ORLANDO, FLA.—David Siegel, founder and CEO of Westgate Resorts, announced a company-wide increase in minimum pay for its team members to $10 per hour, effective January 1, 2015. All employees currently earning less than $10 per hour will receive a pay increase to the new level, with the exception of commissioned and tipped employees or employees covered by a collective bargaining agreement. In addition, all future team members outside of these exceptions will have a minimum starting pay of $10 per hour.Although there are no Westgate team members paid at the federal minimum wage (other than commissioned or tipped...

ATLANTA—The Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) was recently awarded LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. LEED, which stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is a rating system for the design, operation and maintenance of green buildings. The GWCC is now the world’s largest LEED certified convention center. With 3.9 million square feet, the GWCC is also the 14th largest LEED certified building in the world.The facility, located in downtown Atlanta, first opened in 1976 with a total of 750,000 square feet. The fourth and final phase of construction of the building was completed in...

STAMFORD, CONN.—W Hotels Worldwide announced it has joined forces with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality, in the fight for nationwide LGBT equality by launching a fundraising and awareness initiative, “TURN IT UP FOR CHANGE”. Grammy and Academy Award winner Jennifer Hudson will lend her support and voice to the campaign, which combines the W brand’s longstanding support of the LGBT community with its ongoing passion for music. As part of the program, W Hotels around the country will host monthly TURN IT UP FOR...

NASSAU, THE BAHAMAS—The marine environment at Baha Mar continues to flourish, with the introduction of more than 300 coral antlers to the $3.5 billion resort’s eco-reef experience.The eco-friendly coral antlers were installed in July, adding to the artificial eco-reef experience at Baha Mar. Before the antlers were installed, volunteers from Baha Mar assembled each 55 pound antler by hand.The installation of 48 reef balls and 320 coral antlers began in April 2014 by Baha Mar’s environmental team. The reef balls and coral antlers were designed to complement each other by creating optimal conditions for coral and marine life just...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) announced that it will allow LEED users to register projects under the LEED 2009 rating system until October 31, 2016. The original date for LEED 2009 registration to close was June 15, 2015. Extending to October 2016 gives LEED users and members of the green building industry additional time to prepare for LEED v4, the latest version of LEED, which features increased rigor and multiple updates.  “When USGBC launched LEED v4 last year, we set out with one goal in mind—to raise the bar in a way that challenges the building industry...

DENVER—Xanterra Parks & Resorts has received a Lodging Sustainability Award. The award was announced at the Lodging Magazine Green + Sustainability Conference + Expo in Las Vegas. A global hospitality company known for its environmental innovations in national and state parks, resorts and other destinations, Xanterra has been long recognized as a visionary in environmental innovation and for its commitment to a softer footprint in those natural places.Sponsored by Lodging magazine, the Lodging Sustainability Awards “recognize the contribution of individuals, groups and corporate entities who exemplify the meaning of sustainability in the hotel industry,” Lodging magazine says. “The winners...

LONDON—InterContinental Hotels Group announced that its flagship IHG Green Engage program will be rolled out across the company’s global estate of over 4,700 hotels as of January 1, 2015. IHG Green Engage is an online environmental sustainability tool, which gives hotels the ability to track how much energy, carbon and water they are using, as well as assessing how waste is managed. This allows them to see how much they are spending and saving and to feed data directly to IHG’s corporate clients as part of the Request for Proposal (RFP) process.The IHG Green Engage system comprises more than...

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.—Commercial buildings in California account for nearly 40 percent of primary energy usage, much of which is wasted because of inefficiencies in older construction. According to the United States Department of Energy, commercial buildings could be made 80 percent more efficient with new and existing technology, but many property owners don’t fully appreciate the value proposition that retrofitting can bring to a business. Increasing energy efficiency through green and clean energy retrofitting offers tremendous benefits to California businesses, including hotels. On average, hotels spend nearly $2,200 per available room each year on energy; long operating schedules make hotels an...

LOS ANGELES—Grand Wailea, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, recently announced a $30 million rennovation—which includes all new guestroom interiors as well as upgrades in the hotel’s meeting areas and its famous pools with a completion date set for early 2015. Known for reflecting a stunning blend of Hawaii’s culture and natural beauty, the upgrades are designed to further enhance the guest experience with a fresh, contemporary island look.  Room design updates are being headed by interior architect Robert Barry of the Los Angeles based Barry Design Associates (BDA) who won the account via a design competition. The firm was behind...

TALLAHASSEE—Sheena Chin-Greene has been named Coordinator of the Florida Green Lodging Program. She replaces JoAnn Shearer. Chin-Greene previously worked in the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Northeast District Office. She brings extensive experience with sustainable initiatives including green lodging and pollution prevention and has special expertise with Lean process improvement. Chin-Greene joins a program that now has 717 participants.The Florida Green Lodging Program is a voluntary initiative of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection that designates and recognizes lodging facilities that make a commitment to conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources. The program’s environmental guidelines allow the hospitality industry...