The News: The resort earned AAA Four Diamond status for 2008 after a $6 million renovation of guest rooms, meeting space, and restaurants.
Specs: 316 guest rooms, 40,000 square feet of meeting and event space, Pete Dye-designed golf course
Extra: Approximately 20 percent of group business incorporates a golf tournament or event.
The News: The resort is nearing completion of a $10 million renovation.
Specs: 301 rooms and suites; 26,450-square-foot ballroom; with adjoining St. Johns County Convention Center and World Golf Hall of Fame, it is the largest combination hotel and conference center between Atlanta and Orlando, with 86,000 square feet of meeting space; indoor golf simulator
Time Frame: Room renovations should be complete by the end of this month. Resort renovations scheduled to be complete by the end of January 2008.
Extra: Guests can play the King & Bear and Slammer & Squire courses, and have privileges at the PGA Tour Golf Academy.
The News: A 1,000-room Hilton and a 500-room Waldorf=Astoria are planned for Bonnet Creek, next to Walt Disney World Resort.
Specs: The development will include 145,000 square feet of meeting space, 25,000-square-foot spa and fitness center, and an 18-hole Rees Jones-designed golf course.
Time Frame: Expected to open summer 2009
The News: The Wyndham hotel and resort is under construction.
Specs: 400 rooms, conference space for up to 300 attendees, 14,000-square-foot spa, full-service restaurant
Time Frame: Planned for early 2009.
The News: A $5 million renovation rebuilt all greens, tees, and bunkers on the 18-hole, par-71, Donald Ross-designed golf course.
Specs: 276 guest rooms (133 suites), spa, 10 tennis courts, adjacent Conference Center of the Americas
Time Frame: Project completed in October
The News: The new 68,000-square-foot Fern Tree Spa just opened. The spa was converted from the resort's signature villa, the Fern Tree House.
Specs: Six beachfront spa suites for in-room treatments and workouts, nine treatment rooms at the spa; resort has 398 guest accommodations as well as more than 26,000 square feet of meeting space. The 41-year-old Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed championship course was recently upgraded.
The News: As part of a $40 million restoration, the resort has expanded its meeting and event facilities.
Specs: 195 guest accommodations; six meeting rooms with a total of 6,000 square feet of meeting space, complimentary high-speed Internet, three restaurants, pool, spa; new Geronimo Conference Center, with 7,000 square feet of meeting space; 27-hole championship golf course (18 holes designed by Robert Lawrence in 1959)
Extra: Many scenes from the 1996 film Tin Cup were filmed here.
The News: Restoration of the Mount Washington Golf Course has begun as part of a $7 million golf project that will also add nine holes to the Mount Pleasant Course.
Specs: Designed by Donald Ross, the course opened in 1915; Mount Washington Hotel has 200 rooms; Bretton Arms Inn has 34 rooms; Lodge has 50 rooms
Time Frame: Mount Washington course slated to open summer 2008; Mount Pleasant's 18 holes to debut fall 2010.
Extra: The project is part of a $50 million renovation that includes expansion of the resort's meeting space — bringing the total to 30,000 square feet — and the addition of a 25,000-square-foot spa, both set to open in early 2009.
The News: Pelican Hill Golf Club, phase one of The Resort at Pelican Hill, has opened.
Specs: Golf club offers 36 holes on two courses — Pelican Hill Ocean North and Pelican Hill Ocean South — designed by Tom Fazio. The resort will have 204 bungalow rooms and suites and 128 villas, meeting center detached from the hotel, 20,000-square-foot spa with 22 treatment rooms
Time Frame: Golf club opened November 2; full resort scheduled to open fall 2008.
Meeting Professionals International has appointed Junior Tauvaa vice president, member care and chapter business management. Tauvaa previously served as senior director, sales operations and market development at LA INC.