NATIONAL REPORT—Light has been around as long as the human race. First came fire—primitive, serving a dual purpose of heating and illumination. Fire, as a technology, was around for thousands of years. Relatively recently, roughly a hundred or so years ago, incandescent light was invented. This light source remains in use today and is a relatively simple process—passing an electrical current through a resistor, which creates both light, and heat. In the last 60 or so years, newer technologies have appeared—fluorescent, low and high-pressure sodium, metal halide, compact florescent. While these are significantly more efficient light sources than fire...

NEW YORK—Since the iconic Virgin Megastore left Times Square in 2009, New York City has been vacant of a Virgin hub. That will soon change as Virgin Hotels has broken ground with the Lam Group on Virgin Hotels New York City. Located in the NOMAD neighborhood at 1227 Broadway between 29th and 30th, the property will serve as the brand’s flagship hotel. Virgin Hotels is aiming to achieve LEED certification.“New York City isn’t just a destination for the Virgin airlines, but a place where some of the most successful Virgin brands have been incubated, where we’ve stunned crowds with...

NEW YORK—More than 300 boutique hotel leaders, travel advisors, media and industry professionals will gather from October 21 to 23 at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica, for the annual BLLA Leadership Symposium. BLLA is the leading Boutique & Lifestyle Assn. aimed at connecting independent, upscale hoteliers with fellow industry innovators, discerning travelers and hospitality professionals. Over the course of three days, more than 70 featured speakers will provide industry insights and highlight upcoming opportunities within the boutique hotel space. Nine presenters, including CBS News Travel Editor Peter Greenberg; Enchantment Group President Mark Grenoble; Commune Hotels + Resorts Executive...

AUSTIN, TEXAS—Global hospitality association Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals (HFTP) is adding to its successful community giving efforts with HFTP Helps. The first portion of the program, HITEC Helps, first held this year in Austin, Texas to support the United Way for Greater Austin during the Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference (HITEC) raised over $15,000 in support of the Austin area’s Memorial Day flood victims. Building on the enormous outreach from HFTP members and HITEC participants, HFTP has decided to create HFTP Helps, which will identify and serve a need in a community near the location of their...

NEW YORK—Hospitality Design (HD) magazine has launched HD Select, a brand new event that brings buyers and sellers together to discuss the most current projects and products in the hospitality design realm. The new series will officially launch at Motif Seattle on April 3 to 5, 2016, with a focus on sustainability and best practices. A fall event will be held in Charleston, S.C., discussing luxury design trends.HD Select allows guests to enhance their business by connecting with key buyers and suppliers in products and design. The event will feature representatives from a diverse range of product categories, including...

LOS ANGELES—The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, one of the world’s leading foundations working to improve the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable people throughout the world, announced a $2 million commitment to launch The Hilton Prize Coalition. This new grant will formalize the unique coalition comprised of many of the first 19 Hilton Humanitarian Prize-winning organizations and kick-start the implementation of two new signature initiatives: the Hilton Prize Laureates Fellowship Program, designed to inspire a new generation of humanitarian leaders, and the Disaster Resiliency and Response Program, created to help Prize laureates combine forces to leverage their work partnerships, and...

HONG KONG—Burba Hotel Network, Horwath HTL, and Stiles Capital Events, co-hosts and organizers of the annual Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP), announced the winners for the HICAP 2015 Sustainable Hotel Awards. The 26th annual HICAP will be held October 14 to 16, 2015 at the InterContinental Hong Kong.In the category of Sustainable Project Design, the winner is the Element Suzhou Science and Technology Town, China. This newly opened 188-key long stay hotel was built with eco-friendly and healthy materials, wherever possible. Numerous components and actions have been incorporated into its sustainable design including: being designed in a symbolic...

STAMFORD, CONN.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide announced the debut of its eco-wise Element brand in Bozeman with the opening of Element Bozeman, marking the first Starwood hotel in the state of Montana. Owned by a group of Bozeman investors, the newly constructed Element Hotel offers a stylish and sustainable new option for travelers with 104 light-filled rooms and an atmosphere designed to fuel a life in balance while on the road.“Our eco-wise Element brand is a terrific fit for Bozeman, a thriving hub for business and entertainment and a leading destination for outdoor recreation within the Rocky Mountain region,”...

SONOMA, CALIF.—Tens of thousands of Californians, including a pledge of hundreds of California Fairmont Hotels & Resorts colleagues, friends and family members volunteered to remove debris from the coast, creeks, rivers, lakes and shorelines all around California protecting wildlife from harm while taking care of the environment on Saturday, September 19, 2015 for California Coastal Cleanup Day.In 2014, nearly 67,000 volunteers removed more than 1,190,000 pounds of trash and recyclables from California’s beaches, lakes, and waterways. Families, friends, coworkers, scout troops, school groups, service clubs, and individuals come together to celebrate and share their appreciation of California’s coast and...

LAS VEGAS—Las Vegas Sands Corp. and international social enterprise Clean the World this past Saturday completed a 24-hour global volunteer effort to build 200,000 hygiene kits that will be distributed to populations in need worldwide, including to help homeless people in the United States.More than 4,000 LVS Team Members and community volunteers participated in the Las Vegas Sands Global Hygiene Build with Clean the World—which was both organizations’ largest volunteer effort to date, resulting in the most kits ever built for Clean the World at one time. The build was held at LVS’ Singapore, Macao, Bethlehem and Las Vegas...