The Hotel Inter-Continental Dallas near the Galleria, Dallas, just completed the second phase of a multimillion-dollar renovation that includes redecorated meeting space, two new meeting rooms, and an upgraded lobby and concierge area. The new meeting rooms total 1,550 square feet of space; all meeting rooms include high-speed Internet access. The additional rooms bring the hotel's function space to more than 100,000 square feet in 39 rooms. Outdoor function areas have been increased to accommodate as many as 350 people. The 529-room, 39-suite property's final phase of renovation, begun in May, will add an additional 9,000 square feet of meeting space and should be completed by September. www.interconti.com/dallas
Aspen Hotels of Alaska recently opened its newest property, the 63-room Aspen Hotels Soldotna, Alaska, the Kenai Peninsula's only hotel with a swimming pool and spa suites. The hotel offers a business center, a meeting and conference room designed to accommodate up to 100 people, and a support staff. In-room amenities include desks, speakerphones, and data ports. www.aspenhotelsak.com
The Renaissance Esmeralda Resort and Spa, Indian Wells, Calif., will soon complete a new 16,500-square-foot ballroom in its 40,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art meeting facility. The facility offers pre-function space, built-in offices, a registration desk, and an executive boardroom. High-speed Internet access is available through built-in STSN technology. The resort will soon offer more than 100,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space. The ballroom should be open by December; the new full-service spa opened in April. Also in the works is the renovation of the resort's 560 guest rooms, including 22 deluxe suites. www.renaissancehotels.com
The new Overland Park Convention Center, Overland Park, Kan., recently saw the laying of the final brick. The new convention center will offer more than 85,000 square feet of exhibit space. Eighty-five percent of the building, including the interior, is complete. The center sits on a 26-acre site. Overland Park offers more than 5,000 hotel rooms — including the new 412-room Sheraton Hotel — 1,000 of which are within walking distance of the center. When completed, the facility will feature a 60,000 square-foot exhibition hall, a 25,000 square-foot ballroom, more than 14,000 square feet of meeting space, and extensive pre-function space.
Beyond Borders
The former Resort & Casino at Bahamia,now the 965-room Royal Oasis Golf Resort and Casino, Grand Bahama, The Bahamas, has completed a $42 million renovation. The property has a Crowne Plaza (formerly the Tower) and a Holiday Inn Sunspree (formerly the Country Club), both set on a park-like campus. Renovations include a new 1 million-gallon beach pool, full-service spa and fitness facilities, a children's activity center, a redesign of all restaurants, and a new sports bar. The resort is in the midst of completing a $12 million renovation of its casino and a $6 million redesign of its golf facilities. The Royal Oasis offers more than 40,000 square feet of dedicated meeting space, and it is part of Driftwood Hospitality Management.
Mexico's Camino Real Hotels and Resorts has embarked on a $40 million renovation and expansion program that is aimed at restoring the company's standing as one of Mexico's leading luxury brands. Of the $40 million in renovation projects currently under way at Camino Real's 15 properties, $26 million is slated for the total refurbishment of the 714-room Camino Real Mexico City, which is sited on 6 acres of private gardens and land in the heart of the country's capital. All of its meeting and guest rooms are being redesigned. The project is scheduled to be complete by mid-2003. www.caminoreal.com
In June, the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, Canada, reopened after an $18 million renovation. The 644-room hotel now has more than 45,000 square feet of meeting space and the city's only rooftop meeting venues. All meeting space has been renovated, including the Regency ballroom, an additional ballroom, and all pre-function space. Other changes include the remodeled lobby, a new bar and grille, and a lobby bistro. www.hyatt.com
The Hotel Concorde La Fayette, Paris, recently completed an $8 million-plus refurbishment. The 1,000-room hotel is part of Europe's largest convention center and offers more than 37,674 square feet of conference facilities. Meeting facilities include 10 mezzanine meeting rooms, which can seat up to 80 participants. Additional meeting rooms include a 20,000-square-foot, soundproof space that is divisible into 11 reception or meeting rooms. www.concorde-hotels.com
