STEVENSON, WASH.—Skamania Lodge, the Columbia River Gorge’s awarding-winning destination, recently broke ground on two new tree houses, set to open in September of 2017. This is the second pair of tree houses, the first opened in the summer of 2016. “We’re thrilled at the way our first two tree houses turned out,” said Skamania Lodge General Manager Ken Daugherty. “They became so popular, we wanted to be able to provide our guests with additional options to truly have that quintessential Columbia River Gorge experience.” Like the first two tree houses, these are nestled in the tall Douglas Firs of the Columbia...

ATLANTA—Showcasing the private sector’s power to create a climate fit for life, Interface unveiled a first-of-its-kind prototype carbon negative carpet tile. Interface’s “Proof Positive” tile proves that with new approaches to materials sourcing and manufacturing, it is possible to make a product with the potential to reverse global warming. After the tile is made, there is less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere than if it had not been manufactured in the first place. “We created this Proof Positive tile to inspire our customers, our industry, and the world to think more broadly about taking on the climate challenge in a...

CORTEZ, FLA.—A new recreational focused resort and marina is coming to Cortez from the developer behind Mirabella, the LEED Platinum certified, 160 home, adult community in nearby Bradenton, Fla. The 148 cottage community, named Hunters Point Resort and Marina, will also feature 49 boat slips, a public marina and community center, all designed to provide a modern, environmentally respectful and energy efficient fishing village style community to the historic town of Cortez, Fla. Of the 148 “Cracker” cottages, 62 are designed as hotel rooms for short term rentals. The development seems to be in line with the long-time quest of...

NATIONAL REPORT—The survey that is the basis for the annual Green Lodging Trends Report has launched and will remain open through 7 p.m. EST June 20. Click here to participate! The Green Lodging Trends Report is the lodging industry’s annual exercise to assess and catalyze green innovation, best practices, and awareness regarding the state of sustainability across hotels worldwide. Participants benefit from a free compare report—an opportunity to learn how their property is aligned with best practices, and where it is behind among peers locally and worldwide. Participants also have an opportunity to discover new innovative practices that hotels are...

LAS VEGAS—This week, MGM Resorts International released its Annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report, a comprehensive publication that details the company’s corporate citizenship efforts across the 12 month span of 2016. The annual report, titled “MGM Cares”—the company’s CSR brand—is available now for download at the company’s website. The report describes MGM Resorts’ CSR philosophy, governance and culture, and summarizes MGM Resorts’ developments in the pillars of Diversity and Inclusion, Philanthropy and Community Engagement and Environmental Sustainability. Last year’s CSR efforts were a continuation and expansion of a commitment the company made officially in 2000, when MGM Resorts pioneered the...

LOUISVILLE, KY.—21c Museum Hotels announced the opening of its seventh property in Nashville, Tenn. Building on its mission of engaging the public with contemporary art and supporting the revitalization of American downtowns, 21c has rehabilitated the historic Gray & Dudley Building in Downtown Nashville near Printer’s Alley. Located at 221 2nd Avenue North, 21c Museum Hotel Nashville offers 10,500 square feet of contemporary art exhibition space open free of charge to the public, a 124-room boutique hotel, and the locally-inspired, Gray & Dudley restaurant helmed by Chef Levon Wallace. “We have had our sights set on Nashville for quite some time,...

KEY WEST, FLA.—If entrepreneur Tony Webb attracts the interest he needs, there could be as many as 15 Planet Ocean Underwater Hotels in the coming years. Webb, Founder and Managing Director of Planet Ocean Underwater Hotels, LLC, is targeting waters off Cuba for the first 12-room property that will sit about 24 to 30 feet below the ocean’s surface. Fifteen sites are being planned for locations in the Indian Ocean, the Persian Gulf, the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean. One purpose of the business venture is to raise awareness about the precarious state of global coral reef health. Webb...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Statement from Mahesh Ramanujam, President & CEO, USGBC and GBCI: “At USGBC, we implore you to stay strong and focused and to keep building. And remember: we stand with you, and we are all in. Let’s continue to LEED on. As many know, the Paris Agreement, under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), establishes voluntary actions to address greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change mitigation and adaptation—and 194 countries around the world are signatories. The United States government has an opportunity to lead on this, and in so doing, to strengthen global partnerships, yet it has chosen to walk...

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—The GreenShield Co. has announced the launch of a new website to support the GreenShield finish, a nanoparticle based innovation that reduces the health and environmental impact of stain resistant finishes. GreenShield dramatically lowers the amount of fluorochemicals needed for superior water and stain resistance on textile products. The GreenShield website is designed to educate and inform customers on the realities of the negative environmental impact of textile finishes and offer transparent information on the new technology behind the GreenShield finish. “Products can only be as sustainable as the materials and processes used to make them,” said Michael Duffy,...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Baywood Hotels announced the dual-brand Hampton Inn by Hilton Washington, D.C. NoMa Union Station and Homewood Suites by Hilton Washington, D.C. NoMa Union Station have been awarded LEED Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The achievement is given for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions aimed at achieving high performance in: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the foremost program for the design, construction and operation of green buildings. LEED-certified hotels are resource proficient as they use...