In This
Issue
 Meetings
That Hit
the
Jackpot
Mining
Useful
Web
Sites
From
the
Field:
'21'
Club,
New York
City
Poll:
Have You
Ever...?
Around
the
Industry
Krisam
& GEP
News
Meetings That Hit the Jackpot
Imagine
walking
up to a
roulette
table,
plunking
down
$1,000,
hitting
the
number,
and
confidently
saying
“Let it
ride.”
Everyone
gets to
be a big
spender
with no
fear of
losing
their
shirt
... in
Casino
101 at
the
Mohegan
Sun.
Created
especially
for
meetings,
this
beginner’s
course
in
gaming
lets you
learn
the
ropes
while
betting
with
non-value
gaming
chips.
It has
proved
so
popular
at the
Connecticut
resort
and
casino
that the
number
of
courses
offered
has
increased
more
than
10-fold
in just
three
years.
Learn
more
about
Casino
101
and
other
benefits
of
scheduling
meetings
and
incentives
at sites
with
gaming.
Mining
Useful
Web
Sites
How
would
you
like:
-
Diagrams
of
all
the
ways
to
set
up a
meeting
room
and
a
guide
to
the
pros
and
cons
of
each?
-
A
searchable
glossary
of
industry
terms
from
food
and
beverage
to
insurance
to
technology?
-
A
site
inspection
checklist?
-
A
program
planning
timeline?
-
Sample
session
evaluation
forms?
So much
is
available
on the
Internet
these
days but
the
trouble
is
finding
it. The
Internet
offers
speed
and
depth.
Unfortunately,
they
cancel
each
other
out. To
help you
get some
gems out
of the
vast
Internet
ocean,
here’s a
digest
of some
good
sites
and
treasures
within
them.
From the Field: '21' Club, New York City
They
have no
sleeping
rooms.
But the
rooms
they
have
awaken
all
senses
with
their
marvelous
cuisine
and
setting.
Whether
you are
local to
New York
or a
visitor
in town,
’21’
Club is
the
place to
plan the
most
memorable
of
events
for your
guests.
And,
’21’
promises
such
expert
service
that you
can be a
guest at
your own
event.
Even
better,
now
through
March
31, they
are
offering
15 % off
food and
beverage
charges
for
their
friends.
Ten
luxurious
private
dining
rooms. A
history
like
none
other in
New
York. A
favorite
of the
famous
from
Hemingway
to
Hellmann
to
Hitchcock.
You’ll
follow
in some
pretty
impressive
footsteps.
Visit
'21'
Club
now..
Question
of the
Month:
Have You
Ever...?
A recent
Meeting
News
Survey
shows
that the
top
consideration
for
planners
when
chosing
an urban
hotel is
the
quality
of the
meeting
space
and of
the
guestrooms.
For
resort
locations,
quality
of
guestrooms
came out
slightly
ahead of
meeting
space.
We'd
like to
know if
you’ve
selected
a place
recently
because
of
something
a little
different
such as
a
special
amenity
or
location.
Take our
poll.
Last
month's
poll
results:
How Do
You
Handle
Site
Inspections?
It seems
true
that
personal
on-site
inspections
are
becoming
more
difficult
to
manage
as only
21% of
respondents
said
they
always
visit a
site
themselves.
Advice
from
others
and
virtual
web
tours
ranked
relatively
high.
And, at
least
one
respondent
admitted
to
booking
a place
site
unseen.
Here are
the
results:
How do
you
handle
site
inspections?
(check
all that
apply)
-
Always
in
person.
21%
-
Usually
in
person.
18%
-
Advice
from
others
who’ve
been
there.
17%
-
Virtual
web
tour.
14%
-
Already
know
the
venue.
11%
-
Local
DMC.
6%
-
Hotel
rep.
6%
-
Site
inspection
service.
5%
-
Site
unseen.
3%
Around the Industry
-
Industry
survey
predicts
longer
lead
times
for
meeting
space
and
hotels
Meeting
space
lead
time
is
projected
to
increase
by
38%
in
2006,
from
29
weeks
to
40
weeks
on
average,
according
to
FutureWatch
2006,
an
annual
research
report
from
Meeting
Professionals
International
(MPI)
and
American
Express.
Lead
time
for
hotel/support
services
is
forecasted
to
jump
37%
from
23
weeks
to
31
weeks.
Additionally,
76%
of
client-side
planners
and
81%
of
suppliers
expect
hotel
rates
to
increase
in
2006.
Learn
more
in
MPI's
wide-ranging
industry
survey
(PDF
format).
-
Labor
tops
ISHC
list
of
Top
Ten
Issues
for
2006
The
International
Society
of
Hospitality
Consultants
has
announced
its
top
ten
list
of
global
issues
and
challenges
for
the
industry
in
2006.
The
list
is
based
on
member
input
at
its
annual
conference
in
San
Diego.
They
are:
1.
Changing
Labor
Conditions
2.
Escalating
Operating
Costs
3.
Impact
of
Rising
Energy
Costs
on
Consumer
Travel
&
Hotel
Demand
4.
Escalating
Renovation
and
Construction
Costs
5.
Havoc
from
Recent
Natural
Disasters
6.
Growing
Global
Uncertainly
About
Safety
and
Security
7.
Evolving
Customer
Expectations
8.
Condo-hotels
Growing
Rapidly
9.
Accelerating
Change
and
Merging
of
Technologies
10.
Increasing
Consolidation
of
Hotel
Brands/Companies
Read
more
about
ISHC's
Top
Ten
Issues
and
Challenges
for
2006.
-
Atlanta
Airport
Absolute
Busiest
According
to
the
Federal
Aviation
Administration,
Atlanta’s
Hartsfield-Jackson
Airport
has
passed
Chicago
O'Hare
in
takeoffs
and
landings,
further
securing
its
status
as
the
nation’s
busiest.
For
several
years
it
has
led
O’Hare
in
number
of
departing
passengers.
From
January
to
October
2005,
Atlanta
saw
32.6
million
passengers
versus
26.2
million
for
O’Hare.
Dallas
Fort
Worth
was
third.
-
Lonely
Planet
Names
Hot
Spots
for
2006
Latin
America
is
in
this
year
according
to
Lonely
Planet’s
list
of
top
ten
hot
spots
for
2006.
Compiled
from
selections
from
its
U.S.
based
staff,
the
list
includes
four
countries
south
of
the
U.S.
border
with
Argentina
at
the
top.
More
great
lists
can
be
found
in
Lonely
Planet’s
just
published
“Bluelist,”
a
328-page
compendium
of
top
places
to
go
and
things
to
do
around
the
world,
compiled
from
its
globe-girdling
staff,
authors
and
on-the-road
travelers.
Here
are
the
2006
hotspots:
1.
Argentina
2.
China
3.
Nicaragua
4.
Croatia
5.
Mexico
6.
Antarctica
7.
Canada
8.
India
9.
Columbia
10.
Germany
Get
the
reasons
behind
the
top
2006
hotspot
picks.
Krisam & GEP News
Get
updates
on
Krisam
member
properties
& GEP
partners
here.
For more
information
on any
of the
partners
below,
contact
your
Krisam
or GEP
representative
directly
or
email us
today.
Event
Insider
Changes
Frequency
Beginning
this
month,
The
Event
Insider
will be
delivered
to your
e-mail
inbox
every
other
month.
You’ll
find the
same
practical
information
and
useful
destination
suggestions
only on
a new
six
times a
year
schedule.
Look for
the
newsletter
toward
the end
of
January,
March,
May,
July,
September,
and
November.
And,
remember
to
check
out the
newsletter
archives
for
articles
you may
have
missed
or
information
you’d
like to
return
to.
Krisam
Group
Member
News
GEP
Partner
News
KRISAM
GROUP
MEMBER
NEWS
New
Krisam
Member
Hotels &
Resorts
*
Graves
601
Hotel,
Minneapolis,
MN --
255
guestrooms,
13,301
total
square
feet of
meeting
space
*
Gaylord
Texan
Resort
and
Convention
Center,
Dallas,
Texas --
1,511
guest
rooms,
including
124
luxury
suites,
400,000+
total
square
feet of
meeting
space
Fiesta
Americana
Grand
Coral
Beach
Cancun
Reopens
Jan. 31
Fiesta
Americana
Grand
Coral
Beach
Cancun
is set
to
reopen
on
January
31, 2006
after
extensive
renovation
and
repairs
of
damages
caused
by
hurricane
Wilma in
October
2005.
The
hotel is
a Five
Diamond
Triple A
and
Leading
Hotel of
the
World
The 600
suites
have all
been
restored
to their
former
state of
luxury
and all
restaurants,
bars and
recreational
areas
have
been
spruced
up and
will be
in full
swing by
January
31.
Krisam
properties
strong
in
Planners
Choice
Awards
Eight
Krisam
Group
hotels
and 11
resorts
were
named in
the
Meeting
News Top
25
Planners
Choice
Awards.
The
properties
honored
were:
HOTEL
TOP 25
-
Charleston
Place
-
Fontainebleau
Resort
-
The
Founders
Inn
-
Loews
Miami
Beach
Hotel
-
Millennium
Broadway
Hotel
-
Omni
Interlocken
Resort
-
The
Peabody
Orlando
-
Sofitel
Lafayette
Square
RESORT
TOP 25
-
Amelia
Island
Plantation
-
Arizona
Biltmore
Resort
&
Spa
-
The
Broadmoor
-
Doral
Golf
Resort
&
Spa
-
Gaylord
Palms
Resort
&
Convention
Center
-
The
Homestead
-
Pinehurst
Resort
-
The
Registry
Resort
&
Club
-
Saddlebrook
Resort
-
The
Sanctuary
at
Kiawah
Island
-
Sanibel
Harbour
Resort
&
Spa
Sanctuary
Chef
Invited
to
Challenge
the Iron
Chef
Executive
Chef
Beau
MacMillan
of
Sanctuary
Resort
on
Camelback
Mountain,
Paradise
Valley,
Arizona,
and its
acclaimed
elements
restaurant,
has been
invited
to
appear
as a
challenger
on the
Food
Network’s
popular
series,
Iron
Chef
America.
Chef
MacMillan
is the
first
resort
chef, as
well as
the
first
chef
from
Arizona
to go up
against
the Iron
Chefs in
Kitchen
Stadium.
This
month
MacMillan
and his
team
travel
to New
York
where
the show
will be
taped in
advance
of a
late
winter
airdate.
Until
the
show’s
taping
begins,
MacMillan
will not
know
which
Iron
Chef he
will
face in
the
culinary
showdown,
nor will
he know
what the
secret
ingredient
is.
These
answers,
as well
as who
is
revealed
as the
winner,
will
only be
known to
the
public
after
the
first
airdate.
MacMillan
hails
from
Plymouth,
Massachusetts,
where he
took a
job at
the age
of 16 at
the
Crane
Brook
Tea Room
in
nearby
Carver.
He has
also
served
at La
Vielle
Maison
in Boca
Raton,
FL; and
the
Hotel
Bel Air
and
Shutters
on the
Beach in
Santa
Monica.
He was
recruited
to
Arizona
in 1998
to
develop
the
cuisine
at The
Ranch on
Camelback,
which
later
became
Sanctuary
on
Camelback.
MacMillan
has
cooked
at The
James
Beard
House
and for
Bon
Appetit
magazine
in New
York.
In other
news,
The
Sanctuary
on
Camelback
recently
received
Travel &
Leisure
magazine
500 and
Conde
Nast
Gold
List
awards.
Doral
Unveils
“New
Look”
Great
White
Golf
Course
And
Breaks
Ground
for New
Meeting
Facility
Doral
Golf
Resort &
Spa,
Miami,
Fl., a
Marriott
Resort,
officially
reopened
the “New
Look”
Great
White
Golf
Course,
a Greg
Norman
design,
in
December.
Doral
features
five
championship
golf
courses,
including
the
famed
Blue
Monster
Golf
Course,
and
hosts
the PGA
Tour’s
Ford
Championship
at Doral
The
7,171-yard,
par-72
Great
White, a
Greg
Norman
Signature
Course,
is the
only
golf
course
of its
kind in
the
Southeastern
United
States
that
utilizes
coquina
--
crushed
shells
-- as
the
primary
design
element
on every
hole.
The
Great
White
blends
demanding
fairways
with
hundreds
of palm
trees
and
sporadic
Scottish-style
bunkers.
Water
comes
into
play on
14 of
the 18
holes,
which
makes
for a
challenging,
but
picturesque
course.
One of
the
country’s
premier
golf
resort
destinations,
Doral is
in the
midst of
a
three-year,
$40
million
renovation
backed
by the
resort’s
owner,
CNL
Hotels &
Resorts,
Inc. As
part of
the
investment,
several
million
dollars
have
been
earmarked
toward
enhancements
to all
five
golf
courses,
the
creation
of a new
golf
range
and
other
significant
golf
developments.
In 2006,
the Blue
Monster
golf
course
will
undergo
a
renovation
of the
greens,
bunkers
and cart
paths.
New
Meeting
Facility
and
Ballroom
In
October
Doral
officially
broke
ground
on a new
60,000
square-foot
conference
&
meeting
facility,
featuring
a 24,000
square-foot
ballroom.
The new
$25
million
structure
is
scheduled
to open
in early
2007.
With its
addition,
Doral
will
feature
more
than
110,000
square-feet
of
indoor
and
outdoor
event
space,
suitable
to host
multiple
group
functions
of many
sizes.
The
self-contained
new
facility
will
include
a state
of the
art
kitchen
where
meeting
planners
can take
advantage
of the
skills
of the
resort’s
renowned
chefs.
The
ballroom
can be
sectioned
into 12
breakout
rooms
for
great
flexibility.
Doral is
also
completing
enhancement
to the
pool
area and
to
guestroom
bedding.
The
693-room
Doral
Golf
Resort &
Spa
joined
Marriott’s
first-class
portfolio
of 60
resorts
worldwide
in
August
of 2004.
Marriott
Golf
oversees
more
than
150,000
rounds
of golf
per year
on
Doral’s
five
championship
golf
courses,
managing
more
than 500
corporate
and
group
outings
per
year.
Registry
Resort &
Club
Relaunches
with New
Name,
Redesign,
and
Additions
In late
December,
The
Registry
Resort &
Club,
Naples,
Florida,
relaunched
itself
with a
new
name,
Naples
Grande
Resort &
Club,
and
redesign,
officially
unveiling
a
soaring
new
lobby,
the
first of
many
enhancements
now
underway
at the
property.
The
multi-million
dollar
renaissance
will
also
feature
a
redesign
of the
lounge,
banquet
facility,
bungalows
and
accommodations
created
by world
-renowned
designer
Robert
Barry of
Barry
Design,
as well
as the
additions
of a
state-of-the-art
Golden
Door spa
and the
Strip
House, a
signature
steakhouse
restaurant.
The
5,700
square
foot
banquet
facility
overlooking
the pool
area,
will
feature
floor to
ceiling
windows
on two
sides,
offering
sweeping
views of
the
tropical
landscape
and
mangrove
preserve.
A fire
pit
bordered
by a
seating
corner
will be
added to
the
outdoor
area
The
Strip
House
restaurant
is set
to debut
in late
2006
while
the
Golden
Door Spa
will
open in
2007.
The 50
bungalows
are
currently
being
refurbished
and will
join 395
recently
renovated
guestrooms
and 29
tower
rooms.
Amenities
at the
resort
include
15
Har-Tru
tennis
courts;
23
waterfront
acres;
the
beach at
Clam
pass
with
snorkeling,
sailing,
windsurfing,
canoeing,
and
kayaking;
five
swimming
pools
and the
Mangrove
Mountain
100-foot
Waterslide;
numerous
children’s
programs;
and
exclusive
access
to the
private,
championship
18-hole
Rees
Jones-designed
Naples
Grande
Golf
Club.
Beaver
Run to
Begin
Remodeling
in
Spring
The
“Coppertop
remodel”
project
at
Beaver
Run
Resort
and
Conference
Center,
Colorado,
will
begin as
soon as
the
lifts
close
for the
2006 ski
season,
approximately
April
24, 2006
and will
continue
until
sometime
around
Thanksgiving
2006.
The plan
is to
start
with the
demolition
portion
of the
project,
which
stands
to be
the most
disruptive
segment
with the
most
disruptive
time
running
from mid
April
until at
least
mid May
according
to Bruce
A.
Horii,
director
of Sales
and
Marketing.
The
project
will
include
the
replacement
of the
Coppertop
building
which is
adjacent
to the
conference
center
building
and will
affect
the
current
bar,
Tiffany’s,
just off
of the
main
lobby. A
new set
of
elevators
will be
added
and the
interior
of the
building
will be
remodeled.
The
finished
product
will
yield
additional
function
space on
three
levels
of
Coppertop,
a new
Sports
Bar
(currently
Tiffany’s)
and a
very
attractive
patio
and deck
area.
GEP
PARTNER
NEWS
New
GEP
Partners
*
Motive
Prague
*
Condor
Travel
serving
Peru,
Ecuador,
Chile
and
Bolivia
An
Olympic
Luger in
the
Family
Preston
Griffall,
son of
Keith
Griffall,
president
of
Western
Leisure,
the Salt
Lake
City
DMC, has
just
been
named to
the
United
States
Olympic
luge
team. He
will
compete
in the
double
luge at
Torino
in
February.
Preston
and his
luge
partner,
Dan Joye
of
California,
have
steadily
risen
through
the
ranks of
the
world
cup to
win the
second
spot on
the
Olympic
team for
2006.
The
21-year
old has
been
sliding
since he
was just
11, and
grew up
practicing
luge at
the Utah
Olympic
Park.
Father
Keith
plans to
be in
Italy to
cheer
him on.
BBC
helps
Honor
Clean-Up
Crews
and
Needy
Tots
BBC:
Bonnie
Boyd and
Company
was
thrilled
to
partner
with
Phillips
and
Jordan,
Inc. of
Knoxville,Tennessee,
in
putting
together
a true
New
Orleans
Barbecue
to help
show
appreciation
to the
workers
who are
cleaning
up New
Orleans
after
Hurricane
Katrina.
The cost
of
admission
to the
Hurricane
Katrina
Subcontractor
Appreciation
Barbecue
was a
toy for
Toys for
Tots.
What a
surprise
it was
to all,
Bonnie
Boyd,
president,
reports,
when
Durr
Equipment
showed
up with
a dump
truck
full of
brilliantly
wrapped
presents
of all
shapes
and
sizes.
When all
was said
and
done,
three
full
dump
trucks
were
filled
to the
brim
with
presents.
“Imagine
the
children
who
benefited
by the
marvelous
generosity
of all
the
women
and men
who are
here
cleaning
our
city, ”
Bonnie
proclaimed.
Upcoming
Industry
Events -
2006
| February 8 |
Blue Chip Event
Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers, New York, NY
Reception, Dinner and Entertainment |
| February 8 |
Krisam & GEP Booth at MPI Northern California Chapter Trade Show, Booth #407
Oakland Marriott City Center, Oakland, CA |
| March 22 |
Krisam Group Chicago Trade Show & Reception
Intercontinental Chicago, Chicago, IL
|
| March 23 |
Krisam Group Chicago Client Networking Event
Medinah Country Club, Medinah, IL
Luncheon |
| April 4 |
Krisam Group New York Trade Show & Reception
Millennium Broadway, New York, NY |
April 6
|
Krisam Group Philadelphia Trade Show & Reception
Loews Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA |
| April 13 |
NEMICE 2006 - Krisam Group & GEP Booth
Boston Convention and Exposition Center, Boston, MA |
See the Calendar of Events for more information. Or if you are interested in attending one of these events, please send an email to newsletter@theeventinsider.com. |
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