PHOENIX—The Lodging Conference 2008, which will be held September 23 to 26 at the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix, will have a touch of green this year. Two think tank sessions, each with a green theme, are scheduled during the 14th annual event. The first session, Eco-friendly Design Concepts and Product Trends, will be moderated by Julia Monk, partner with Brennan Beer Gorman Monk/Interiors. The second session, Green Hotels Workshop: Initiatives That Save Money and Conserve Resources, will be moderated by Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor of Green Lodging News. The following is the description of the design...

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, CALIF.—A large majority—85 percent—of gaming customers at Indian casinos in Southern California report that they would prefer a smoke-free environment in these casinos, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Southern California Indian Gaming Casino Satisfaction Study. The inaugural study measures overall customer satisfaction based on performance in five key measures (listed in order of importance): gaming (33 percent), facility (27 percent), cage cashier/ticket redemption machine (17 percent), arriving/parking (15 percent), and beverage service (9 percent). “Most casino customers have grown accustomed to dealing with large volumes of cigarette smoke in the air, but an overwhelming percentage indicate...

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.—The Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority (ACCVA) announced that it has awarded Pepco Energy Services, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc., a 20-year power purchase agreement with the Atlantic City Convention Center (ACCC) to install the largest single roof-mounted solar array in the United States. “With each step we take, the ACCVA continues to embrace green initiatives and stand at the forefront of the environmental movement,” said Jeffrey Vasser, executive director of the ACCVA. “Following Governor Jon S. Corzine’s lead in taking a proactive look at environmental issues, our outstanding team has worked in conjunction with Pepco...

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF.—Doubletree Hotels announced that it has received the prestigious 2008 “Promise to the Earth Award” from the Arbor Day Foundation. The Promise to the Earth award is presented annually by the world’s largest nonprofit tree planting organization to corporations for outstanding commitments to environmental stewardship and education. The award also recognizes organizations that support the Arbor Day Foundation’s mission to “Inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees.” The Arbor Day Foundation acknowledged Doubletree for their continued and growing dedication to three major projects: • Doubletree Teaching Kids to CARE Community Outreach Program. Since the spring of 2004, Doubletree has...

SILVER SPRING, MD.—With its 10 brands and more than 5,000 hotels open or under development, Choice Hotels International, Inc. is one of the largest hotel franchisors on the planet. As committed as it has been to global growth, Choice has historically not taken the kinds of aggressive environmental stances that some of its competitors have taken. Granted, Choice did convert its Comfort Suites brand to a 100 percent nonsmoking one in 2007, but it has not announced any other major environment-related commitments. That is all beginning to change. As a franchisor, it is not so easy for Choice to mandate...

LEXINGTON, MASS.—Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. opened the eco-friendly doors of ELEMENT Lexington in Lexington, Mass. on July 1. ELEMENT is Starwood’s newest hotel concept and the first LEED-certified hotel chain in the country. ELEMENT Lexington is making its national debut, offering guests an entirely new extended stay experience that combines smart design, and nature-inspired and eco-friendly touches. Modern amenities range from complimentary WiFi to an international pantry stocked with everything from Korean kimchi soup to artisanal meats and cheeses. ELEMENT Lexington—the first ELEMENT hotel to open its doors to guests—will also serve as Starwood’s green trailblazer with...

WILLIAMSBURG, MICH.—The all new, 360,000-square-foot Turtle Creek Casino & Hotel near Traverse City, Mich., that opened June 17, 2008, is a modern architectural structure. It was designed to appeal to the senses as it evokes the natural environs with facilities and service that bring casino gaming in Northern Michigan to an entirely new level of convenience and comfort. The Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians, who own and operate the new casino and hotel, financed $80 million to construct the unique facility. The tribe made a deliberate decision to create a striking modern design with many organic and...

GREENSBORO, N.C.—The Proximity Hotel will give a free presentation to share its journey of the design and building of the “greenest” hotel in the country. The Sustainable Practices Symposium will be held on Wednesday, July 9, from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the hotel. Dennis Quaintance, president, developer and chief design officer, will lead the discussion that will include the step-by-step process of gaining LEED certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the U.S. Green Building Council. The symposium will end with a behind-the-scenes guided tour. There is no registration fee, but advance registration is required and space...

NATIONAL REPORT—The skyrocketing price of aviation fuel will have devastating implications far beyond new surcharges for checked bags and in-flight beverage services, according to a new study prepared by the Business Travel Coalition (BTC). Not only are U.S. airlines and their passengers facing their darkest future, but fast-approaching airline liquidations will cripple the U.S. economy that depends on affordable, frequent intercity air transportation. Massive job losses, supply chain disruption, declining business activity, shrinking tax revenues, weakened American competitiveness, devastated communities, and reduced tourism are just some of the predictable results from airline liquidations that could happen as early as...

DENVER—National park and resort concessioner Xanterra Parks & Resorts has just completed one of the largest solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems in the United States. Covering five acres of Southern California’s Death Valley National Park—a 3.3 million-acre park that is the sunniest place in the country—the one megawatt (MW) system will generate more than one-third of the total annual electricity needs of Xanterra’s operations in Death Valley, including the historic Furnace Creek Inn, Furnace Creek Ranch, Furnace Creek Golf Course, employee offices and housing. Xanterra’s facility is one of the largest privately owned PV energy systems in the country...