TheRepublic.com - Accommodations News

Rocky Gap Casino offers new deal in western Md.

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:34:30 -0400

FLINTSTONE, Maryland - The flashy jangle of slot machines is a far cry from the stillness of Rocky Gap State Park in western Maryland, but state and local leaders are betting that this week's planned casino opening will transform a struggling lakeside lodge into the economic engine its planners envisioned 15 years ago.

RI rushes to recover from Sandy as summer nears

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:21:06 -0400

WESTERLY, Rhode Island - Seven months after Superstorm Sandy pummeled Rhode Island's southern shore, the great mounds of sand are gone, and the twisted metal and splintered wood hauled away, replaced by workers and backhoes as beachfront businesses hurry to complete repairs before the arrival of another New England summer.

Chattanooga adding hundreds of hotel rooms

Sun, 19 May 2013 15:20:40 -0400

CHATTANOOGA, Tennessee - The Chattanooga market will add hundreds of hotel rooms in the coming year, following four years of booming revenues for its hotel industry.

Development vs. preservation on Mackinac Island

Sun, 19 May 2013 14:34:07 -0400

MACKINAC ISLAND, Michigan - Northern Michigan's Mackinac Island, which bans cars and yet draws 900,000 visitors each year, is facing key decisions about the development of its tourism industry, which is the island's lifeblood.

Cabell County tourism channel expanding

Sun, 19 May 2013 11:23:35 -0400

HUNTINGTON, West Virginia - When Alisa Sizemore was a hotel manager in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, telling folks about what was happening in the area was a breeze.

Developers break ground on 2 downtown SLC hotels

Thu, 16 May 2013 20:32:04 -0400

SALT LAKE CITY - Real-estate developers are breaking ground on downtown Salt Lake City's first new hotels since a Hyatt Place was built in 2009.

Hotel operator to open contact center in Wichita

Thu, 16 May 2013 19:25:09 -0400

WICHITA, Kansas - A company that operates hotels and resorts around the world says it plans to hire about 180 people later this year for a new customer contact center in Wichita.

Luxury Waikiki hotel apologizes to Hawaii family

Wed, 15 May 2013 19:47:38 -0400

HONOLULU - A luxury Waikiki hotel has apologized to a Hawaii entertainer and his family after they claimed they were discriminated against.

WTC developer's NYC condo tower moving forward

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:20:14 -0400

NEW YORK - World Trade Center developer Larry Silverstein's plan for a hotel-condo tower is moving forward after a London-based investment firm has agreed to provide a construction loan of $660 million.

Proposal would turn Herb Kane's home into a B&B

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:13:07 -0400

KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii - Two Big Island residents would like to turn late Hawaii artist Herb Kane's Honaunau home into a bed and breakfast.

Woman, 100, remembers Pa. farm now part of park

Sun, 12 May 2013 13:11:27 -0400

SOMERSET, Pennsylvania - Leona Shaffer remembers more than 90 years ago, back when her family ran a farm, raising Jersey and Guernsey cattle and growing and harvesting hay and crops with little mechanical help.

Dreary April kept tourists away from Myrtle Beach

Sat, 11 May 2013 14:38:23 -0400

MYRTLE BEACH, South Carolina - Cool and wet weather combined to keep tourists away from the Grand Strand in April.

Maine panel airs bipartisan tax overhaul bill

Fri, 10 May 2013 15:45:00 -0400

AUGUSTA, Maine - As a legislative committee heard testimony Friday on a bill calling for a historic overhaul of Maine's tax code, there was near-universal agreement on one point: appreciation for the efforts of the bipartisan "Gang of 11."

Review: 'Aftershock' fun but by-the-numbers horror

Thu, 09 May 2013 19:28:07 -0400

LOS ANGELES - Splat pack ringleader Eli Roth takes his gory roadshow south in "Aftershock," a lively but formulaic Chile-set chiller where a group of tourists finds themselves bloodied, bludgeoned and buried beneath a horrific earthquake. With Roth playing one of the leads and handing off directorial duties to Nicolas Lopez (Santos), the film tends to feel shoddier than the first two "Hostel" movies, even if the team draws laughs from the sight of spoiled hipsters getting their comeuppance in the Third World.

Developer plans luxury hotel in Grand Island

Wed, 08 May 2013 19:28:14 -0400

GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska - A company has announced plans for a $12 million project in downtown Grand Island that would turn several historic buildings into a full-service luxury hotel.

Official: Convention center needs attached rooms

Wed, 08 May 2013 14:27:33 -0400

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota - The Sioux Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau says a lack of attached hotel rooms and small group meeting spaces at the city's convention center is keeping larger organizations from booking events.

Joplin unveils eco-friendly construction systems

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:31:42 -0400

JOPLIN, Missouri - A design plan that incorporates a number of energy-wise and storm-resistant construction systems could put Joplin in the forefront of environmentally sound disaster rebuilding.

Encroaching sea already a threat in Caribbean

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:27:19 -0400

TELESCOPE, Grenada - The old coastal road in this fishing village at the eastern edge of Grenada sits under a couple of feet of murky saltwater, which regularly surges past a hastily-erected breakwater of truck tires and bundles of driftwood intended to hold back the Atlantic Ocean.

Alabama's championship came with price tag

Tue, 07 May 2013 11:31:21 -0400

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama - The University of Alabama's January trip to Miami resulted in a second consecutive BCS national championship and another layer to the Crimson Tide's football tradition. On those things, a price can't be placed.

NYC library to be housed in base of hi-rise

Tue, 07 May 2013 07:20:34 -0400

NEW YORK - The New York Public Library's new Donnell Library in midtown Manhattan will be housed in a new hotel and condominium hi-rise.

Appeals court in Va. revives suit against Marriott

Wed, 01 May 2013 18:57:21 -0400

RICHMOND, Virginia - A federal appeals court on Wednesday reinstated a Virginia family's lawsuit accusing Marriott International of failing to adequately protect guests from a suicide bomb attack that killed more than 50 people at a Pakistan hotel.

6 things to ask before booking a summer vacation

Wed, 01 May 2013 16:34:02 -0400

NEW YORK - It's May. Memorial Day and the end of the school year are in sight. Suddenly, you're thinking about a summer vacation. A little advance planning - and some insider tips - can save you a lot of money. Whether you're booking airfare, a car rental or a hotel room, there are questions you should ask first.

Steamboat ski resort considers night skiing

Wed, 01 May 2013 09:22:53 -0400

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colorado - The Steamboat Springs ski resort is considering night skiing to increase the number of visitors.

Hawaii Legislature firms up hotel room tax

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 23:52:20 -0400

HONOLULU - The Hawaii House and Senate have agreed to make permanent a 9.25 percent tax on hotel rooms and other transient accommodations.

Little Rock's Peabody changing to Marriott

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 17:56:04 -0400

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas - Downtown Little Rock is losing its ducks, but it's gaining some international recognition with the changeover of the Peabody hotel to a full-service Marriott.