Meetings in Seattle are about to be back in business. Washington State Governor Jay Inslee has modified the state’s Phase 2 and Phase 3 restrictions around business meetings, professional development training and testing, and similar activities, effective Sept. 21. According to the new guidance, the Governor’s Safe Start reopening plan will permit meetings and business events to be held at an indoor capacity of 30 percent or 200 guests, whichever is less (excluding venue staff).
Adherence to strict COVID-19 protocols must be followed, including implementation of social distancing… more
Sep 17, 2020
MGM Resorts International will complete the reopening of all its properties around the world following pandemic closures when Park MGM and NoMad Las Vegas open their doors on Sept. 30. Of note, the dual-branded property will become The Strip’s first fully smoke-free casino resort.
“Opening Park MGM and NoMad represent significant milestones, as they are the last of our properties to welcome back employees and guests alike,” said Bill Hornbuckle, president and CEO of MGM Resorts. “The last six months have presented extraordinary challenges, and I could not be prouder of the MGM Resorts team… more
Aug 26, 2020
Following the implementation of a “back on track” reopening program that included new health and safety measures directed by a local task force, Indianapolis has seen a surge in meetings activity. In the four-week period following the July 7 reopening of Indiana Convention Center (ICC) — which recently spent $7 million on health and safety improvements — the city successfully hosted 18 meetings and events with a total of more than 40,000 attendees.
“With more than 50 percent of the nation’s population within a day’s drive of Indy, coupled with the health upgrades to our center, we’ve seen a… more
Partner Voices
Just when it seems like Las Vegas can’t get any bigger, brighter or more exciting for groups, MGM Resorts raises the bar again. The company continues to invest and innovate across its portfolio of Las Vegas resorts, with new attractions and upgraded experiences for attendees of all interests.
Remodeled Guest Rooms
MGM Grand is the largest single hotel in the world with over 5,000 guest rooms and an 850,000-square-foot conference center. It is home to the newly remodeled MGM Grand Studio Tower—700 reimagined guest rooms with a fun mid-century vibe. Nearby, the iconic New York-New York Las more