Industry News

The Denver Merchandise Mart has updated its name to “Denver Mart” as part of rebranding project. New owners, Woodhaven-Hawthorne, contacted Denver-based ArtHouse Design for their expertise. >>

The Aurora Sentinel has named Visit Aurora as a "Grade A Use of Taxpayer Money" in the inaugural selection of the "Top Notch Aurora Awards." Winners were chosen by balloted vote and were included in categories like food and drink, people and places and shopping and services. >>

Image Audiovisuals (Image AV), based in Denver, has acquired Sound Images, Inc. also based in Denver. This addition of Sound Images and the company's conference-recording/web-streaming service is projected to increase Image AV's revenue by 25 percent in the first year. >>

Denver International Airport's South Terminal Redevelopment Program has officially begun construction marked by Denver Mayor, Michael B. Hancock and various tourism and civic leaders. >>

Sage Hospitality has added the Embassy Suites Denver - Downtown/Convention Center to their Full Service Division. The 403-room convention center hotel is the largest and first urban property for the company's portfolio which includes 10 full service hotels across the country. >>

Denver-based Sage Hospitality has appointed Kevin McKee to serve as Division Vice President of Finance for its Premier & Lifestyle Division. >>

The Meetings Industry Council (MIC) of Colorado presents the 19th Annual Serving Up Hope Luncheon on Tuesday, Nov. 6 from 11:30 a.m.- 1:30 p.m. in the Denver Merchandise Mart Plaza Building. >>

Sage Hospitality has hired three new executives in the Select Service division. As this hotel division continues on a strong growth trend, the newly added positions will be invaluable. Sage’s Select Service division currently offers 32 hotels in its portfolio after an expansion of 12 new hotels in the Ohio area. 

Joining the hotel management company are Erin Smith, Corporate Director of Sales, Stephen Moran, Regional Vice President of Operations and Michael Fatta, Division Vice President. >>

Congratulations for the 2012 ISES Denver Excellence Award (IDEA) recipients as recognized byThe ISES Denver Board of Directors.

Best Social Event with a Budget Under $25,000
Willie Ripple Events - Go Grease Lightnin'

Best Corporate Event with a Budget Under $50,000
Goodwill Industries - Good Exchange for Change Fashion Show & Clothing Swap

Best Corporate Event with a Budget Over $50,000
Catering by Design - Amuse

Best Wedding with a Budget Under $50,000
Revel & Bloom - Desai-Fusion Wedding >>

Gayloard Entertainment has announced plans to sell the rights to the Gaylord Hotels brand as well as the management contracts for Gaylord resort properties to Marriott International. Their Board of Directors has authorized Gaylord Entertainment to reorganize as a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) contingent on a shareholder vote expected to take place this August. Pending approval, Gaylord Entertainment will be treated as a REIT beginning January 1, 2013. >>

Colorado's Destination Management and Event Planning organization,The Arrangers, has partnered with SCANVenger Hunt to create an interactive, state-of-the-art activity for groups of all sizes. Denver's Chapter of the National Association of Catering Executives (NACE) was the first to experience the technology in the mile-high city. >>

Kinsley Meetings welcomes Mike Adams as Vice President of Sales and Development for the full-service meetings and events management company. Adams will have his attention on the Southeastern region of the country, taking on a new Strategic Meeting Management division. >>

Colorado’s Westin Westminster has been busy, with the announcement of a new General Manager and three promotions within the sales department.

Mike Case is the former General Manager of JW Marriott Denver Cherry Creek. Under his service, the hotel was featured annually as one of the top U.S. hotels on Condé Nast Traveler’s “Readers’ Choice” list. He has also worked as the General Manager at Denver’s Oxford Hotel and the Assistant General Manager at the Denver Airport Marriott at Gateway Park. >>

The 12th annual Meetings Industry Council (MIC) of Colorado Educational Conference and Trade Show was held at the Colorado Convention Center on March 8, 2012. With a record of 800 meeting and event professionals in attendance, there were breakout sessions, workshops and a lunch featuring Keynote Speaker, Tim Gard and an appearance by Mayor Hancock thanking the group for their economic impact on the Front Range. >>

Sheraton Steamboat Resort offers a new Green Meeting Program. The initiative will include E-proposals, E-menus and E-Billing along with a template to lower the carbon footprint of events held at the venue.

If interested in the program, meeting and event planners will receive a Starwood Environmental Impact Assessment. The assesment acts as a report card and tracks energy, water consumption and waste management for the event. >>

The first-ever Southwest Tourism Summit will take place in Durango, Co on April 5-6, 2012. 

Named "The Source,” the Summit will provide businesses and organizations with valuable resources through seminars, workshops and presentations by tourism-industry professionals. Sessions will be held at the D&SNGRR Museum and other downtown locations, making the city a one stop shop for attendees. >>

Chef Kevin Taylor of Kevin Taylor Restaurant Group has been inducted into the Colorado Chef’s Association 2012 Colorado Culinary Hall of Fame.

A staple in the Denver restaurant scene for over 20 years, Taylor is known for being a successful self-taught chef with five unique Denver dining establishments, a summer restaurant in Central City and two catering operations. >>

VISIT DENVER announces the launch of a new foodie blog called Eat Drink Denver. Devoted to celebrating the local culinary scene, the blog breaks down "all things food and drink" into five categories: Farm Fresh and Specialty Food Stores, Beer, Wines and Spirits, Food Festivals and Events, Chefs and Street Food. >>

Rocky Mountain Connections, a longstanding destination management and special events company, will change its name to RMC as it moves into new destinations and hospitality markets. Over two decades, RMC has grown to six operations in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming. Now the company is expanding outside the Rocky Mountains with the addition of a Lake Tahoe, California/Nevada, division, and empowering additional executive leadership.

Denver was host to Global Business Travel Association (GBTA), American Chemical Society (ACS) and USA Pro Cycling Challenge during the final weeks of August 2011, generating $39 million in spending and 50,000 downtown spectators. The GBTA conference took place August 21-24 with 6,000 business travel executives, travel media, destination marketing representatives and service suppliers, while the ACS brought 12,000 >>

Rand McNally and USA Today have named Glenwood Springs the Most Fun Town in America. As a winning town, it will be highlighted on Best of the Road, USA Today's Travel site and in the 2013 Rand McNally Road Atlas. >>