MIAMI—Starwood Capital Group, a private investment firm with a primary focus on global real estate, and Adventurous Journeys Capital Partners (AJ Capital), a real estate and hospitality company, announced the launch of Field & Stream Lodge Co. (Field & Stream), a branded hospitality platform aiming to create modern and affordable lifestyle lodging across the United States. Field & Stream is an iconic American brand established in 1871 which brings great authenticity and brand recognition to a category of generic hotel offerings. The Field & Stream platform aims to initially create approximately 20 to 25 hotels, first targeting U.S. markets near authentic...

STATELINE, NEV.—There is no way around it; Edgewood Tahoe Resort, a boutique property nestled on the shores of Lake Tahoe, is one of a kind when it comes to providing an eco-luxury experience for its guests. Sustainability is top of mind during every decision regarding design, construction, operations, and the guest and community experience. The resort’s commitment is best explained on its website: “Every decision we make and action we take must align with our calling to be stewards of the land, guardians of the Lake, and sincere, difference-making corporate citizens of the communities in which we operate.” Edgewood Tahoe...

BANGKOK—Six Senses has entered its first sub-Saharan African project, which will front Princess Elizabeth Island on the approach to the largest waterfall in the world. The partially concealed, tree-level lodges at Six Senses Victoria Falls will be ecological, tactile, and understated to provide a bird’s eye platform for what’s most important, an authentic connection with the verdant nature and wildlife all around. The resort is part of The House of Chinhara initiative to recover the majesty of Zimbabwean tourism by elevating the available accommodation count and quality for visitors to the Victoria Falls National Park, as well as providing host...

NEW ORLEANS—At its monthly board meeting, the Ernest N. Morial New Orleans Exhibition Hall Authority, the governing body of the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, offered formal commendations to two guests who utilized an on-site Automated External Defibrillator (AED) device to save the life of an individual outside of a Convention Center event earlier this month. Michael and Katherine Diegan, of Daphne, Alabama, were attendees at the “New Orleans Blastoff” volleyball tournament on the weekend of January 14. On Saturday, they encountered an individual who had been jogging in the Pedestrian Park, experiencing a medical emergency. Quickly ascertaining...

MACAO—Local community group volunteers joined Sands China team members at The Venetian Macao last month to assemble 28,500 hygiene kits for Clean the World. The international social enterprise helps prevent the spread of disease worldwide by distributing hygiene supplies essential for good health to populations in need around the globe. The annual hygiene kit build is an initiative of Sands China’s parent company, Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS), and helps Clean the World distribute emergency response hygiene kits to assist with on-the-ground, immediate needs in times of crisis and disaster. In 2014, Sands China became the first integrated operator in Macao to launch such an event....

NATIONAL REPORT—Eleven states have enacted laws that ban PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” in food packaging in response to concerns about potential health risks. Another seven states have proposed similar bans—and more states are expected to follow. A recent Restaurant Law Center webinar explores what restaurant operators need to know about per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging. The webinar, “Outlook on PFAS in 2023,” is available to watch on demand. It features a panel of experts from the international law firm Steptoe. Laura Abshire, Director of Food and Sustainability Policy for the National Restaurant Association, moderates. PFAS is a large, diverse group of human-made...

LOS CABOS, MEXICO—For nearly two decades, Pueblo Bonito Golf & Spa Resorts—now joined by Quivira Los Cabos—have aided a turtle protection and hatchling release program, boosting the survival rate of an endangered reptile that’s vital to the region’s ecosystem. But what happened last fall was truly something special. “The arrival of the olive ridley turtle occurs in Mexico on the Pacific coast, in the States of Oaxaca and Michoacán, and here in Baja California Sur,” explains Carlos Villalobos, Manager of Pueblo Bonito’s Sea Turtle Protection Program. “What happened last fall in Los Cabos in the Bay of Cabo San Lucas...

OTTAWA, ONT—For more than 20 years, the Hotel Association of Canada’s Green Key Eco-Rating program, run by Green Key Global, has been evolving to keep up with changing trends, technologies, operational practices, standards and expectations. According to Rebecca Bartlett-Jones, Manager, Business Development, Green Key Global, the Eco-Rating program is about to evolve again with a new version of the hotel certification program set to launch on February 1. While previously mostly a North America-centric program, moving forward it will be entirely North America-centric. Already recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Green Key Global is working toward accredited certification...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The AHLA Foundation raised a record $1.2 million at its 5th annual gala to celebrate winners and up and coming hospitality super stars, while raising funds to support the AHLA Foundation programs that are helping the industry recruit and retain the stars of tomorrow. Each year, the Night of a Thousand Stars gala celebrates the hotel industry’s most important VIPs—the property-level talent that makes the industry so unique. Throughout the evening, industry leaders commemorated the 2023 Stars of the Industry Award winners and the individuals that embody the spirit of hospitality, while raising critical funds to support Foundation programs. “The Night of...

LAGUNA BEACH, CALIF.—Soul Community Planet (SCP), the holistic hospitality company founded on the values of wellness, social good and sustainability, announced it has reached several milestones in its efforts to make regenerative travel a reality. These include achieving its company-wide Net Zero Waste goal for 2022, receiving a new EarthCheck benchmark, and launching the new Pristine Playa program on Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula. SCP Exceeds 2022 Net Zero Waste Goal In 2022, SCP achieved superior waste efficiency, with an estimated one pound of landfill waste generated per occupied room—less than half of the estimated industry average. Over the same period, SCP’s...