CHICAGO—Hyatt Hotels Corp. announced that a Hyatt affiliate has entered into a management agreement with The Red Sea Development Company for a 430-room Grand Hyatt hotel on Shaura Island, the hub of the ambitious Red Sea Project on Saudi Arabia’s west coast. The luxury resort hotel will represent the largest of 11 hotels set to open on the island and will occupy a prime position within this innovative tourist development. Grand Hyatt The Red Sea will be the second Grand Hyatt hotel in the Kingdom and the seventh Grand Hyatt hotel in the Middle East, marking an important milestone...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announces USGBC Live 2022, an annual event series designed to help prepare and inspire building industry practitioners and changemakers including USGBC members, LEED users and credential holders to accelerate the transition to green buildings, cities and communities. The 2022 USGBC Live schedule includes two regional experiences leading up to the main event: •    USGBC Live: Boston Forum, Boston, Mass., April •    USGBC Live: Minneapolis Forum, Minneapolis, Minn., May •    The main USGBC Live event will take place in a hybrid (virtual and in-person) format in Washington, D.C., in June. “USGBC Live brings our community together to provide insight...

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN—Scandic Hotels has signed a long-term lease agreement with Skanska for a new 210-room hotel in downtown Sundsvall. The new hotel, which will be attractively located in the city’s harbor area, will be built of wood, giving it a very high environmental standard. The hotel is expected to open during 2024. The hotel will be called Scandic Sundsvall Central. The hotel, which will be ideally located next to Sundsvall’s harbor and railway station, will have 210 rooms and a cozy restaurant and bar area on the ground floor. One floor up, guests will be able to enjoy the hotel’s...

BROOKLYN, N.Y.—Getaway, the hospitality company that offers mindful escapes to tiny cabins in nature, hired Carlos Becil as its first-ever Chief Experience Officer last July, following a monumental year of growth and $41.7M Series C funding. As the former CMO of Coach and Equinox, and VP of Brand Management for Starwood, Carlos is bringing a dynamic perspective to Getaway, helping take it from a “tiny cabin” rental company to a global hospitality business. Green Lodging News recently interviewed Becil about Getaway and its growth. The following are our questions and Becil’s answers: What do you consider to be your primary responsibilities? You have...

MASHANTUCKET, CONN.—The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the Connecticut Department of Public Health and Griffin Health announced they will partner to host free vaccination clinics at Foxwoods Resort Casino amidst the Omicron variant surge. This is the next step in the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and Foxwoods’ ongoing efforts to vaccinate as many people as possible to protect them against COVID-19. The walk-in, no appointment needed, vaccination clinics will be open every Tuesday starting January 4, 2022, from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Foxwoods Resort Casino’s Bingo Hall, with free parking available in the Rainmaker Garage. Vaccination for 1st dose, 2nd dose,...

NATIONAL REPORT—Canned gel chafing fuel remains the primary heating choice for upwards of 90 percent of the hospitality industry for chafing dishes and other similar food and beverage containers according to industry experts. That is bad news for the environment and hotel owners, however, when one considers canned fuel’s inefficiency, its cost, its many hazards while in use, and its carbon and other negative impacts throughout the supply chain. In fact, says David Moreland, Chief Bottle Washer for Smart Buffet Ware, when you burn canned fuel, 78 percent of the fuel is heating the atmosphere—not what is intended to...

GULF BREEZE, FLA.—Gulf Coast hotel operator and management company Innisfree Hotels announced that all four of their Pensacola Beach properties have been recognized by the Green Key Global Eco-Rating Program for their ongoing commitment to improving their environmental and fiscal performance. The Green Key Global Eco-Rating Program is an “eco-audit” that awards hospitality and tourism enterprises up to 5 Green Keys based on their sustainability practices and diligence when it comes to eco-friendly operations. The Green Key Program is recognized by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), an international accreditation body that manages sustainability standards in travel and tourism. Of the...

DALLAS—G6 Hospitality, parent company of the Motel 6 and Studio 6 brands, is committed to doing its part to end human trafficking in all forms and to help increase awareness of this global crime as the nation recognizes Human Trafficking Awareness Month in January. “There is nothing more important to us than creating a safe environment and positive experience for our guests and team members,” said Rob Palleschi, CEO of G6 Hospitality. “Wear Blue Day is an important reminder of the role we all must play to combat all forms of human trafficking in the hospitality industry and beyond.” G6 Hospitality takes...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The AHLA Foundation announced it is awarding $175,000 in total to community-based organizations that help change the lives of Opportunity Youth by preparing them for future careers in hospitality. Through a combination of continued and newly started partnerships, the AHLA Foundation will join forces with organizations in Los Angeles, New Orleans, Orlando, and Washington D.C. to help train an estimated 370 youth for hotel jobs. These recently awarded grants are part of the reinvigorated Empowering Youth Program (EYP)—an effort focused on engaging, educating, and advancing new talent in hospitality. “Supporting our community youth by creating opportunities in the hotel industry...

MILL VALLEY, Calif.—Auberge Resorts Collection, a portfolio of award-winning hotels, resorts and residences, recently announced plans for a new coastal escape in South Carolina with The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection. Located along the Charleston coastline in the waterfront community of Kiawah River, the property offers 2,000 acres of picturesque land with 20 miles of riverfront, scenic nature trails and abundant marshlands set amongst native flora and fauna. With the groundbreaking planned for January 2022, The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection, will be a charming, family-friendly getaway that invites guests to take in the simple pleasures of an authentic sea island lifestyle upon its opening...