How Papa John's got started

Fortune Magazine) -- When I was 12, I started a gutter-painting company at my grandfather's house. He was my mentor, and he expected us to work at an early age. My dad was into politics. He was the youngest city judge in Indiana's history, and he ran for lieutenant governor. So when Dad was on the road, Mom took us over to our grandfather's

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Canadian Hotel Rate Report for September 2009

The rising Canadian dollar, global downturn and U.S. border restrictions, deterred many travelers from visiting popular destinations like Montreal and Vancouver this summer. Even Toronto, a popular international destination, took a hit this summer resulting in a hotel rate drop of 11 percent when compared to last year.

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Hilton loses one of its top three

Hilton Hotels Corporation, the American hotel group facing corporate espionage charges, is understood to have parted company with one of its three top executives after just 18 months in the job.
Steve Goldman, president of global development and real estate and joint number two to chief executive Chris Nassetta, is believed to be on indefinite leave and is not expected to resume his duties.

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Mitchell & Butler warns of gloomy outlook for 2010

Managed pub operator Mitchells & Butlers has unveiled better- than-expected results so far this year but warns of a gloomy outlook for 2010.
The All Bar One and O’Neill’s operator announced like-for-like sales growth of 2.6% over the summer (in the 10 weeks to 19 September 2009), mainly reflecting the 5.8% growth in food sales.

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Hilton Hotels changes name to Hilton Worldwide

As the company settles in to its new digs in Tysons Corner in McLean, Va., after relocating HQ from Beverly Hills, Calif., the company today unveiled its new name: "Hilton Worldwide" instead of just plain old "Hilton Hotels."

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Hyatt Statement Regarding Massachusetts Governor's Proposed Boycott

BOSTON, Sept. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyatt Hotels released the following statement in response to the governor's boycott threat: "We are very disappointed by the Governor's decision to threaten a boycott of our hotels since it directly threatens the 600 associates who work in Hyatt properties and who live and work in Massachusetts at a time when businesses and individuals are cutting back on travel during the worst economic period we have seen in decades," said Phil Stamm, General Manager of Hyatt Regency Boston. "We do not understand why the Governor is putting more Massachusetts jobs at risk instead of working with us to find jobs for employees affected by the realities of these unprecedented economic challenges."

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Central Bank (Bahamas): Decline in hotel receipts

The Central Bank is confirming that hotels in The Bahamas sustained whopping blows to their bottom line in the last quarter — following an earlier Guardian report pinning that decline at 21 percent.

"Preliminary indicators of tourism sector revenues suggest that hotel receipts, across all major markets, declined significantly during the review quarter," said the bank's latest quarterly report ending June 2009. "This reflected the combined adverse effects on average earnings of lower occupancy levels, various discounts and other incentive programs."

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Atlantis hit by slower than expected Sept

Officials at Kerzner International's Atlantis Resort on Paradise Island expected things to be slow this fall, but they did not bank on the dramatic downturn in business now being experienced, according to a top executive. "Fall has turned out to be much softer than we expected [although] it's also a fall where we haven't had any major storms as we experienced in 2008 — or at least when we were threatened with some," said George Markantonis, president and managing director of Kerzner International Bahamas, the largest private employer in the country.


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Restaurant chain sued for overdue rent at 2 malls

(Crain’s) — Simon Property Group Inc. is suing a well-known casual restaurant chain to collect more than $143,000 in past-due rent and other fees for locations at two Chicago-area malls.

The Indianapolis-based mall giant alleges in separate lawsuits that Ruby Tuesday Inc. locations at Lincolnwood Town Center and Orland Square Mall have fallen behind on their monthly rent payments, though Simon has not begun eviction proceedings.

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Marriott International to record $760M in charges

BETHESDA, Md. -- Marriott says it will record $760 million in third-quarter impairment charges as it lowers prices and curbs development in its timeshare business to boost cash flow.

Marriott International Inc. plans to reduce residential prices to boost sales and convert certain projects for other uses.

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Tune Hotels CEO Tony Fernandes Says They're Coming To America

Tune Hotels are "very definitely" coming to the United States in the near future (we're talking like two years here). Tune being just "as big a brand as Air Asia," it's also a brand "that could travel anywhere in the world."

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Is Marriott’s Renaissance brand poised to compete with W?

Last week, we hit up Renaissance Hotels’ official brand “re-launch” at the Hotel 57 in Manhattan (which is now a Renaissance property). Across the pond, plenty of folks were partying in Paris at the Renaissance Arc de Triomphe several hours earlier to celebrate the new look of the Marriott-owned chain the same way.


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Savoy’s Luxury Makeover Adds to London Hotels’ Post-Lehman Woes

Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) -- The Savoy, the 121-year-old London hotel that’s hosted Elizabeth Taylor and Claude Monet, may add to strains on the city’s luxury guesthouses when it reopens in April following British hospitality’s most expensive renovation.

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Hilton executive in corporate 'espionage' case exits

Hilton Hotels Corporation, the American hotel behemoth, has replaced Ross Klein as global head of luxury and lifestyle brands after a lawsuit brought by Starwood Hotels, his former employer, accused him of looting confidential information.


Sources close to the company confirmed today that Mr Klein, who had been placed on paid administrative leave in April after the launch of the legal action, has now left Hilton. He is being replaced by John Vanderslice, former chief executive of Miraval Spa in Tucson, Arizona.

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Mayaguana (The Bahamas) project moving ahead?

The government is making progress in its talks with officials of the I-Group, the developer of a promised billion-dollar project for Mayaguana, Minister of Tourism Vincent Vanderpool-Wallace said yesterday.


Vanderpool-Wallace said government officials will meet with developers in the first week in October as they continue discussions toward a restructured agreement for the development.

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