With a Burger Bash win finally under his belt, chef and Food Network star Bobby Flay is focusing on burger expansion. He's announced plans to launch 12 to 14 new locations of his fast-casual restaurant concept, Bobby's Burger Palace.
Currently there are five burger palaces, and now that Flay knows what works (and what doesn't: he's still adjusting the burger patty recipe), he's thinking big. The new eateries will open over the next 12 months in cities like Baltimore, Princeton, Washington DC, and New York City.
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Saturday, October 30, 2010
Starbucks Brings Mobile Payments to NYC
Starbucks recently announced the expansion of its Starbucks Card Mobile payment trial to almost 300 stores in New York City as well as Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island. The trial had previously been limited to 16 stores in Seattle and Northern California, as well as more than 1,000 Starbucks in Target stores.
Customers who download the free Starbucks Card Mobile App on their BlackBerry, iPhone, or iPod touch can pay for purchases via their mobile device, manage their card account, reload their card balance using a major credit card, check their My Starbucks Rewards status, or find nearby Starbucks stores.
"Mobile technology is part of our customers' daily routine, and with the expansion of mobile payment in our test cities, we're seeing more and more customers using their smartphones as their mobile wallets," says company vice president Brady Brewer.
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No deal before Hilton hotel's foreclosure, BlackRock says
The New York lender that holds the mortgage on the former Pittsburgh Hilton Hotel didn't work a deal with other companies to resell the hotel before it foreclosed last month, an executive said yesterday.
"We'd always thought about foreclosing as an alternative," said Eloisa Mascarenas, vice president of BlackRock Financial Management Inc., during a bankruptcy court hearing Downtown. It also considered new investors or a joint venture, she said.
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"We'd always thought about foreclosing as an alternative," said Eloisa Mascarenas, vice president of BlackRock Financial Management Inc., during a bankruptcy court hearing Downtown. It also considered new investors or a joint venture, she said.
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Sea Island To Seek Exit From Bankruptcy
On Thursday, Sea Island Co., the elegant Southern resort that tumbled into bankruptcy last August, will ask Judge John S. Dalis of the Brunswick, Ga., bankruptcy court to sign off on its plan to exit Chapter 11 protection.
Sea Island, which sold its assets at a bankruptcy auction earlier this month, is exiting bankruptcy under new ownership. Four firms--Oaktree Capital Management LP and Avenue Capital Group, along with billionaire Philip Anschutz's Anschutz Corp. and Starwood Capital Group Global--bought the resort's assets for $212.4 million.
The resort's plan divvies up the proceeds from the sale. Most of the proceeds are earmarked for the company's lenders, owed at least $340 million. The resort's unsecured creditors are only slated to recoup about $3 million.
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Sea Island, which sold its assets at a bankruptcy auction earlier this month, is exiting bankruptcy under new ownership. Four firms--Oaktree Capital Management LP and Avenue Capital Group, along with billionaire Philip Anschutz's Anschutz Corp. and Starwood Capital Group Global--bought the resort's assets for $212.4 million.
The resort's plan divvies up the proceeds from the sale. Most of the proceeds are earmarked for the company's lenders, owed at least $340 million. The resort's unsecured creditors are only slated to recoup about $3 million.
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California Tosses Worker Class Action Against Chipotle Mexican Grill
This district’s Court of Appeal has thrown out a class action suit alleging that food restaurant chain Chipotle Mexican Grill violated labor laws by denying employees meal and rest breaks.
Div. Eight, in an opinion published yesterday, ruled that employers must provide employees with breaks, but need not ensure that employees take them.
Former Chipotle employee Rogelio Hernandez sued the company after he was terminated in 2006. He sought to certify a class of thousands of current and former non-managerial employees who worked millions of shifts for Chipotle beginning in July 2003.
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Caine Scrapped Cuban Restaurant Plans Amid Political Fears
Acting veteran SIR MICHAEL CAINE scrapped plans to expand his restaurant empire to Cuba, amid fears he would face violent opposition for supporting anti-U.S. revolutionary FIDEL CASTRO.
The Brit moved his restaurant empire stateside in the 1990s when he opened his sixth eatery, Miami's South Beach Brasserie - and admits he was keen to expand south to the Caribbean nation.
But a Cuban friend persuaded him to axe the idea amid concerns the actor would face angry protests for appearing to support the regime of the country's former president.
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The Brit moved his restaurant empire stateside in the 1990s when he opened his sixth eatery, Miami's South Beach Brasserie - and admits he was keen to expand south to the Caribbean nation.
But a Cuban friend persuaded him to axe the idea amid concerns the actor would face angry protests for appearing to support the regime of the country's former president.
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Restaurant Industry Outlook Improved in September as Restaurant Performance Index Rose Above 100 for First Time in Five Months
WASHINGTON, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Driven by improving same-store sales and customer traffic levels, as well as growing optimism among restaurant operators, the outlook for the restaurant industry improved in September. The National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Performance Index (RPI) – a monthly composite index that tracks the health of and outlook for the U.S. restaurant industry – stood at 100.3 in September, up a solid 0.8 percent from its August level. In addition, the RPI rose above 100 for the first time in five months, which signifies expansion in the index of key industry indicators.
"The RPI's solid gain in September was the result of broad-based improvements among both the current situation and forward-looking indicators," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. "Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales and customer traffic levels for the first time in six months, which propelled the RPI's Current Situation Index to its highest level in nearly three years.
"In addition, restaurant operators are more optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead, while their outlook for the economy rose to its strongest level in five months," Riehle added.
Watch a video of Hudson Riehle providing an industry update, including the RPI and holiday dining, on the National Restaurant Association's website, www.restaurant.org.
The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, and index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators. The RPI consists of two components, the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index.
The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), stood at 99.4 in September – up 0.5 percent from August and its strongest level since October 2007. However, the Current Situation Index remained below 100 for the 37th consecutive month, as the softness in the labor and capital expenditure indicators outweighed the gains in same-store sales and customer traffic.
Restaurant operators reported a net increase in same-store sales for the first time in six months in September. Forty-four percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between September 2009 and September 2010, up from 38 percent of operators who reported higher sales in August. Meanwhile, 38 percent of operators reported a same-store sales decline in September, down from 43 percent of operators who reported negative sales in August.
Restaurant operators also reported a slight uptick in customer traffic levels in September. Thirty-eight percent of restaurant operators reported an increase in customer traffic between September 2009 and September 2010, while 37 percent of operators reported a traffic decline. In August, 35 percent of operators reported an increase in customer traffic levels, while 42 percent reported a traffic decline.
Despite the improvements in sales and traffic levels, restaurant operators reported a slight drop-off in capital spending levels in recent months. Forty-two percent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months, down from 44 percent of operators who reported similarly last month.
The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators' six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions), stood at 101.1 in September – up 1.0 percent from August and its strongest level in five months.
Restaurant operators are more optimistic about an improving sales environment in the months ahead. Forty-three percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared with the same period in the previous year), up from 38 percent who reported similarly last month. In comparison, 14 percent of restaurant operators expect their sales volume in six months to be lower than it was during the same period in the previous year, compared with 17 percent who reported similarly last month.
Restaurant operators are also more bullish about the direction of the overall economy. Thirty-eight percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, up from 25 percent last month and the strongest level of optimism in five months. In comparison, just 16 percent of operators said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next six months, down from 21 who reported similarly last month.
Along with an improving outlook for sales and the economy, restaurant operators' plans for capital expenditures also grew. Forty-seven percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, up from 42 percent who reported similarly last month and the strongest level in five months.
The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor, and capital expenditures. The full report is available online (http://www.restaurant.org/pdfs/research/index/201009.pdf).
The RPI is released on the last business day of each month, and more detailed data and analysis can be found on Restaurant TrendMapper (www.restaurant.org/trendmapper), the Association's subscription-based service that provides detailed analysis of restaurant industry trends.
"The RPI's solid gain in September was the result of broad-based improvements among both the current situation and forward-looking indicators," said Hudson Riehle, senior vice president of the Research and Knowledge Group for the National Restaurant Association. "Restaurant operators reported positive same-store sales and customer traffic levels for the first time in six months, which propelled the RPI's Current Situation Index to its highest level in nearly three years.
"In addition, restaurant operators are more optimistic about sales growth in the months ahead, while their outlook for the economy rose to its strongest level in five months," Riehle added.
Watch a video of Hudson Riehle providing an industry update, including the RPI and holiday dining, on the National Restaurant Association's website, www.restaurant.org.
The RPI is constructed so that the health of the restaurant industry is measured in relation to a steady-state level of 100. Index values above 100 indicate that key industry indicators are in a period of expansion, and index values below 100 represent a period of contraction for key industry indicators. The RPI consists of two components, the Current Situation Index and the Expectations Index.
The Current Situation Index, which measures current trends in four industry indicators (same-store sales, traffic, labor and capital expenditures), stood at 99.4 in September – up 0.5 percent from August and its strongest level since October 2007. However, the Current Situation Index remained below 100 for the 37th consecutive month, as the softness in the labor and capital expenditure indicators outweighed the gains in same-store sales and customer traffic.
Restaurant operators reported a net increase in same-store sales for the first time in six months in September. Forty-four percent of restaurant operators reported a same-store sales gain between September 2009 and September 2010, up from 38 percent of operators who reported higher sales in August. Meanwhile, 38 percent of operators reported a same-store sales decline in September, down from 43 percent of operators who reported negative sales in August.
Restaurant operators also reported a slight uptick in customer traffic levels in September. Thirty-eight percent of restaurant operators reported an increase in customer traffic between September 2009 and September 2010, while 37 percent of operators reported a traffic decline. In August, 35 percent of operators reported an increase in customer traffic levels, while 42 percent reported a traffic decline.
Despite the improvements in sales and traffic levels, restaurant operators reported a slight drop-off in capital spending levels in recent months. Forty-two percent of operators said they made a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling during the last three months, down from 44 percent of operators who reported similarly last month.
The Expectations Index, which measures restaurant operators' six-month outlook for four industry indicators (same-store sales, employees, capital expenditures and business conditions), stood at 101.1 in September – up 1.0 percent from August and its strongest level in five months.
Restaurant operators are more optimistic about an improving sales environment in the months ahead. Forty-three percent of restaurant operators expect to have higher sales in six months (compared with the same period in the previous year), up from 38 percent who reported similarly last month. In comparison, 14 percent of restaurant operators expect their sales volume in six months to be lower than it was during the same period in the previous year, compared with 17 percent who reported similarly last month.
Restaurant operators are also more bullish about the direction of the overall economy. Thirty-eight percent of restaurant operators said they expect economic conditions to improve in six months, up from 25 percent last month and the strongest level of optimism in five months. In comparison, just 16 percent of operators said they expect economic conditions to worsen in the next six months, down from 21 who reported similarly last month.
Along with an improving outlook for sales and the economy, restaurant operators' plans for capital expenditures also grew. Forty-seven percent of restaurant operators plan to make a capital expenditure for equipment, expansion or remodeling in the next six months, up from 42 percent who reported similarly last month and the strongest level in five months.
The RPI is based on the responses to the National Restaurant Association's Restaurant Industry Tracking Survey, which is fielded monthly among restaurant operators nationwide on a variety of indicators including sales, traffic, labor, and capital expenditures. The full report is available online (http://www.restaurant.org/pdfs/research/index/201009.pdf).
The RPI is released on the last business day of each month, and more detailed data and analysis can be found on Restaurant TrendMapper (www.restaurant.org/trendmapper), the Association's subscription-based service that provides detailed analysis of restaurant industry trends.
Mexican Restaurants, Inc. Announces Delisting on NASDAQ; Plans to Deregister Common Stock with SEC
HOUSTON, Oct 29, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Board of Directors of Mexican Restaurants, Inc. announced it has taken definitive action to voluntarily delist its common stock on NASDAQ. Subsequent to the delisting, the Company intends to deregister its common stock and suspend its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"). The Company is taking these steps in order to avoid various public company costs, including Sarbanes-Oxley Act costs, that the Company believes disproportionately affect smaller publicly traded companies. The Company intends to maintain a market in its common shares by having the shares listed on a quotation service that does not require an issuer to be registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") such as the Pink Sheets, but currently has no arrangement for listing in place. The Company is eligible to deregister its common stock under the Exchange Act because it has fewer than 300 shareholders of record.
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Ruth's Hospitality Group narrows 3rd-quarter loss
Ruth's Hospitality Group Inc.'s third-quarter loss narrowed, benefiting from fewer expenses and improved results at its Ruth's Chris Steak House restaurants.
The restaurant company that owns the famous Ruth's Chris chain also named President and CEO Michael P. O'Donnell as its chairman on Friday.
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The restaurant company that owns the famous Ruth's Chris chain also named President and CEO Michael P. O'Donnell as its chairman on Friday.
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Chinglish: To keep or let go?
What if you were in a hotel bathroom and you saw a notice that said, "take care of the landslide". Could you possibly have guessed what it meant?
The Chinese call it Chinglish and many foreigners have had the experience of reading such confusing Chinese translations of English words and phrases.
To help foreigners better understand Chongqing, a translation center was set up under the foreign affairs office of the municipality in southwest China. It released standard translations to some widely-used words on Wednesday.
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The Chinese call it Chinglish and many foreigners have had the experience of reading such confusing Chinese translations of English words and phrases.
To help foreigners better understand Chongqing, a translation center was set up under the foreign affairs office of the municipality in southwest China. It released standard translations to some widely-used words on Wednesday.
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Maldives Hotel Tourists Abused at Wedding Ceremony
A hotel in Maldives has had to apologize to a couple after they were subject to foul abuse in a language they didn’t understand. The couple thought that they were being blessed in an idyllic beach wedding ceremony. Maldives is a Muslim-majority nation and is one of the most exclusive honeymoon destinations in the world, with its economy relying mostly on tourism.
The Vilu Reef hotel says that it was unforgivable that a member of their staff conducted the marriage vows renewal while solemnly reading out a series of extreme religious and sexual slurs in Dhivehi. The owners, Sun Travel and Tours, said in a statement that the resort’s management is deeply saddened by the humiliating event.
A video of the ceremony has surfaced on YouTube, showing the supervisor insulting and mocking the unknown Swiss couple. They obeyed orders from the minister when to do certain things, while he called them infidels and swine, among a string of other insults and swears.
Hotel manager Mohamed Rasheed said that the worker who posted the video did it as a joke without realizing the seriousness of the possible consequences. Sun Travels chief executive Ahmed Shakir said that those directly responsible for the incident have been removed, suspended from duty and/or forbidden from leaving the staff area at the hotel. The company is also contacting the couple to apologize. Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed is horrified of the footage, and an investigation has been launched.
What video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3anLy3Hz9I
The Vilu Reef hotel says that it was unforgivable that a member of their staff conducted the marriage vows renewal while solemnly reading out a series of extreme religious and sexual slurs in Dhivehi. The owners, Sun Travel and Tours, said in a statement that the resort’s management is deeply saddened by the humiliating event.
A video of the ceremony has surfaced on YouTube, showing the supervisor insulting and mocking the unknown Swiss couple. They obeyed orders from the minister when to do certain things, while he called them infidels and swine, among a string of other insults and swears.
Hotel manager Mohamed Rasheed said that the worker who posted the video did it as a joke without realizing the seriousness of the possible consequences. Sun Travels chief executive Ahmed Shakir said that those directly responsible for the incident have been removed, suspended from duty and/or forbidden from leaving the staff area at the hotel. The company is also contacting the couple to apologize. Foreign Minister Ahmed Shaheed is horrified of the footage, and an investigation has been launched.
What video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3anLy3Hz9I
STARWOOD REPORTS THIRD QUARTER 2010 RESULTS
Third Quarter 2010 Highlights
􀂃
special items, EPS from continuing operations was a loss of $0.03.
Excluding special items, EPS from continuing operations was $0.25. Including
􀂃
Adjusted EBITDA was $205 million.
􀂃
Including special items, the loss from continuing operations was $5 million.
Excluding special items, income from continuing operations was $47 million.
􀂃
in constant dollars) compared to the third quarter of 2009. System-wide REVPAR
for Same-Store Hotels in North America increased 10.6% (10.0% in constant
dollars).
Worldwide System-wide REVPAR for Same-Store Hotels increased 10.0% (11.1%
􀂃
Management and franchise revenues increased 7.7% compared to 2009.
􀂃
approximately 140 basis points.
Worldwide Same-Store company-operated gross operating profit margins increased
􀂃
10.8% (12.5% in constant dollars) compared to the third quarter of 2009. REVPAR
for Starwood branded Same-Store Owned Hotels in North America increased 12.5%
(11.2% in constant dollars).
Worldwide REVPAR for Starwood branded Same-Store Owned Hotels increased
􀂃
basis points.
Margins at Starwood branded Same-Store Owned Hotels Worldwide increased 110
􀂃
compared to 2009.
Operating income from vacation ownership and residential increased $10 million
􀂃
contracts representing approximately 4,500 rooms and opened 17 hotels and
resorts with approximately 3,300 rooms.Read More:During the quarter, the Company signed 20 hotel management and franchise
Marriott Outlines Plans for Ambitious Growth
Earnings by 2013 Could Reach New Highs; Approximately $3 to $5 Billion Could Be Returned to Shareholders Over Three Years
While highlighting its significant market opportunities and competitive advantages, Marriott International will tell security analysts and institutional investors in New York today, that, assuming growth scenarios of Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) of 5 to 9 percent compounded annually over the next three years, diluted earnings per share (EPS) could approximate $1.90 to $2.75 by 2013, well above the highest earnings per share (EPS) achieved during Marriott’s most recent peak earnings year of 2007. [Picture: The Waikiki EDITION.]
While highlighting its significant market opportunities and competitive advantages, Marriott International will tell security analysts and institutional investors in New York today, that, assuming growth scenarios of Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) of 5 to 9 percent compounded annually over the next three years, diluted earnings per share (EPS) could approximate $1.90 to $2.75 by 2013, well above the highest earnings per share (EPS) achieved during Marriott’s most recent peak earnings year of 2007. [Picture: The Waikiki EDITION.]
The company will say that total fee revenue could range from $1.57 billion to $1.87 billion and incentive management fees could nearly double through 2013 from 2010 estimated levels, ranging from $285 million to $440 million under those same RevPAR scenarios.
The company expects to add at least 80,000 to 90,000 hotel rooms to its portfolio from 2011 through 2013 with additional opportunities for 22,000 rooms to open in Europe and Asia during that same period. Marriott has plans to adapt and expand current brands, such as Courtyard and Fairfield, to meet the growing needs of customers in markets worldwide. The company will also be expanding its new brands outside of the United States, including EDITION, which just opened its first hotel on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, and the Autograph Collection. [Picture: Courtyard Mumbai International Airport]
J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of the company, said, “We are on the threshold of extraordinary growth for our company. As we look ahead over three years, Marriott is poised to deliver substantial gains in bottom line results, as well as meaningful returns to hotel owners and shareholders, as our industry-leading portfolio of brands both recovers from the recent recession and grows worldwide.”
According to the company, having reduced net debt by almost $1.5 billion since the end of 2008, Marriott has already reached its targeted debt levels. The company will say that it assumes it will invest $2.3 to $2.7 billion over the next three years. The company could return between $3.3 billion and $5.3 billion to shareholders from 2011 through 2013 through dividends and share repurchases, while still maintaining its investment grade bond rating. As of October 21, 2010, the company has resumed open market share repurchases, making modest repurchases to date.
The company expects to add at least 80,000 to 90,000 hotel rooms to its portfolio from 2011 through 2013 with additional opportunities for 22,000 rooms to open in Europe and Asia during that same period. Marriott has plans to adapt and expand current brands, such as Courtyard and Fairfield, to meet the growing needs of customers in markets worldwide. The company will also be expanding its new brands outside of the United States, including EDITION, which just opened its first hotel on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii, and the Autograph Collection. [Picture: Courtyard Mumbai International Airport]J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of the company, said, “We are on the threshold of extraordinary growth for our company. As we look ahead over three years, Marriott is poised to deliver substantial gains in bottom line results, as well as meaningful returns to hotel owners and shareholders, as our industry-leading portfolio of brands both recovers from the recent recession and grows worldwide.”
According to the company, having reduced net debt by almost $1.5 billion since the end of 2008, Marriott has already reached its targeted debt levels. The company will say that it assumes it will invest $2.3 to $2.7 billion over the next three years. The company could return between $3.3 billion and $5.3 billion to shareholders from 2011 through 2013 through dividends and share repurchases, while still maintaining its investment grade bond rating. As of October 21, 2010, the company has resumed open market share repurchases, making modest repurchases to date.
Hilton Worldwide Adds Three New Hotel Deals to Russian Pipeline
MOSCOW, Russia – Hospitality Business News (27 October 2010) - Hilton Worldwide has today announced the signing of three hotel agreements in strategic regional locations in Russia. New hotels will open in Yaroslavl and Kazan, as well as Hilton Worldwide’s second hotel in Moscow. These new signings will significantly expand the group’s presence in Russia, with 11 hotels now open or under development, since entering the market in 2008.
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president of development, Europe and Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said, “Today’s announcement is an exciting milestone for Hilton Worldwide in Russia. We entered the market only two years ago and have seen remarkable expansion of our brands since then. We continue to see owners and investors eager to work with us, for both new build and conversion projects, attracted by our multi-brand offering and brand strength which resonate with domestic and international guests.”
Hilton Worldwide is currently represented by Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn, and operates three hotels; Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya; Hilton Garden Inn Perm; and the recently opened Doubletree by Hilton, Novosibirsk, which began welcoming guests in September 2010.
Doubletree by Hilton, Moscow Leningradsky-Riverside - offering 270 guestrooms, the hotel will be located in the north-west of Moscow on the Leningradskoe Shosse between the city centre and the airport. The hotel is expected to open in the beginning of 2012. A yacht club and marina is located next to the hotel site and it will be possible to travel by water to reach downtown Moscow, as well as the Black and Baltic seas. The hotel will feature a full-service restaurant and bar, and dedicated fitness centre complete with indoor swimming pool. A total of 1,200-square metres of meeting space and ballroom is complemented by a state-of-the-art business centre and wireless internet access throughout the hotel. Doubletree by Hilton, Moscow Leningradsky-Riverside will be operated under a franchise agreement with Autoconcept Co LLC.
Hilton Garden Inn Yaroslavl - offering 179 guestrooms, the hotel will be located close to major transport links, just a few minutes from Moscovsky train station and the main city highway, which connects Yaroslavl to Moscow (250 kilometres). Yaroslavl is a major tourist destination in Russia; the old town was named by UNESCO as a world heritage site and is renowned for its 17th century churches and outstanding urban planning which dates back to 1763. Expected to open in spring 2012, the new build Hilton Garden Inn Yaroslavl will offer a restaurant, lobby bar as well as extensive meeting space of 576 square metres, including 10 meeting rooms and a ballroom. Hilton Garden Inn Yaroslavl will be operated under a franchise agreement with RESO Hotel Investments LLC.
Hilton Garden Inn Kazan - offering 171 guestrooms, the property will be located in the downtown area of Kazan city, close to the airport and Volga river port and in an area which is home to local business and commerce. Historic Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan, recognised as a sovereign state by the Russian Federation, with a population of more than 1 million inhabitants. The city sees mainly corporate visitors, with a mix of leisure from predominantly domestic sources. Expected to open in spring 2014, the new build Hilton Garden Inn Kazan will offer an all-day restaurant, lobby bar, business centre, fitness facility and four meeting rooms. Hilton Garden Inn Kazan will be operated under a franchise agreement with Vostochnaya Zvezda LLC part of the London & Regional Properties Ltd group.
Russia is an important strategic development market for Hilton Worldwide. Most recently, the company announced the signing of Hilton Garden Inn Omsk, which is expected to open in 2014. Additional hotels under development include: Doubletree by Hilton, Perm, expected to open in 2012; Doubletree by Hilton, Sochi-Adler, Hilton Garden Inn Samara and Hilton Garden Inn Ulyanovsk, all expected to open in 2012
Patrick Fitzgibbon, senior vice president of development, Europe and Africa, Hilton Worldwide, said, “Today’s announcement is an exciting milestone for Hilton Worldwide in Russia. We entered the market only two years ago and have seen remarkable expansion of our brands since then. We continue to see owners and investors eager to work with us, for both new build and conversion projects, attracted by our multi-brand offering and brand strength which resonate with domestic and international guests.”
Hilton Worldwide is currently represented by Hilton Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree by Hilton and Hilton Garden Inn, and operates three hotels; Hilton Moscow Leningradskaya; Hilton Garden Inn Perm; and the recently opened Doubletree by Hilton, Novosibirsk, which began welcoming guests in September 2010.
Doubletree by Hilton, Moscow Leningradsky-Riverside - offering 270 guestrooms, the hotel will be located in the north-west of Moscow on the Leningradskoe Shosse between the city centre and the airport. The hotel is expected to open in the beginning of 2012. A yacht club and marina is located next to the hotel site and it will be possible to travel by water to reach downtown Moscow, as well as the Black and Baltic seas. The hotel will feature a full-service restaurant and bar, and dedicated fitness centre complete with indoor swimming pool. A total of 1,200-square metres of meeting space and ballroom is complemented by a state-of-the-art business centre and wireless internet access throughout the hotel. Doubletree by Hilton, Moscow Leningradsky-Riverside will be operated under a franchise agreement with Autoconcept Co LLC.
Hilton Garden Inn Yaroslavl - offering 179 guestrooms, the hotel will be located close to major transport links, just a few minutes from Moscovsky train station and the main city highway, which connects Yaroslavl to Moscow (250 kilometres). Yaroslavl is a major tourist destination in Russia; the old town was named by UNESCO as a world heritage site and is renowned for its 17th century churches and outstanding urban planning which dates back to 1763. Expected to open in spring 2012, the new build Hilton Garden Inn Yaroslavl will offer a restaurant, lobby bar as well as extensive meeting space of 576 square metres, including 10 meeting rooms and a ballroom. Hilton Garden Inn Yaroslavl will be operated under a franchise agreement with RESO Hotel Investments LLC.
Hilton Garden Inn Kazan - offering 171 guestrooms, the property will be located in the downtown area of Kazan city, close to the airport and Volga river port and in an area which is home to local business and commerce. Historic Kazan is the capital of Tatarstan, recognised as a sovereign state by the Russian Federation, with a population of more than 1 million inhabitants. The city sees mainly corporate visitors, with a mix of leisure from predominantly domestic sources. Expected to open in spring 2014, the new build Hilton Garden Inn Kazan will offer an all-day restaurant, lobby bar, business centre, fitness facility and four meeting rooms. Hilton Garden Inn Kazan will be operated under a franchise agreement with Vostochnaya Zvezda LLC part of the London & Regional Properties Ltd group.
Russia is an important strategic development market for Hilton Worldwide. Most recently, the company announced the signing of Hilton Garden Inn Omsk, which is expected to open in 2014. Additional hotels under development include: Doubletree by Hilton, Perm, expected to open in 2012; Doubletree by Hilton, Sochi-Adler, Hilton Garden Inn Samara and Hilton Garden Inn Ulyanovsk, all expected to open in 2012
US group may take Maybourne hotels stake
US private equity company has emerged as a possible bidder for a stake in Maybourne, the London hotel company at the centre of the legal challenge that developer Paddy McKillen has taken against State assets agency Nama.
New York-based Northwood Investors is understood to be interested in taking a €230 million stake in Maybourne, owner of three upmarket hotels – Claridges, the Berkeley and the Connaught – in the English capital.
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New York-based Northwood Investors is understood to be interested in taking a €230 million stake in Maybourne, owner of three upmarket hotels – Claridges, the Berkeley and the Connaught – in the English capital.
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Nation's Unemployment Outlook Improves Drastically After Fifth Beer
WASHINGTON—Despite ongoing economic woes and a jobless rate that has been approaching 10 percent, U.S. unemployment projections drastically improved Monday after the consumption of five beers.
"It's going up," leading economist David Singleton said confidently, indicating the predicted growth in jobs with an upward wave of a Bud Light bottle. "All the way up. By the end of the month. No problem."
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"It's going up," leading economist David Singleton said confidently, indicating the predicted growth in jobs with an upward wave of a Bud Light bottle. "All the way up. By the end of the month. No problem."
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Boy Believed To Be Next Reincarnation Of Regional KFC Manager Discovered In Chatfield, MN
LOUISVILLE, KY—According to sources at the corporate headquarters of fast food giant KFC, a young boy believed to be the third reincarnation of the chain's regional manager for eastern Georgia was discovered in Chatfield, MN Tuesday following an exhaustive five-year search.
The Chosen One, kindergartner Brian Thorson, was located by a special council of seven High Branch Managers selected from the most profitable KFC restaurants nationwide. In accordance with tradition, the boy will henceforth be known as Roger Purcell, the ceremonial title given to all who have previously overseen operations in eastern Georgia.
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