Millennium & Copthorne Hotels signs 3 management agreement with Faruk Holding Group in Kurdistan

Sulaimaniya, Iraq, August, 2009- Faruk Group Holding finalized its agreement with Millennium & Copthorne Middle East Ltd. By signing the Hotel management and operation agreement for 3 hotels in Kurdistan, Iraq.
The agreement was signed in Sulaimaniyah during a recent visit by Millennium and Copthorne team headed by Mr. Ali Hamad Lakhraim the President and CEO of Millennium Hotels Middle East

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Papa Bello acquires Kebab Cafe

Papa Bello Enterprises Inc. has signed a letter of intent to acquire the Kebab Café, a Southern California-based concept specializing in Middle Eastern cuisine with a European twist, according to a company statement.

The Kebab Cafe currently operates a flagship location in the Westfield Mall in La Jolla, Calif., and anticipates opening up to 10 new corporately owned locations in 2010.

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Hilton Worldwide CEO sends letter to hotel owners regarding grand jury story

Hilton Worldwide CEO Christopher Nassetta penned Hilton hotel owners a six-paragraph letter Wednesday in response to the Wall Street Journal's front-page story about the convening of a federal grand jury to investigate whether Hilton committed corporate espionage.

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UK Budget hotel boom amidst recession

The UK hospitality industry is proving to be quite resilient during the recession, especially in the budget sector, according to the 2009 British Hospitality Association (BHA) annual report released this week.
Around 11,000 rooms opened in 2009 and a further 40,000 are planned for the period 2010-2015.

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Unpaid bills may deter a bid for Las Vegas Fontainebleau

The bills amount to more than likely offer; Penn National exec says building worth ‘about zero’

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Restaurants In Rebound

With earnings season getting into full swing this week, investors are looking for signs that companies can grow their sales, not just fire workers to preserve profits. Consumers, who drive much of this country’s economic growth, have mostly stayed on the sidelines, though, thanks to high unemployment and continuing home foreclosures

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Beach Hut Resorts Concept to Roll-Out Across the UK

A pilot scheme to build twenty one luxury beach huts is now to be rolled out throughout the UK in an exciting GBP35m expansion plan. Each beach hut will sleep four to six people, with a separate bedroom, fully fitted kitchen, bathroom, sitting area and 24 hour concierge service. Beach Hut Resorts have declared their first luxury beach hut development to be in WhitleyBay, offering 24 hour overnight accommodation with full service facilities, 11 months of the year

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Wingstop Reaches 25 Consecutive Quarters of Positive Comp Sales

DALLAS – Wingstop, the nation’s fastest-growing chicken wing chain, has announced positive comparable store sales for the 25th consecutive quarter, dating back to July 2003.

Wingstop ended the most recent quarter with a 1.6 percent increase and is up 3.8 percent for the year. The company predicts the positive trend to continue into the fourth quarter, when sales are typically the strongest due to the popularity of wings during the football and holiday seasons.

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Tootsies set to close as diners lose taste for burger chain

Tootsies, the family burger chain, has become the latest victim of the recession, after Clapham House Group, its quoted owner, pulled the plug on the loss-making business.
Administrators from BDO yesterday announced the sale of 11 of the 21 outlets for £2.5 million to Giraffe, the restaurant group backed by Giraffe chairman Luke Johnson’s Risk Capital Partners, and 3i.

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Fairmont Chicago off the block

After fielding bids for the Fairmont Chicago, Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. has taken the 687-room hotel off the market. Under pressure to raise cash and lower its debt level, the Chicago-based hotel owner put the property at 200 N. Columbus Drive up for sale in May

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Carly Simon sues Starbucks after 2008 album under coffee chain's label performed poorly

SEATTLE (AP) — Singer Carly Simon is suing Starbucks Corp., saying the coffee company's now-defunct music venture didn't adequately promote her 2008 album, dooming the record before it was even released.

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Vail Resorts Announces it Will Not Continue Purchase of Wind Credits

BROOMFIELD, COLO.—Vail Resorts announced that concurrent with its announcement of its leadership role in the Hayman Restoration Partnership, the company would not be renewing its three-year commitment to purchase wind energy offset credits.

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Whitbread PLC interim results for the six months ended 27 August 2009

Financial Highlights
-Total revenue up 3.1% to £703.3 million (2008/09: £682.2 million)
-Group like for like sales down 2.7%
-Underlying profit1 before tax of £118.2 million down 2.7% (2008/09: £121.5 million)
-Profit before tax and exceptional items down 10.4% to £110.5 million (2008/09: £123.3 million)
-Underlying diluted EPS 47.33p (2008/09: 49.14p)
-Pre-exceptional diluted EPS 44.17p (2008/09: 49.89p)
-Half year net debt at £606.6 million (versus £623.1 million at 26 February 2009); current facilities of £1.16 billion
- Interim dividend 9.65p (2008/09: 9.65p)

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