WHITE PLAINS, N.Y.—An edited exhibit division of statement-making products for hotel, resort and casino food and beverage operations will debut at the 2011 International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show (IHMRS), November 12 to 15, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. The Hotel F&B Zone will feature manufacturers and distributors of bar equipment; beer, wine and spirits; software and technology; buffet ware and catering accessories; and specialty food and beverages. “The Hotel F&B Zone was created to accommodate the sourcing needs of food and beverage executives from across the country who attend the IHMRS annually, offering them a...

NATIONAL REPORT—Confused about changing light bulb technology and new regulations affecting the types of bulbs stores sell? The American Lighting Association (ALA) offers information to help simplify the process of selecting efficient, economical and effective light bulbs. Are Certain Types of Light Bulbs Being Banned? The word “ban” is incorrect. While it is true that the 100-watt incandescent bulb will no longer be manufactured after January 2012, it is not a ban as much as it is a replacement. Products in every industry go through a similar process where something that is no longer efficient is replaced in the marketplace by...

MCLEAN, VA.—Home2 Suites by Hilton recently celebrated the official grand opening of the brand’s third U.S. hotel in Baltimore with a ribbon-cutting dedication and an announcement of a charitable community partnership. The hotel is both the first adaptive reuse project for Home2 Suites and the first urban space, joining two other properties already open in Fayetteville, N.C. and Layton, Utah. To commemorate the event, the Baltimore hotel hosted an afternoon of on-site activities for Home2 Suites executives, developer Baywood Hotels’ executive committee and members of the local business community. In addition to a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the Home2 Suites staff planned...

NATIONAL REPORT—The Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) announces the launch of the “National Sustainable Lodging Network,” an online community of sustainable hospitality practitioners and an information clearinghouse to support the work of this community. Public interest in “going green,” personal ethic, and market demand have led to a growing community of practice in the sustainable hospitality area. As a result, there has been an explosion of state and local sustainable hospitality programs in recent years and a proliferation of information on how to “green up” hospitality operations. Ryan Hamel, of Kansas State University’s Pollution Prevention Institute, notes, “In the last...

ROCKVILLE, MD.—Foulger-Pratt Companies and Choice Hotels International recently celebrated the groundbreaking of the new headquarters building for Choice Hotels in Rockville, Md. When completed, more than 400 Choice Hotels associates will move to the new 190,907-square-foot Class A office building. Leaders from state, county and local government worked closely with Choice Hotels and Foulger-Pratt to finalize the negotiations for the relocation, which keeps hundreds of job opportunities in the local economy and will result in continued economic growth and stability for the Rockville area. The groundbreaking event was celebrated with speeches by Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Montgomery County Executive Ike...

GRAND RAPIDS, MICH.—Charter House Innovations (CHi) has opened its second green CityFlats Hotel—this time in the heart of Grand Rapids, Mich. The Holland, Mich.-based company, which also manufactures sustainable furniture, is pursuing LEED for New Construction certification at the Gold level for the 28-room property. CHi also has a CityFlats Hotel in Holland, Mich., that opened almost four years ago and, according to Chuck Reid, owner of the CityFlats Hotel brand, investors have expressed interest in developing additional CityFlats properties in Michigan and on the East Coast. CityFlats Hotel Grand Rapids, which includes the CitySen Lounge on the main floor,...

VICTORIA, B.C.—When the iconic Oak Bay Beach Hotel was torn down in 2007, it was not without controversy. Since the late-1920s, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel was a major fixture of Victoria, drawing both local regulars to its cozy Snug Pub and travelers from around the world to the waterfront grounds, manicured gardens and its traditional British charm. So in 2006, when the building was declared in a state beyond repair and was slotted for teardown, sadness was palpable throughout the community within British Columbia’s capital city.  Owners, Kevin and Shawna Walker, had a long process with City Council to...

TORONTO—As part of its ongoing climate change strategy, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced that it has cut its CO2 output by 8.4 percent. As a member of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Climate Savers program, Fairmont has pledged to reduce its operational CO2 emissions by 20 percent below 2006 levels by 2013, and was the world’s first luxury hotel group to commit to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The more than 8 percent decline, based on 2010 year-end data, means the hotel company is almost halfway to its ambitious reduction target. “Everyone can agree that the debate on climate...

OAKLAND, CALIF.—The Homewood Suites by Hilton Oakland-Waterfront announced it has received Energy Star certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The hotel scored 43 points higher than the average hotel and 18 points higher than the Energy Star requirements. In a study conducted by California Travel & Tourism Commission and San Francisco State University, 37 percent of travelers specifically seek out green service providers and one in four travelers stated they use green service providers. The Oakland Homewood Suites is only the second hotel in Oakland to earn Energy Star certification from the EPA. “Creating a thread between team members...

NASHVILLE, TENN.—A year and three months after its launch, the Tennessee Hospitality Association’s Tennessee Green Hospitality Program now has 42 certified establishments. The businesses range from the Chattanooga Choo Choo resort in Chattanooga to the Doubletree Hotel Jackson in Jackson, Tenn. While most of the certified destinations are hotels, some like the Knoxville Convention Center in Knoxville and Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga are non-lodging businesses. “The program is going very well,” says Dobbin Callahan, president of Skye Con, the company that audits businesses pursuing Tennessee Green Hospitality certification. “An increasing number of meeting planners, tour guides and travelers are looking...