MONTREAL - Steven Raymond says it's a good time to be in the business of selling cash registers and point of sales terminals to restaurants.
That's because about half of Quebec's estimated 20,000 restaurants will be required to upgrade their equipment in the next 14 months to conform to new rules to fight tax evasion in the industry.
"We don't know how many new customers we're going to get," said Raymond, the sales manager for POS Terminal 2000, based in Rivière des Prairies. "It will depend on our capacity to install everybody. There is going to be a big bottleneck at some point for the whole industry."
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Saturday, August 21, 2010
Delta's La Guardia food court goes upscale
Delta Air Lines can't promise that you'll never get stuck at La Guardia Airport again, but they can promise you'll never go hungry.
The airline is revamping the domestic airports' food options, opening up 13 new eateries over the next year – and we're not talking boxed lunches.
Travelers will get their first taste of the nouveau airport cuisine this weekend, when four of the kitchens open their temporary pop-up restaurants Saturday.
“Delta has a large emphasis on the business traveler, so we're offering a refined, contemporary dining experience,” said Rick Blatstein, chief executive of OTG Management, the airport restaurateur hired by Delta to develop and run the new dining operation at LaGuardia. “We want customers to feel like they're sitting in any Manhattan restaurant.”
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The airline is revamping the domestic airports' food options, opening up 13 new eateries over the next year – and we're not talking boxed lunches.
Travelers will get their first taste of the nouveau airport cuisine this weekend, when four of the kitchens open their temporary pop-up restaurants Saturday.
“Delta has a large emphasis on the business traveler, so we're offering a refined, contemporary dining experience,” said Rick Blatstein, chief executive of OTG Management, the airport restaurateur hired by Delta to develop and run the new dining operation at LaGuardia. “We want customers to feel like they're sitting in any Manhattan restaurant.”
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Max & Erma's gets new owner
Many observers and franchisees believed all Max & Erma’s needed was an experienced restaurant hand to guide it through what have become choppy industry waters in recent years.
It may be getting just that. The Columbus company’s new owner includes a high-profile restaurant executive and investor and an industry management veteran who already has restructured and led several dining chains out of their financial troubles.
Denver-based American Blue Ribbon Holdings LLC, owner of the Village Inn and Bakers Square regional restaurant businesses, has been approved by a judge in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Pittsburgh to buy Max & Erma’s Restaurants Inc. for $28 million. The deal is expected to close Aug. 31.
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It may be getting just that. The Columbus company’s new owner includes a high-profile restaurant executive and investor and an industry management veteran who already has restructured and led several dining chains out of their financial troubles.
Denver-based American Blue Ribbon Holdings LLC, owner of the Village Inn and Bakers Square regional restaurant businesses, has been approved by a judge in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Pittsburgh to buy Max & Erma’s Restaurants Inc. for $28 million. The deal is expected to close Aug. 31.
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Colony Capital said to be eyeing Hawaii again
Colony Capital LLC, a Los Angeles-based investment firm whose Hawaii portfolio once included the Hyatt Regency Waikoloa and Orchid at Mauna Lani on the Big Island, is again considering investing in Hawaii real estate.
Tom Barrack, Colony Capital chairman and CEO, was in Hawaii this week to meet with bankers and property managers to review market opportunities, a source said. Barrack was scheduled to be on Kauai and Oahu to discuss potential investments that include hotels, retail and office buildings, and banks, the source said.
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Tom Barrack, Colony Capital chairman and CEO, was in Hawaii this week to meet with bankers and property managers to review market opportunities, a source said. Barrack was scheduled to be on Kauai and Oahu to discuss potential investments that include hotels, retail and office buildings, and banks, the source said.
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STR: US hotel pipeline for July 2010
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The total active U.S. hotel development pipeline comprises 3,412 projects totaling 359,264 rooms, according to the July 2010 STR/TWR/Dodge Construction Pipeline Report released this week. This represents a 26.4-percent decrease in the number of rooms in the total active pipeline compared to July 2009. The total active pipeline data includes projects in the In Construction, Final Planning and Planning stages, but does not include projects in the Pre-Planning stage.
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STR: Caribbean/Mexico pipeline for July 2010
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The Caribbean/Mexico hotel development pipeline comprises 137 hotels totaling 17,208 rooms, according to the July 2010 STR/TWR/Dodge Construction Pipeline Report released this week.
Among the countries of the region, Mexico reported the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline with 10,819 rooms, with nearly 50 percent of its rooms in the In Construction phase (5,121 rooms). The Dominican Republic (1,929 rooms) and Puerto Rico (1,210 rooms) also reported more than 1,000 rooms in the total active pipeline.
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Among the countries of the region, Mexico reported the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline with 10,819 rooms, with nearly 50 percent of its rooms in the In Construction phase (5,121 rooms). The Dominican Republic (1,929 rooms) and Puerto Rico (1,210 rooms) also reported more than 1,000 rooms in the total active pipeline.
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STR Global: Central/S. America pipeline July 2010
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The Central/South America hotel development pipeline comprises 133 hotels totalling 20,770 rooms, according to the July 2010 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report released this week.
Among the countries in the region, Brazil reported the largest amount of rooms in the total active pipeline with 7,042 rooms, followed by Panama with 5,400 rooms. Two other countries ended the month with more than 1,500 rooms in the total active pipeline: Argentina (1,700 rooms) and Colo`mbia (1,509 rooms).
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Among the countries in the region, Brazil reported the largest amount of rooms in the total active pipeline with 7,042 rooms, followed by Panama with 5,400 rooms. Two other countries ended the month with more than 1,500 rooms in the total active pipeline: Argentina (1,700 rooms) and Colo`mbia (1,509 rooms).
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STR Global: Middle East/Africa pipeline for July 2010
LONDON—The Middle East/Africa hotel development pipeline comprises 455 hotels totalling 126,273 rooms, according to the July 2010 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report released this week.
The United Arab Emirates reported the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline (55,165 rooms), among the countries in the region, with more than half in the In Construction phase (299,751 rooms). Saudi Arabia followed with 17,283 rooms in the total active pipeline and 8,714 rooms in the In Construction phase.
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The United Arab Emirates reported the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline (55,165 rooms), among the countries in the region, with more than half in the In Construction phase (299,751 rooms). Saudi Arabia followed with 17,283 rooms in the total active pipeline and 8,714 rooms in the In Construction phase.
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STR Global: Europe pipeline for July 2010
LONDON—The Europe hotel development pipeline comprises 678 hotels totalling 118,126 rooms, according to the June 2010 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report released this week. The region reported 314 projects in the In Construction phase with 58,577 rooms.
Among the countries of the region, the United Kingdom ended the month with the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline with 26,653 rooms, followed by Germany (16,825 rooms) and Russia (16,067 rooms). The U.K. also reported the largest number of rooms in the In Construction phase with 11,381 rooms.
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Among the countries of the region, the United Kingdom ended the month with the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline with 26,653 rooms, followed by Germany (16,825 rooms) and Russia (16,067 rooms). The U.K. also reported the largest number of rooms in the In Construction phase with 11,381 rooms.
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STR Global: Asia/Pacific pipeline for July 2010
LONDON—The Asia/Pacific hotel development pipeline comprises 1,029 hotels totalling 256,060 rooms, according to the July 2010 STR Global Construction Pipeline Report released this week.
China reported the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline (139,193 rooms) and in the In Construction phase (98,515 rooms). India followed with 46,562 rooms in the total active pipeline and 29,819 rooms in the In Construction phase.
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China reported the largest number of rooms in the total active pipeline (139,193 rooms) and in the In Construction phase (98,515 rooms). India followed with 46,562 rooms in the total active pipeline and 29,819 rooms in the In Construction phase.
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STR: Luxury leads ADR, RevPAR monthly results
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The luxury segment reported the largest average-daily-rate and revenue-per-available-room increases among the chain-scale segment for July 2010, according to data from STR.
The segment’s ADR increased 6.6% to US$234.48 and its RevPAR jumped 14.5% to US$169.07.
The economy segment posted the largest occupancy increase, rising 7.6% to 62.3%, followed by the luxury and midscale-without-food-and-beverage segments, each with 7.4% increases to 72.1% and 69.3%, respectively.
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The segment’s ADR increased 6.6% to US$234.48 and its RevPAR jumped 14.5% to US$169.07.
The economy segment posted the largest occupancy increase, rising 7.6% to 62.3%, followed by the luxury and midscale-without-food-and-beverage segments, each with 7.4% increases to 72.1% and 69.3%, respectively.
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STR reports US Occupancy for July
HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee—The U.S. hotel industry posted increases in all three key performance measurements during July 2010, according to data from STR.
In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy was up 7.0 percent to 67.9 percent. Average daily rate ended the month with a 1.3-percent increase to US$99.14. Revenue per available room for the month rose 8.5 percent to finish at US$67.35.
Among the Top 25 Markets, all but one market reported occupancy increases and 8 top markets reported double-digit increases. Detroit, Michigan, led the occupancy increases, rising 20.9 percent to 61.5 percent, followed by Oahu Island, Hawaii (+15.9 percent to 89.6 percent), and New Orleans, Louisiana (+13.1 percent to 72.6 percent). Phoenix, Arizona, posted the only occupancy decrease, falling 1.4 percent to 43.6 percent.
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In year-over-year measurements, the industry’s occupancy was up 7.0 percent to 67.9 percent. Average daily rate ended the month with a 1.3-percent increase to US$99.14. Revenue per available room for the month rose 8.5 percent to finish at US$67.35.
Among the Top 25 Markets, all but one market reported occupancy increases and 8 top markets reported double-digit increases. Detroit, Michigan, led the occupancy increases, rising 20.9 percent to 61.5 percent, followed by Oahu Island, Hawaii (+15.9 percent to 89.6 percent), and New Orleans, Louisiana (+13.1 percent to 72.6 percent). Phoenix, Arizona, posted the only occupancy decrease, falling 1.4 percent to 43.6 percent.
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"Summer Of Terror" For Hotels and Restaurants
By: Eric Hertha
Hospitality Business News - Bahamas Desk
August 21, 2010
While looking for stories over the past few months one thing that has jumped out at me is the number of reported robberies, both at hotels and at restaurants. In one recent incident a Florida thief (of course) called back to the restaurant to complain that they did not have enough money when he robbed them and that there better be more the next time. In another outlandish event, thieves stole an ATM out of a Hotel Lobby (http://www.hospitalitybusinessnews.com/2010/04/thieves-wheel-atm-out-of-hotel-lobby.html ) back in April. A search for hotel and restaurant robberies brings up more than 250 stories.
I think an article that sums up the outbreak is one from Joscelyn Moes at 69 News in Pennsylvania http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/24700404/detail.html , at least 6 hotels have been robbed in the past three months. According to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission the estimated population of the area in 2010 is 644,000. Not a huge place.
The latest hold-up happened early Friday at the Homewood Suites in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. Population – under 2,000 residents.
According to the article by Moes, since the end of May or early June, police said that there have been numerous hotel robberies around the Lehigh Valley, including two at the Best Western on Tilghman Street, two at the Holiday Inn Express across from Dorney Park, one at the Holiday Inn in downtown Allentown, and one at the Econo Lodge in Allentown.
Hospitality Business News - Bahamas Desk
August 21, 2010
While looking for stories over the past few months one thing that has jumped out at me is the number of reported robberies, both at hotels and at restaurants. In one recent incident a Florida thief (of course) called back to the restaurant to complain that they did not have enough money when he robbed them and that there better be more the next time. In another outlandish event, thieves stole an ATM out of a Hotel Lobby (http://www.hospitalitybusinessnews.com/2010/04/thieves-wheel-atm-out-of-hotel-lobby.html ) back in April. A search for hotel and restaurant robberies brings up more than 250 stories.
I think an article that sums up the outbreak is one from Joscelyn Moes at 69 News in Pennsylvania http://www.wfmz.com/lehighvalleynews/24700404/detail.html , at least 6 hotels have been robbed in the past three months. According to the Lehigh Valley Planning Commission the estimated population of the area in 2010 is 644,000. Not a huge place.
The latest hold-up happened early Friday at the Homewood Suites in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. Population – under 2,000 residents.
According to the article by Moes, since the end of May or early June, police said that there have been numerous hotel robberies around the Lehigh Valley, including two at the Best Western on Tilghman Street, two at the Holiday Inn Express across from Dorney Park, one at the Holiday Inn in downtown Allentown, and one at the Econo Lodge in Allentown.
A moratorium on ‘boutique’ hotels
Attention dictionary publishers of the world. We need to have a frank and honest discussion about the word “hotel.” I believe it has become, as you would put it, archaic. No one says it any more – at least not without putting the word “boutique” in front of it first.
Fifty years ago, it was acceptable to say, “Hey, I’m going to that swell new hotel on King.” Not now. Today, the declaration might be rendered thusly: “Hey, after I get my chest waxed I’m going to the rooftop lounge of that hot new boutique hotel on King to drink purple-basil gimlets.” The plain old non-boutique “hotel” is fusty, a relic of our linguistic past, like “aroint” (which means “begone!”) and “soothfast” (“truthful”).
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Fifty years ago, it was acceptable to say, “Hey, I’m going to that swell new hotel on King.” Not now. Today, the declaration might be rendered thusly: “Hey, after I get my chest waxed I’m going to the rooftop lounge of that hot new boutique hotel on King to drink purple-basil gimlets.” The plain old non-boutique “hotel” is fusty, a relic of our linguistic past, like “aroint” (which means “begone!”) and “soothfast” (“truthful”).
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Swimsuit Vending Machine at The Standard Hotel in SoBe
Vending machines are supposed to have mostly sugary sodas, some salty snacks, an occasional toothbrush and maybe emergency birth control.
But swimsuits?
Andre Balazs Properties – notably The Standard Hotel in South Beach – has teamed up with activewear-maker Quicksilver for a poolside vending machine that dispenses poolside paraphernalia including swimwear, sunglasses and sunblock.
“We launched over Swim Week,” said Lucy McIntyre, brand director for Balazs Properties. “It was so much fun. People love the shorts. It’s very much the vending machine that get’s people excited.”
Yeah, but where’s the changing room?
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But swimsuits?
Andre Balazs Properties – notably The Standard Hotel in South Beach – has teamed up with activewear-maker Quicksilver for a poolside vending machine that dispenses poolside paraphernalia including swimwear, sunglasses and sunblock.
“We launched over Swim Week,” said Lucy McIntyre, brand director for Balazs Properties. “It was so much fun. People love the shorts. It’s very much the vending machine that get’s people excited.”
Yeah, but where’s the changing room?
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3 well-known Minnesota buildings in default
The owners of the Hotel Sofitel, the Minnesota Center and One Financial Plaza -- three well-known buildings in the Twin Cities -- are trying to restructure $88 million of outstanding debt after defaulting on loans.
The defaults are among the largest in the Twin Cities involving securitized commercial property debt, and such behind-the-scenes bargaining over past-due loans has become a hallmark of the commercial real estate crisis. Hotels have taken a clobbering, but there's plenty of distress to go around.
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The defaults are among the largest in the Twin Cities involving securitized commercial property debt, and such behind-the-scenes bargaining over past-due loans has become a hallmark of the commercial real estate crisis. Hotels have taken a clobbering, but there's plenty of distress to go around.
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Host Hotels Plans To Sell $400 Million In Stock
Host Hotels & Resorts Inc. (HST) plans to sell up to $400 million of stock to raise funds for potential acquisitions and other purposes.
The lodging real-estate investment trust has an agreement with Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BK) under which it will issue and sell the shares from time to time, according to its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Host's market value is about $9.3 billion.
The two parties recently completed a similar stock-sale effort that was announced a year ago.
Host owns 111 properties world-wide and hires operating companies such as Marriott or Hilton Worldwide to manage them. A number of lodging REITs have been raising capital for potential acquisitions, as they believe market conditions will allow them to acquire high-quality properties at cyclically low prices.
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The lodging real-estate investment trust has an agreement with Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (BK) under which it will issue and sell the shares from time to time, according to its filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Host's market value is about $9.3 billion.
The two parties recently completed a similar stock-sale effort that was announced a year ago.
Host owns 111 properties world-wide and hires operating companies such as Marriott or Hilton Worldwide to manage them. A number of lodging REITs have been raising capital for potential acquisitions, as they believe market conditions will allow them to acquire high-quality properties at cyclically low prices.
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Florida Inmate scams Hotel Guests out of Credit Card information
By: Eric Hertha
Hospitality Business News – Bahamas Desk
August 21, 2010
Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Department of Corrections announced Friday the arrest of five Orlando residents on charges of fraud. Those arrested include Daimion Goldsmith, 40, Kendra Hodge, 22, Lavonda Goldsmith, 45, Geneva Legrier, 18, and Levell Jones, 64. One additional suspect, Edison Filer, 48, is currently at large.
Damion Goldsmith who was previously convicted of credit card fraud, fraud and grand theft is an inmate at the Suwannee Correctional Institution in Live Oak Florida. According to arrest documents Goldsmith had friends help him call hotels and ask room-service employees for the numbers of rooms they had just delivered to. When speaking to room service employees he claimed to be a hotel employee from security and the room service workers would routinely supply the guest room information.
Once Goldsmith obtained the guest room number he or one of his accomplices would contact the guest and pretend to be a hotel employee. They would claim that the computer system was down and that they needed the guest’s credit card information. Although many guests did not supply the information the FDLE has identified eight victims who agents said lost more than $10,000.
Orlando hotel guests were not the only ones targeted. Tourists in Alabama, North Carolina and other states also were victimized in incidents going back to August 2009, the FDLE said.
Prior to this incident Goldsmith was scheduled to be released in April 2015. Not that his incarceration makes Florida, or any other state, safer.
Hospitality Business News – Bahamas Desk
August 21, 2010
Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Department of Corrections announced Friday the arrest of five Orlando residents on charges of fraud. Those arrested include Daimion Goldsmith, 40, Kendra Hodge, 22, Lavonda Goldsmith, 45, Geneva Legrier, 18, and Levell Jones, 64. One additional suspect, Edison Filer, 48, is currently at large.
Damion Goldsmith who was previously convicted of credit card fraud, fraud and grand theft is an inmate at the Suwannee Correctional Institution in Live Oak Florida. According to arrest documents Goldsmith had friends help him call hotels and ask room-service employees for the numbers of rooms they had just delivered to. When speaking to room service employees he claimed to be a hotel employee from security and the room service workers would routinely supply the guest room information.
Once Goldsmith obtained the guest room number he or one of his accomplices would contact the guest and pretend to be a hotel employee. They would claim that the computer system was down and that they needed the guest’s credit card information. Although many guests did not supply the information the FDLE has identified eight victims who agents said lost more than $10,000.
Orlando hotel guests were not the only ones targeted. Tourists in Alabama, North Carolina and other states also were victimized in incidents going back to August 2009, the FDLE said.
Prior to this incident Goldsmith was scheduled to be released in April 2015. Not that his incarceration makes Florida, or any other state, safer.
150 Irish hotels under threat after bank closure
The Irish Hotel Federation has claimed 150 hotels are under threat after the announcement that Bank of Scotland Ireland is to close.
The bank provides 20% of all loans to the hotel sector in the Irish Republic.
Irish Hotel Federation President Paul Gallagher wants an Irish government "guarantee" scheme for the sector.
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The bank provides 20% of all loans to the hotel sector in the Irish Republic.
Irish Hotel Federation President Paul Gallagher wants an Irish government "guarantee" scheme for the sector.
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