All year long, those who choreograph Las Vegas nightlife meticulously plot and plan. Data are analyzed, customer counts are calculated and potential earnings are compared side-by-side with marketing and operations budgets.

Refinements are made from one weekend to the next in the quest to fine-tune a major local industry designed to deliver a good time.

Now, just two short weeks from New Year’s Eve, the stakes have never been higher.

Last year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, 309,000 people flocked to Las Vegas to celebrate the start of 2011, creating a nongaming economic impact of
$189.6 million.

Out to rake in their fair share, and maybe a little more, every club owner in town is looking for a competitive edge.

“For us, it’s the biggest night of the whole year,” said Jesse Waits, co-owner and managing partner of XS and Tryst.

On a typical weekend, admission at most Las Vegas clubs runs $10 for women; $20 for men. But on New Year’s Eve, they roll up those rate cards and blow them sky high with the fireworks over the Strip. The average cover this year will be $150, though in most venues that includes at least a two-hour open bar and a midnight champagne toast.

With that kind of money at stake, club operators leave little to chance. Waits said he’s already planning for New Year’s Eve — 2013.

The newest nightclubs in prime locations draw huge crowds with ease on New Year’s, Waits said.

But clubs that have seen a few seasons need help packing the party.

That’s when they call in the biggest celebrity their money can buy.

THE STAKES

Choosing a celebrity host or musical act to headline your New Year’s Eve party can be like falling in love at first sight, though sometimes you might have to sift through the frogs before finding a prince.

For The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, it was mostly the former.

Two months ago, a group of six to 12 Cosmopolitan employees started debating which musician would be best to headline New Year’s Eve in the strip hotel’s 3,200-seat venue, The Chelsea.

“It’s such a big night, you want a huge headliner,” said Lisa Marchese, The Cosmopolitan’s chief marketing officer.

It was a tough decision, and Marchese said they even waited a little longer than was comfortable to choose.

But then she saw him one night at Austin City Limits. She knew she had to have him.

“It was profound,” she remembered.

Thus Stevie Wonder was chosen — the right amount of star power for the biggest night of the year.

“It’s a relatively high bar to achieve, and Stevie gets us there,” Marchese said.

Tickets for the concert run $250.

The preparation and calculation is no less intense on the nightclub scene, where artistry and talent take a backseat to raw, unadulterated fame. How else can anyone explain Kim Kardashian’s reported $100,000 payday for spending just one night at Tao?

“A lot of tourists want their brush with celebrity. They want their 15 minutes of fame,” said Sean Evans, contributing editor for Nightclub Bar Magazine.

At Tao those 15 minutes on Dec. 31 will cost you $200. Each.

KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE

“We know our customer pretty well,” said Anthony Olheiser, MGM Grand’s director of nightlife. “It is key to focus on your core demographic.”

At MGM Grand’s Studio 54, selecting a New Year’s Eve host starts with the understanding that the club’s target demographic is 21- to 35-year-olds.

When the planning begins, Olheiser said, teams of nightlife operators, public relations specialists and talent management experts draft lists of available celebrities. Next, they debate whether the celebrity’s price fits the budget, and whether the celebrity fits the club.

“A lot of people are hirable, but at the end of the day, do people want to see them?” Olheiser asked.

Studio 54′s key demographic is too young to ever have visited the famous namesake New York City disco, except perhaps at the point of conception. But MGM Grand bills the club as “a wilder version of the legendary ‘ 70s club,” so who better to host a crowd looking for that vibe than actress Pamela Anderson, who might be described as a wilder version of most women.

“New Year’s Eve is a sexy weekend, and Pam is a sexy lady,” Olheiser said.

He wouldn’t say how much Anderson will be paid, but tickets for the night run $150, nearly four times the cover on the previous night.

Richard Wilk, a 17-year veteran of the Las Vegas nightlife industry, said it can be hard to choose and book a celebrity host, and that personal relationships often play a part in landing one.

“It’s all who you know,” said Wilk, the vice president of nightlife marketing and operations at Tropicana Las Vegas.

That was the case when Waits booked his friend, a lesser Kardashian named Rob, to host at Tryst.

For the all-new RPM nightclub at Tropicana Las Vegas, Wilk and company wanted a bigger name.

“This club needs to make a statement,” Wilk said. “That’s not something to mess with.”

That’s why the renovated venue formerly known as Club Nikki booked RB superstar Mary J. Blige for its New Year’s Eve grand opening, with tickets going for as much as $125.

“Mary J. Blige doesn’t do club appearances in town,” Wilk said. “This is probably one of the only times you’re going to be up close and personal with Mary J. Blige. That’s a big deal.”

THE PRICE OF FAME

Because New Years Eve is such a competitive night and so much work is put into planning these events, the glitterati know they can charge a premium for appearances. Olheiser said celebrities generally double or triple their price on New Year’s, and suggested that a name disc jockey or a B- or C-list celebrity may charge $10,000 on up, while an A-list celeb can expect six figures, “for sure.”

Tyler Feldman, president of eMerge Sports Entertainment, which represents celebrities and books appearances, said celebrity fees range from $5,000 to $150,000.

Word on the street is that Kim, the alpha Kardashian, will pull down $100,000 for her night at Tao, Feldman said. He speculated that the collapse of her 72-day marriage to Kris Humphries factors into her six-figure payday because clubs think people are intrigued by her and her recent personal drama is a draw.

BIG MONEY FOR BIG NAMES

The closest thing to a Blue Book for celebrities is the annual Forbes magazine list of the 100 most-influential celebrities, also known as the A-list.

This year, Lady Gaga is No. 1, Katy Perry is at No. 12 and the Black Eyed Peas land at No. 16.

By Olheiser’s estimate, each commands $100,000 or more for one night’s appearance. There are 365 nights in a year. Feel free to do the math.

Forbes rankings are based on entertainment-related earnings and media visibility. Presence on Facebook and Twitter is taken into account, as is annual, pretax income.

Making the A-list isn’t a lifetime appointment. Britney Spears ranked
No. 6 in 2010 but didn’t make it at all in 2011 because she didn’t tour or appear much in public. The celebrity business is fickle, and her asking price isn’t what it used to be.

Evans, who writes extensively about the nightclub industry, agreed with Olheiser’s summation of sticker prices for A-listers. But he estimates that lesser lights, generally found on the B- and C-lists, probably earn $30,000 to $50,000 — not bad for a night’s clubbing, though substantially less than scale a few years ago.

The laws of supply and demand are just as real in this line of work as they are in any other, and Evans argues that an abundance of famous people who build paid appearances into their business model has flooded the market, driving down the price for most.

“We’re no longer in the Paris Hilton era,” Evans noted.

When the hotel heiress/model/actress began her reality show/club girl parade/minor crime spree through America’s television sets, paid celebrity appearances weren’t the norm for nightclubs. Because of the buzz around Hilton and the places she went, clubs started paying a premium — $250,000 — to get her and her fans in the door.

Thus was born a marketing technique that has matured into a multimillion-dollar industry built on a never-ending supply of reality-TV celebutante hosts.

A host famed only for being famous has to strike while the iron is hot, because history tells us that fame is fleeting.

Anyone know where Hilton is hosting this New Year’s Eve? Anyone? (Cricket sounds.)

GET THAT IN WRITING

As in any business deal, contract terms are crucial in establishing a mutually beneficial relationship for nightclubs and celebs alike.

When courting an A-lister, Olheiser said, it’s important to make an attractive offer. Stars at the top still can pick and choose from multiple offers. His crew tries to gain an edge by structuring the deal and offering multiple appearances, usually three per contract. That way the celebrity is guaranteed more work if they sign with the MGM Grand for a big night like New Year’s Eve.

And just as in real estate, location, location and location are selling points.

Feldman said that big-name celebrities, who may get as many as 20 offers for New Year’s Eve, will choose a gig in Las Vegas both because they like it here and especially because Sin City gets a lot of press exposure, which helps keep them from spending future holidays with Britney and Paris.

“They’ll usually go with the one that will bring the most press,” Feldman said. “Even if the money’s good in Wichita, Kansas, they’re going to go to Vegas.”

Most contracts also include a clause saying that a celebrity can’t appear at a competing club for a specific number of days. For MGM, the cooling-off period is 30 days before and after a Las Vegas gig.

“We don’t want to devalue the press appeal,” Olheiser said.

All things considered, celebrity appearances aren’t exactly backbreaking labor.

Celebs are obligated to pose for pictures, usually near a backdrop bearing the venue’s name. They have to be visible to guests most of the evening, and to speak to the crowd at least once. For a nightclub gig, it’s a two-hour shift, Feldman said.

Higher-paid celebs have additional chores, Feldman said. They are required to help promote the appearance, usually using social media such as Twitter or Facebook, or by name-dropping in broadcast interviews.

“Especially if it’s a big event,” Feldman stressed.

Contracts, of course, reflect the needs of both parties.

Evans said most deals include top-of-the-line amenities for the celeb, which haven’t seen the same kind of deflation that appearance fees have suffered. Think first-class airfare, limousine rides, luxury penthouse suites, free spa treatments and complimentary dining.

“A lot of them demand security. Some demand it full-time, 24 hours a day,” Feldman noted.

IT’S ALL IN A NAME

This New Year’s Eve, you won’t be able to swing a saxophone on the Strip without hitting a celebrity musician. LMFAO is hosting Haze, The Bank has Bruno Mars, 1 Oak booked Fergie, LAX secured rapper B.o.B.

Olheiser said clubs like to book musicians as hosts because they may also choose to perform, giving a little extra value even when not contractually obligated to do so.

But it’s up to the celebs to decide how far they’ll go for the fans. Marilyn Manson, for instance, didn’t perform during a Halloween weekend appearance at The Bank, though he did pose for a few pictures outside the club and then periodically waved at the crowd from his second-level VIP booth.

Talent on stage isn’t necessarily enough to land a high-paid hosting gig, however.

“We try to value decisions based on who’s pressworthy,” Olheiser said. “I put myself in a customer’s shoes.”

A mainstream American’s shoes, to be exact. Shoes of someone with stars in his eyes and disposable income in his pocket.

Olheiser noted that MGM tends to avoid booking a celeb dogged by too much negative press.

“Overall perception of the artist is huge,” Olheiser said.

Which makes Pure’s choice of singer Chris Brown for New Year’s interesting in Evans’ mind. Brown’s 2009 beating of former girlfriend, the singer Rhianna, didn’t exactly enhance his reputation out in mainstream America.

“I think there are a lot of other people they could have picked,” Evans said. “Maybe it came down to budgeting. I think it will be interesting to see what their attendance will be.”

Waits said if someone he booked at XS or Tryst suddenly became unfavorable in the public’s mind, he’d cancel.

“People pick a place by who’s there,” Waits said.

Contact reporter Laura Carroll at
lcarroll@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4588.

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WATERVILLE, Maine (NEWS CENTER) — Battling a serious illness is an overwhelming burden to take on any time of year. During the holidays, it can be especially difficult, particularly if you have to travel for treatment.

 

 

 

 

 

Lafayette Hotels has been trying to lighten that burden for years by offering free rooms. The “Home for the Holidays” program provides free rooms for people who are experiencing hardships during the holidays. Kathy Castonguay lives in Greenville, but she had mastectomy surgery at Inland Hospital in Waterville. When the staff at Fireside Inn and Suites heard her story, they offered her a room near the hospital free of charge.

“It was an incredible relief,” Catonguay said. “Because there’s a lot of post-op pain and even though you keep yourself immobilized, the stitches and the staples have a way of acting up.”

“Where we can’t cure disease or repair someone’s home that’s been burned out by fire, we can do what we do best which is to provide a warm and welcoming home for someone while they’re struggling to get back on their feet or dealing with a relative or friend in the hospital” Fireside Inn General Manager Barry Asalone told NEWS CENTER.

The “Home for the Holidays” program runs from Thanksgiving until the end of December every year at Lafayette Hotels around the state.

 

NEWS CENTER

Sponsored Links

What’s this?Paid Distribution

In other hotel industry news this week…

• After 40 years as CEO and a total of 60 years with the chain,
  J.W. “Bill” Marriott, Jr.is handing over the top spot to current President and Chief Operating Officer Arne Sorenson. This handoff takes effect March 31, 2012 and marks the first time Marriott will be lead by a non-family member. Mr. Marriott will become Executive Chairman and Chairman of the Board.
• Two conflicting reports came out this week with regard to the ratio of growth in budget vs. high-end hotels.
  One article states travelers are spending more on flights, but downgrading themselves when staying at hotels. It quoted that “first- and business-class airline tickets increased by 9.1% and 5.4% respectively,” but
  hotel spending on budget and luxury accommodations grew 10.5% and 2.2% respectively, pointing at slowing growth for high-end properties.
  Another source is forecasting that high-end hotels will excel in 2012 driven mostly by rate increases with nearly flat growth in occupancy. They see a 6.1% increase in revenue per available room particularly due to “higher demand from business and corporate travelers.” Forecasting is an art, though, not a science.
• Travel Weekly
  bestowed honors to the best of the travel industry during their ninth annual
  Readers’ Choice Awardsthis week. On the hotel side, here were the results:
  • Domestic: Marriott International
  • Asia: InterContinental Hotels Group
  • Caribbean: Sandals Resorts
  • Europe: InterContinental Hotels Group
  • Mexico: Secrets Resorts Spas
  • Hawaii/South Pacific: Starwood Hotels Resorts
  • All-Inclusive: Sandals Resorts
  • Luxury: Ritz-Carlton Hotels Resorts
  • Upscale: Westin Hotels Resorts
  • Mid-Priced: Hampton Inn
  • Boutique: Karisma Hotels Resorts
  • Sales Service: Marriott International
• Google
  began placing its own
  Hotel Finder service above every other sponsored ad when a user enters something like “Las Vegas hotels” in the search box. This is drawing anger from other highlighted companies like Kayak, Expedia and Vegas.com who will undoubtedly receive fewer click- throughs with their weaker page placement. Some are calling it “reckless and evil,” but I think Google has every right to promote itself first.
• The
  Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centerhas opened for business this week. It represents the chain’s 18
  ^th and largest property in the city and houses 720-rooms, 20,000 square feet of meeting space and five restaurants and lounges.
• Hyatt
  opened its first
  Hyatt Place hotel in Waikiki by converting the former Ocean Resort Hotel Waikiki at the Diamond Head end of the beach. The Pali Tower opened last week with 190-rooms and the 236-room Diamond Tower is planned to open sometime in the spring.
• Staying with the Hawaiian theme for a moment, the ever-popular
  Hilton Hawaiian Villagereceived approval for a $760 million expansion that will add 550 timeshare units and additional swimming pools, parking and retail space.
• Finally a personal note of achievement: I’m officially a
  Hilton Diamond member now, my first time ever being a top-tier elite with a hotel chain. Now I need to decide who to focus my spend with in 2012. I’m considering status matching/challenging to Starwood or Hyatt for suite upgrades as Hilton currently doesn’t offer this as a perk. What to do, what to do.

©
Frequently Flying, a
BoardingArea Blog

When you’re on the road, do you normally rely on your hotel restaurant or do you prefer to venture into the city for a restaurant that catches your attention?

I’m bringing up this question today after seeing frequent traveling buddy Kelly Cameron’s photograph of his dinner in Nairobi last week. (Truth be told, on this trip, he stayed in a nondescript condo in a gated community instead of a hotel like he usually does.) Upon the advice of his hired driver, he wound up at Ranalo Foods – hence the fish with the glaring eye.

Cameron had a great experience.

“Not only was the fish good – and I don’t even like fish – but lunch for the two of us was about $10 – including beer! So, I would definitely go back to this place,” he writes.

TWITTER:  Follow Hotel Check-In’s BarbDeLollis
ALSO ONLINE:  NYC leads hotel rooftop bar trend

I’m not sure if we should credit the haunting fish eye or the topic, but a number of Facebook buddies spoke up on this question on my Facebook page. (I invite you to join it if you’d like.) And of the six people who wrote comments, all six opt to venture out.

Travel expert Pauline Frommer writes, “The only times I DON’T venture out is when the hotel’s restaurant has made a name for itself. That’s happening more and more lately. But even then, sometimes I go out anyway, just because I like supporting small businesses.”

Frequent traveler Mike Holovacs, a former concierge, writes, “Room service is for those who lack a sense of adventure. I stayed at the Intercontinental in Athens in 2000, and at the time (blasphemous when in Greece, but) there was an amazing little pizza and pasta joint down the street. Went there both nights, and also found one of best white wines I’ve ever had, which back then $2.99USD/bottle.”

Ava Roxanne, author of the MySkinConcierge blog, writes, “I always venture out. Room service is for the tried and true items like breakfast or snacks. I am proud of Kelly for venturing out and having a wonderful food adventure!”

Frequent traveler James Alan Wilson writes, “I certainly agree with Pauline’s statement – exploring local dining is a big part of any travel. Two typical reasons to dine in at the hotel are (1) – So tired and not wanting the extra effort, or if I’m having to work after supper, so it’s just easier; (2) The in-house restaurant really is great (recent example is the incredible Blue Duck Tavern in the Park Hyatt in Washington, DC.) I keep my list of favorite food near various hotels that I tend to frequent. And by good food, it can be a small ‘hole-in-the-wall’ – usually something ethnic – to fine dining.”

Frequent traveler Doug Drew writes that he, too, always ventures out “unless am in an unsafe area (international travel). Most hotel concierge’s are fantastic are guiding me to an interesting place. You just have to give the concierge enough information about what you are looking for. One concierge told me he hates it when a hotel guest says “….I am just looking for a nice place with continental food.” That’s no help at all!”

Frequent traveler George Papadopoulos writes, “I always venture out too unless there is a free meal involved somehow (status upgrades/certs/etc.) as hotel food is almost always over priced.”

Personally, I’m all in favor of exploring unless I’ve had a totally grueling day or I want to check out the hotel restaurant, which is usually the case.

But as Frommer notes above, hotels are increasingly giving us a reason to stay put.

Many full-service hotels are putting in chef-driven restaurants that rely on locally grown veggies, meat, dairy and other ingredients rather than what comes off the Sysco food service truck.

Readers: Comments?

The Niagara Falls Tourism agency’s website has a slew of hotel deals that will interest those who feel like taking a trip to see the famously majestic falls – located 670 kilometres from Montreal or just 128 kilometres from Toronto – all lit up over the holidays.

For example, the 53-floor Hilton Hotel and Suites, which towers over the mighty falls, has a family package for two adults and two children under 18 for $149 per room, per night for most weeknight stays (rates for certain nights over the holidays are higher, ranging mostly from $159 to $229, and on New Year’s Eve skyrockets to $659). The package includes one night’s accommodation, full buffet breakfasts for four people at the Grand Cafe and a $40 dinner voucher for Romano’s Macaroni Grill. The couples’ package is $159 and includes a room with a king-sized bed and a Jacuzzi, a $40 dinner voucher at the Brasa Brazilian Steakhouse and a full buffet breakfast for two.

The CAA Winter Festival of Lights illuminates the falls and the surrounding area with 3 million tree and ground lights along with 125 animated light displays until Jan. 31. And fireworks will light up the sky over the falls every Friday night at 9 p.m. throughout the same period.

For more information or to book a hotel deal visit niagarafallstourism.com/ hoteldeals.html

Starwood Hotels savings

The Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide has 14 properties in Ontario and Quebec offering residents of both provinces an exclusive 25-per-cent discount on hotel stays with Thursday to Sunday arrivals now through Dec. 31.

Rates are per room, per night based on double or single occupancy and the number of rooms available at the sale price is limited.

Ontario properties include the Four Points by Sheraton Niagara Falls Fallsview, with a sale rate starting at $80, the Sheraton Ottawa Hotel ($103) and Le Méridien King Edward in Toronto ($105).

Quebec properties include Le Westin Resort Spa in Tremblant with a sale rate starting at $179, the Four Points by Sheraton Lévis, facing Old Quebec City, with sale rates starting at $115, Sheraton Centre Montreal ($144), the Aloft Montreal Airport ($99) and W Montreal ($260).

You can book online at star woodpromos.com/ontario quebecresidents or by phone by calling 1-866-716-8101. Quebec residents should quote set number 373610 or SETQNSR. Ontario residents, quote set number 373609 or SETONTR.

Hawaii hotel deal

The Aston Waikiki Sunset has a winter escape sale with rooms available now through March 31 for $162 U.S. per room per night (down from the usual $203 U.S.) for stays Jan. 3 through March 31.

The 435-room condominium resort’s guest rooms come with a fully equipped kitchen, a private lanai with a view of the ocean, the mountains or the city lights of Honolulu. The hotel is walking distance to Waikiki Beach, the Honolulu Zoo and Kapiolani Park. To book, call 1-877-997-6667 or visit aston hotels.com/specials-andpackages. For other special offers in Hawaii, visit go hawaii.com/special-offers

Walt Disney World savings for Canadians

Disney Resort Hotels is offering Canadians some special discounts. For example, you can dine for free when you buy a non-discounted 4-night/5-day Magic Your Way room and ticket package at certain Walt Disney World Resort Hotels on certain dates through September 2012. The offer is valid for stays Jan. 8-12, Jan. 21-Feb. 2, Feb. 11-16, March 3-8, March 24-29 and Aug. 19-Sept. 29.

An example of a non-discounted rate at a Disney Moderate Resort starts at $92 U.S. per person, per night for a family of four with a total price for the 4-night/5-day package of $1,826 U.S. With the free dining plan, the package works out to a savings of $678 U.S. For more information or to book this package, visit disneyworld.ca/dine.

Canadian residents can also save up to 30 per cent off regular room rates when they book by March 31 for stays on many weekends in February, March, April and May.

For example, a standard room at Disney’s All Star Sports Resort is available at the sale rate starting at $86 U.S. per night, plus taxes for stays Sundays through Thursdays Feb. 26 through March 8. Call 1-407-939-7283 to book that deal.

A sale for all visitors (not just Canadians) includes savings of up to 35 per cent at certain Walt Disney World Resort Hotels when they book by Jan. 31 for stays between Jan. 2 and February. Call 1-407-939-1919 to book that deal. Get more information and book all these deals online at disneyworld. disney.go.com/specialoffers.

American Express Travel hotel deal

The American Express Travel company is offering a 25-per-cent discount in some U.S. hotels if you book by Jan. 15 for stays from now through May 31. You do not have to have an Amex card to get the savings, but Amex cardholders receive double rewards points.

Participating hotels include the Roosevelt New Orleans, the Millennium Bostonian Hotel in Boston, the W Chicago Lakeshore, the Wynn Las Vegas, the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain in Phoenix and The Chatwal New York in the Big Apple. To book visit tinyurl. com/7698dra

mharrold@ montrealgazette.com

NEW YORK, NY, Dec 16, 2011 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) –
Arrange to put some extra “happy” into the holidays by planning a
great weekend getaway or holiday vacation with exceptional New York
hotel packages like the “Holidays in New York City” deal at the
impressive New York Marriott Marquis.

Whether traveling over the holidays or planning a fun reprieve after
dust has settled on holiday festivities, special value date deals at
this luxury hotel in the heart of New York City are ideal for family
fun or a couple’s getaway. Enjoying the best deals this NYC hotel has
to offer, travelers can book rooms as low as $259* over December
22-25, 2011, January 2-12, 19-21, February 2-5 and Feb. 19 through
March 4, 2012. These fabulous rates include lavish accommodations in
the heart of Times Square — “The Crossroads of the World” — so
guests can expect a festive air and a wealth of traditional
activities near Times Square such as ice skating in Central Park,
Broadway shows and exceptional shopping. Providing an exhilarating
New York experience, Times Square has something for everyone,
including exceptional night life, fine dining, a host of attractions
including the Good Morning America broadcast from Times Square
Studios, The Brill Building, also know by some as “Tin Pan Alley,”
MTV headquarters and the historic Paramount Theater Marquee. Value
dates won’t last long at this Broadway hotel so now’s the time to
plan a fun New York City escape.

Travelers can easily book accommodations utilizing these value date
rates by using promotional code D52 online at

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/nycmq-new-york-marriott-marquis/
or by calling 1-800-228-9290 for reservations.

The upscale Marriott Marquis hotel’s Times Square accommodations are
appointed to pamper guests with fine luxuries that include
cotton-rich bedding ensembles and spacious marble bathrooms. On-site
dining includes The View Restaurant and Lounge, a remarkable
revolving Times Square establishment which not only provides
spectacular views of the city, but tantalizes the taste buds with
fine New York cuisine. Also located inside the hotel is the
Crossroads American Kitchen Bar, which features a stunning 21-foot
spiral centerpiece with 11 TVs and plenty of comfortable seating
ideal for sharing plates or enjoying a full course meal. A Starbuck’s
Coffee House and the Broadway Lounge are also conveniently located
inside the hotel.

*Rates are per room per night and valid on the above dates based on
availability at the time of reservation. Offer does not apply to
groups of 10 or more rooms and may not be combined with any other
discount or promotion. Please visit hotel website for additional
terms and conditions.

About the New York Marriott Marquis

The New York Marriott Marquis is an upscale New York City hotel ideal
for experiencing the excitement of Times Square and Midtown Manhattan
whether traveling to NYC for business or pleasure. Welcoming guests
with attentive service and opulent accommodations, travelers are
treated to lavish amenities and an offering of services designed to
accentuate a fun-filled trip to this spectacular city. Ticket service
to Broadway shows and sporting events, as well as shuttles and city
tours are all conveniently available from this service-oriented
Manhattan hotel.

Image Available:
http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/frame_mw?attachid=1834946

        CONTACT:
        Max B. Lang
        Marriott Hotels  Resorts
        301-547-4794
        Email Contact

SOURCE: New York Marriott Marquis

http://www2.marketwire.com/mw/emailprcntct?id=0ED826786791BC25            

Copyright 2011 Marketwire, Inc., All rights reserved.

It’s back to the drawing board for the Jackson Redevelopment Authority (JRA).  The board rejected two developer’s proposals for a convention complex hotel.

Transcontinental and Journeyman Austin each submitted bids for the 90-million dollar project.  Both companies are based out of Texas.

The authority had hoped to finalize a deal by December 29th so that the city could take advantage of tax-free Gulf Zone bonds.

“We take our responsibility very seriously,” comments the JRA chairman.

Rronnie Crudup could not go into the specifics, but he says, the JRA had a lot of issues with both developers’ proposals.

“Our commitment from all of the commissioners is we all agree that we need it and we will try to do it as quickly as we can,” explains Crudup.

The general manager of the Jackson Convention Complex says having a hotel right next door will be very beneficial to the city.

“The mind of meeting planners is having everything under one perceived roof, which often times makes their decision process swing one way or another,” Kelvin Moore tells News Channel 12.

He adds more people who come to the capital city means a boost to the local economy.

“Conventioneers here for three or four days may spend eight to nine hundred dollars in hotels and restaurants.  The revenue allows businesses to spend money on flowers, chicken and items they need to help employ other people,” continues Moore.

The bidding process now reopens to anyone interested.  The JRA will consider bids again in the first quarter of next year.  They still hope to open the new hotel by the summer of 2013.