 This is the first of a three-part series focused on delivering concrete, actionable steps you can take to ensure you get timely and complete responses from your hotel partners. By offering just a couple of extra bits of information in your meeting requests, you’ll help your hotel salespeople do what they love to do: fight for your business.
Behind the Curtain of the Hotel Sales Office…
The key to getting hotels to work hard for your meeting and submit a killer bid is to understand how to get your meeting RFP to stand out among the sea of leads a hotel sales team receives every day. In order to do this, you need to first understand the hairballs that sales managers deal with, and the key information you can provide that will make them seek out your RFPs and jump for your business.
 Wilderness Hotel & Golf Resort officials yesterday announced that they have begun construction on an indoor Northern Lights Sky Ropes Course. It is anticipated to be completed and open for business by the end of the month.
According to Joe Eck, general manager for America’s largest waterpark resort, “This new attraction is going to be fantastic! It will tower 30 feet above the Northern Lights Mega Arcade and it will take guests to a whole new level of fun! Adventure enthusiasts wearing full-body safety harnesses will climb their way around 42 challenges in varying degrees of difficulty all while discovering how much of a daredevil they truly are!”
 Eved, an online marketplace for the meeting and event industry, today announced it has raised $9.5 million in a series B round led by New World Ventures and MK Capital.
The funding will enable the Chicago-area company to scale and expand its proprietary online platform, which has been adopted and championed by leaders in the meetings community. The $263 million industry, with 1.8 million annual U.S. corporate meetings and events, is one of few that have yet to migrate online. Eved’s global, proprietary online platform provides all companies in the event industry supply chain a complete sourcing, marketing, and e-commerce solution that allows buyers, sellers, and resellers the ability to interact and transact online.
 UFI, the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, continues to develop market research to provide reliable data on the international exhibition market. Several recent studies provide statistics giving a good picture of the industry at three levels: venues, the events held in those venues, and the companies who organize those events.
UFI’s 2011 “World Map of Exhibition Venues” identifies 1,197 venues with a minimum of 5,000 square meters of indoor exhibition space worldwide, corresponding to a total gross indoor exhibition space of 32.6 million square meters. This is an increase of 57 venues since 2006, with an overall growth of 3.4 million square meters (54% of the increase is related to new venues and 46% to extensions of existing venues).
 Hotel Blackhawk in downtown Davenport, IA has just been named a Preservation Success Story Award Honorable Mention winner by the Historic Hotels of America – a part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The award was officially announced December 1, 2011.
According to organization executive director Thierry Roch, the award exemplifies “creative rehabilitation efforts undertaken to recapture, promote and glorify the property’s original use in a preservation sensitive manner.”
“It’s thrilling to see the vision of Amrit and Amy Gill of Restoration St. Louis and the City of Davenport rewarded by Historic Hotels of America,” said general manager Tim Heim. “It was that vision of restoring a jewel which has been carried through by me and my staff. It provides great satisfaction that preservationists, guests and clients have recognized this gift with us.”
 The Abbey Resort & Spa announced a limited time offer for the country’s heroes. To recognize the work and sacrifices men and women from around the country have made, the resort released a new package deal through May 3, 2012. The Hero’s Package includes a special room rate of $89, plus tax and resort fees, and complimentary admission to Avani Spa and use of all facilities such as the sauna, whirlpool, adults-only pool, and fitness area.
 For a second consecutive year, the upscale Crowne Plaza Milwaukee West, located in the Milwaukee County Research Park, has received the prestigious Torchbearer Award and been named one of the brand’s top performers for excellence in operational and customer satisfaction. The award was presented by InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) at its annual conference in Las Vegas last month.
The Torchbearer Award is IHG’s highest honor for quality and customer service and goes to only the top eight Crowne Plaza hotels in North America.
 Hyatt Hotels & Resorts announced that Hotel Sierra Green Bay officially changed its name to Hyatt on Main, Green Bay. Hyatt on Main, Green Bay, offers comfortable luxury and Midwestern hospitality in Wisconsin's oldest city. The hotel features 241 guestrooms and 17 flexible meeting and event venues. Guests have access to a 24 hour business center, airport shuttle service, a fitness center featuring a sauna, a steam room and indoor pool and whirlpool.
The Pub, Hyatt on Main, Green Bay’s restaurant, offers guests seasonal American cuisine.
 Bill Derbins, General Manager of the Hiltons of Branson, announced that Andy Hampshire has been appointed to Executive Chef for the Branson Convention Center, the adjacent Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel, and nearby Hilton Promenade at Branson Landing hotel. Chef Hampshire oversees catering services and kitchen operations for all three Branson properties, including Level 2 Steakhouse at the Hilton Branson Convention Center Hotel. Chef Hampshire was born in England and began cooking at the age of 15. He earned his professional certification at South Cheshire College in Crewe, Cheshire, England, and moved to the U.S. when he was 19 to begin his professional career.
 Mid-Con has a new team with Tinley Park. The development and management assistance from the company is giving the convention center ease in coordinating events and competitive pricing compared to other venues because it has non-union status. Mid-Con is family owned with a long-standing reputation spanning over thirty years... and it will continue with Tinley Park for years to come. The convention center has already reinforced the local economy thanks to the finished expansion. Jobs? Yes, they are here.
Mid-Con is best known for its excellence in developing hotels, restaurants, and offices. Its latest partnership with the Tinley Park Convention Center is no exception. With the construction and support from Mid-Con, the TPCC is now bigger and better - not just in space. The addition of Holiday Inn and the renovated Bananas Restaurant completes the expansion.
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