Interstate Hotels & Resorts and joint-venture partner FFC Capital Corp. have acquired all 22 Exel Inn economy hotels, which were converted to various Wyndham Worldwide brands upon closing.
Wyndham Worldwide's economy brands include Days Inn, Super 8 and Travelodge.
Besides holding a 10% equity interest in the 22 hotels, Interstate also assumed management of the hotels. The properties, totaling 2,397 rooms, are located in Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Texas.
Moulin Rouge revival in works
The Moulin Rouge Development Corp. and Republic Urban Properties have submitted plans to the city of Las Vegas to redevelop the Moulin Rouge Hotel and Casino in the western part of the city.
Located on Bonanza Road and Interstate 15, the new Moulin Rouge will preserve the neon sign and tower of the original hotel, which opened in May 1955. The property was the first desegregated hotel-casino in the city and was a showplace for black entertainers, including Sammy Davis Jr. and Nat King Cole. The hotel closed in November of that year after encountering financial difficulties.
The first phase of the development will include 700 hotel rooms, four restaurants, convention and meetings rooms, a poolside nightclub, a spa, a concert venue, a jazz center and retail space.
The property also will house a museum and cultural center displaying the history of the hotel.
Moulin Rouge Development Corp. and Republic Urban Properties have submitted applications and drawings to the city of Las Vegas, asking it to review the proposed Moulin Rouge site plan.
The application will be presented to the Las Vegas Planning Commission, where it will be heard as part of a public forum. If approved, the applications will be forwarded to the Las Vegas City Council for final consideration.
Catskills resort planned
Empire Resorts and Concord Associates have agreed to build a $700 million gaming and entertainment facility in Monticello, N.Y., in the Catskill Mountains. Construction is expected to commence later this year, and a grand opening is slated for 2010.
The complex will be built on a 160-acre parcel of land where the abandoned Concord Resort Hotel currently stands.
As part of the deal, the Monticello Gaming and Raceway racino -- a combined race track and casino -- will move to the Concord Hotel site. Empire Resorts is the racino's operator. The complex will also include a convention center, a hotel, golf, retail stores and restaurants. The casino floor will be built within the hotel, adjacent to a new harness-racing track.
Sheraton goes smoke-free
Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton will implement a smoke-free policy at more than 300 properties in the U.S., the Caribbean and Canada. Both brands expect to be completely smoke-free in the U.S. and Canada by Dec. 31.
The two Starwood brands have begun converting all smoking guest rooms to nonsmoking rooms in preparation for the new policy.
Starwood said approximately 8,000 smoking rooms would undergo a deep cleaning of all soft goods and air conditioning units as well as a treatment of all hard surfaces, walls and carpets to eliminate allergens.
In addition, all public areas will be smoke-free. Smoking may be permitted in areas not owned or operated by Sheraton and Four Points by Sheraton and in designated outdoor smoking areas.
Kimpton to open first Philly hotel
Boutique hotel operator Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants plans to open its first property in Philadelphia in late 2009. The Hotel Palomar Philadelphia will be a transformation of the Architects Building, located near Rittenhouse Square.
The 234-room hotel will include a restaurant and bar and 6,000 square feet of meetings space. The penthouse-level ballroom will have city views on three sides.
Palms expansion nears completion
Palms Place, a luxury condo-hotel that is an expansion of the Palms Casino Resort, is scheduled to open in Las Vegas the first week of March.
Each studio, one-bedroom suite and penthouse at Palms Place has high-end appliances in fully equipped kitchens, 42-inch plasma televisions, rainfall showerheads and private balconies overlooking the Las Vegas Strip and Spring Mountains.
Cabanas will surround a lounge area and outdoor fireplace at Palms Place Pool, which will also feature a full bar and food menu. At Drift Spa, the healing techniques of a Turkish bath will be practiced at the facility's hammam.
The two-story spa will include couples treatment rooms, a full-service salon, a movement studio and a fitness center.
In addition, Drift Spa will be Las Vegas' location for Sunset Tan, the tanning studio made famous in Los Angeles by a celebrity clientele and a reality TV series on the E cable network.
In the spring, celebrity chef Kerry Simon will open his restaurant and lounge, Simon at Palms Place. Retractable glass walls will provide views of Palms Place Pool.
The SkyTube, an elevated, enclosed, moving walkway, will provide guests of Palms Place with direct access to the gaming, dining and nightlife of the Palms Casino Resort.