MCLEAN, VA.—Hilton Worldwide recently announced that the company is the official hotel sponsor of the Special Olympics World Summer Games 2011 in Athens, Greece, and of Special Olympics International through 2014. To celebrate the partnership, two-time Olympic medalist Michelle Kwan announced that Hilton Worldwide will launch the “Celebrating Special Olympics” traveling photography exhibit, a set of exclusive displays featuring images from famed photographer Richard Corman. “Hilton Worldwide’s global reach and industry-leading brands make it a natural partner for Special Olympics, and we are thrilled to be able to work with the company as our official hotel sponsor for the 2011...

WESTBURY, N.Y.—When Westbury, New York’s Viana Hotel & Spa was in its design stage, it was shortly after Hurricane Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast. Oil prices shot up and the United States’ dependence on foreign oil was in the spotlight. It was within this climate of energy uncertainty that Alan Mindel and his team at Samar Hospitality decided to build the most energy-efficient hotel possible. Designed to achieve LEED-NC Silver certification, the 116-room Viana Hotel & Spa on Long Island features a closed-loop water-source heat pump system for heating and cooling as well as an 11-kilowatt photovoltaic system on...

ARLINGTON, VA.—The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) issued a report detailing the dramatic reduction of TV and computer monitor sizes and weights since the advent of flat-panel monitors and TVs. The report, Materials Footprint Reduction of Televisions and Computer Monitors: 2004-2010, found flat-panel TVs are 82 percent lighter and 75 percent smaller than their cathode ray tube (CRT) TV predecessors of a similar screen size. The report also found today’s 40- to 70-inch flat-panel TVs weigh 34 percent less than 13- to 36-inch CRT TVs. “The staggering reductions in materials in TVs and computer monitors have real and lasting environmental benefits,...

FREEPORT, MAINE—Travelers came to Maine in record numbers this May to take advantage of greatly reduced room rates and support Habitat for Humanity, according to Greg Dugal, executive director of the Maine Innkeepers Assn. (MEIA) The eighth annual Hospitality for Habitat, a program designed by MEIA to raise funds for Maine chapters of Habitat for Humanity, took in $15,475, beating last year’s total by more than $2,000, to help build homes for Maine families. Thirty-four MEIA member properties, from B&B’s to resorts, located all over the state of Maine, participated in Hospitality for Habitat this year, offering visitors to the...

NEW DELHI—All of ITC’s luxury hotels have been accorded the highest rating: LEED Platinum (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), making ITC arguably one of the greenest luxury hotel chains in the world. This distinction is a reflection of ITC’s credo of “Responsible Luxury”—an ethos that integrates world class green best practices with contemporary design elements to deliver the best of luxury in the greenest possible manner. The Responsible Luxury commitment of ITC Hotels blends elements of nature to deliver a unique value proposition to discerning guests, conscious of their responsibility to be planet positive. In addition to the wide...

CHICAGO—The National Restaurant Association announced that the 2012 National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show, originally scheduled for May 19 to 22, 2012 at Chicago’s McCormick Place, will be held from May 5 to 8, 2012 at Chicago’s McCormick Place. This change reflects the Association’s decision to avoid overlap with the Global G8 and NATO Summit scheduled to take place in Chicago from May 15 to 22, 2012. “The NRA’s primary goal is to provide our exhibitors and attendees an environment that is conducive to business,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “Discussions with the Chicago...

VINELAND, N.J.—For the last year and a half, drivers motoring down Route 55 in Vineland, N.J., have been met with a surprising site—a 2,500-solar panel installation behind the Ramada Vineland. The .5-megawatt system sits on three acres of land owned by NGL Property Management, owner and operator of the adjacent 102-room Ramada. The solar system provides about 75 to 80 percent of the hotel’s power. That is significant given that the hotel has a banquet hall and three food and beverage facilities: Dakota Prime Steak House and Sushi Bar, Harry’s Pub (Bar & Grill), and The Speedway Café. According...

LAS VEGAS—Marriott’s Grand Chateau, located at the center of the Las Vegas Strip, has earned the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star rating, the national symbol for protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency. This signifies that the 40-story building performs in the top 25 percent of similar facilities nationwide for energy efficiency. “We are thrilled to accept the EPA’s Energy Star in recognition of our energy efficiency efforts,” said Tom McCormack, general manager of Marriott’s Grand Chateau. “Through this achievement, we have demonstrated our ‘Spirit to Preserve’ commitment to the environment while also lowering our energy costs.” The 427-villa timeshare...

MINNEAPOLIS—AmericInn, a leading midscale hotel company, announced that construction has begun on a new brand prototype featuring a contemporary new design that represents the future hospitality concept for this expanding national brand. The new prototype is located in Fairfield, Iowa, and is being developed by long-term AmericInn franchisee Apollo Development, LLC of Minnetonka, Minn. Apollo has previously developed five AmericInn properties located in Illinois, Nebraska and Iowa. The new hotel is expected to open in March 2012 and will be managed by Three Rivers Hospitality, the hotel property management arm of AmericInn, headquartered in Chanhassen, Minn. “We are very pleased...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—Advance registration is now open for the 96th annual International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS) and 2nd annual Boutique Design New York, North America’s largest hospitality gathering and showcase of products across all categories. A discounted registration fee of $30 is available through October 7, 2011, with the rate increasing to $50 on October 8. Registration for either show offers admission to both markets. Taking place this November at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, IHMRS and BDNY will collectively present more than 700 hospitality industry suppliers and attract some 30,000 trade attendees. The $30...