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MARKING 50 YEARS in the hotel business, Red Roof held its annual brand conference at the Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Nov. 11 to 13. During the conference, the company announced a new partnership with software company HotelKey to install a multi-functional, cloud-based system in its more than 675 properties nationwide. Other news from the conference included details of the company's financial position, which George Limbert, Red Roof president, said is strong. Company officials also discussed Red Roof's new dual brand development prototype, other partnerships and the latest charity efforts of the company's Purpose With Heart. "Red Roof delivered record revenue which is a testament to our resilience and ability to anticipate market trends," Limbert said. "Our financial position is strong, travelers are back and our owners and operators are exceeding performance expectations."

U.S. HOTEL PERFORMANCE increased in the second week of December, according to STR. ADR was up during the week when compared to same period in 2019. Occupancy was 57.4 percent for the week ending Dec. 11, up from 54.8 percent the week before and down by 4.8 percent for the same period in 2019. ADR for the week was $128.35, up from $127.92 the week before and increased 2.3 percent when compared to two years ago. RevPAR increased to $73.73 during the week from $70.08 for the week before but dropped 2.7 percent for the same period in 2019. Among the Top 25 Markets, Norfolk/Virginia Beach saw the only occupancy increase among STR's top 25 markets during the week, up 4.2 percent to 55.2 percent over 2019. New York City reported the highest weekly occupancy level of any STR-defined U.S. market at 81.5 percent. However, its occupancy level was 13 percent lower than two years ago. Miami registered the largest ADR increase during the period, up 30.1 percent to $229.34, when compared to 2019.

KEN GREENE IS leaving his position as president and CEO of AAHOA to begin a new job with Dallas-based IBF Hospitality. AAHOA already has begun searching for his replacement. Greene will leave on Feb. 11, according to a statement. He was brought on last year in June to replace Cecil Staton, AAHOA's former president and CEO when he left the association unexpectedly. "Ken has been instrumental in carrying AAHOA through the past several months, which brought on a lot of change both at AAHOA and in our industry," said AAHOA Chair Vinay Patel. "We're grateful for the time he's spent at AAHOA and wish him nothing but continued success as he transitions to another opportunity." While at AAHOA, Greene oversaw the association's return to in-person events, including the 2021 AAHOA Convention & Trade Show at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas in August. He also helped in write AAHOA's strategic plan and helped restaff the organization after the departure of Staton, the association's executive vice president and COO Rachel Humphrey and others.

MORE THAN 109 million people are expected to travel over the Christmas and New Year's holidays, most of them on the road as gas prices drop, according to AAA Travel. The COVID-19 Omicron variant is having an impact, primarily to lower gas prices. The number of travelers going 50 miles or more between Dec. 23 and Jan. 2 is a 34 percent increase from 2020, AAA said in its travel forecast. That extra 27.7 million people traveling brings this year's numbers to 92 percent of 2019 levels. "Americans who canceled their vacations in 2020 want to gather with family and friends for the holidays this year, although they will still be mindful of the pandemic and the new omicron variant," said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. "With vaccines widely available, conditions are much different, and many people feel a greater level of comfort with travel." As in years past, driving remains the most popular form of travel, with more than 100 million planning to get behind the wheel. More than 6 million people are expected to travel by air, while 3 million people are booking buses, trains and cruises.

THE MAJOR CHALLENGES faced by U.S. hotels are labor, the return of corporate, group and conference travel, the impact of inflation on cost lines and the energy crisis, said Michael Grove, COO of HotStats, in a recent presentation. In the same session at the International Hospitality Investment Forum, panelists debated the best metric by which to measure industry performance. While speaking during a panel session at IHIF titled "Decoding the Data", Grove said that the most pressing issue is fixed costs are being replaced by oncoming growth in the variable areas which changes the dynamic of the cost base. "One of the key items around the average rate growth is what's going to happen when the full business mix returns," Grove said. "We still have a lot more of the lower-rated business to come back-the tours and groups and the other segments. We need to look at the impact on the cost lines themselves, the expense items around the P&L and what impact inflation is having on those, what impact the labor challenge is having.

WITH A GRAND procession through the streets of his home village of Sarona, India, shared online in a video, Jayanti P. "J.P." Rama left this world as a legend among his peers. The former AAHOA chairman and longtime hotelier left a legacy that will last for decades with the younger generation he mentored and inspired. Rama died Feb. 17 while visiting family in Ahmedabad, India, at the age of 74. He was co-founder of JHM Hotels, now Greenville, South Carolina-based auroHOTELS, which now is run by his son, D.J. Rama. He is survived also by his daughter, Rita Rama Patel, wife Ilaben (Laxmiben) Rama and brothers, Hasmukh "H.P." Rama, Manhar "M.P." Rama and Raman "R.P." Rama, all of whom traveled to India for the funeral. For those friends and family of Rama who could not attend the actual ceremony, Auro University in Surat, a private university founded by the Rama family and auroHOTELS, has posted a video on YouTube. Tributes to Rama also continued to come in, as seen below.

U.S. TRAVELERS SAID that gas prices and inflation will impact their summer travel decisions more than COVID-19 concerns, according to a survey commissioned by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The survey, conducted by Morning Consult and released just ahead of the Memorial Day holiday weekend ending May 30, revealed that more than half of the respondents, 57 percent, are likely to take fewer leisure trips and 54 percent will take shorter trips due to current gas prices. The majority of people surveyed, 82 percent, said that gas prices will have at least some impact on their travel destinations.

NATALIE ROBINSON IS now vice president of people and culture for Peachtree Group. Also, the Atlanta-based company, led by Jatin Desai and Mitul Patel as managing principals, also says it's on the way to a record year for new hotel construction. Good with people Previously, Robinson was the human resource director of title company OS National, according to Peachtree Group. She began her career developing accounting and billing policies and procedures, as well as human resources systems for two Atlanta law firms. She holds a bachelor's degree in sociology and criminal justice from the University of Georgia. "It's an exciting time at Peachtree as our organization expands and evolves," said Vivian Clarke, Peachtree's senior vice president of people and culture. "Natalie's strong leadership skills will advance our culture, drive our growth and talent strategy, and strengthen our reputation as an employer of choice. We are proud of Peachtree's high team member engagement, and the company culture built and recognize the opportunity to improve our people processes and discipline as we further scale the business." Peachtree made several changes to its structure and leadership in September.

STONEHILL CRE, THE commercial real estate group of investment firm Stonehill, has originated and purchased $200 million in first mortgage loans since being launched in the second quarter of 2022. The companies expect to complete an additional $100 million in loan originations and other transactions by year's end, based upon deals in its pipeline, and Stonehill CRE is targeting over $500 million in transaction for 2023. Stonehill CRE, formed in May with Daniel Siegel as its president, is designed to work in all real estate sectors to navigate ongoing market volatility and enable real estate owners to execute their business plans, according to the company. Its work has made Stonehill the 10th largest U.S. hotel lender in 2021, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Atlanta-based Stonehill and Stonehill CRE are affiliates of Peachtree Group, led by Jatin Desai and Mitul Patel as managing principals. "Stonehill CRE's formation came at a fortuitous time as market conditions have created a dislocated lending environment for commercial real estate," said Siegel. "Traditional lenders have not only slowed commercial real estate lending but also tightened underwriting standards, which allows us to provide needed liquidity for maturing loans, new acquisitions and construction projects."

The Holiday Inn & Suites Atlanta Perimeter-Dunwoody opened March 24 with a ribbon cutting in Chamblee, Georgia. It is owned by Atlanta Hospitality Investment LLC, led by Mohammad Hossain as managing member, and operated by YM Hospitality led by Jay Patel as chairman and Nick Patel as CEO in Stockbridge, Georgia. A key feature of the 143-room hotel is its rooftop bar and restaurant, Spice & Sky, with a globally inspired menu from Atlanta chef, Archna Becker. The space is designed for year-round dining both inside and out, however. About 15 minutes from downtown Atlanta, nearby attractions include Murphey Candler Park, Perimeter Mall, Stone Mountain Park and LEGOLAND Discovery Center. Amenities include a heated indoor pool, a fitness center and 4,500 square feet of event space.

Miraj Patel, president of Wayside Investment Group in Houston, has been named an advisory board member for the University of Houston Customer Experience Certificate Program. The program offers interactive training for hospitality workers to provide customer insights. Members of the advisory board offer their professional perspective to participants in the program. Patel is also the young professional director for AAHOA's Western Division. Wayside Investment Group recently opened a Red Roof PLUS+ in Galveston, Texas, just before the COVID-19 pandemic was announced. In June, Patel said business at the hotel was just beginning to recover some.

CALIFORNIA-BASED HOTELIER Sunil "Sunny" Tolani has been named a top entrepreneur by Yahoo Finance. Tolani's the Prince Organization was named one of the fastest growing private companies in Orange County, California, by the Orange County Business Journal. In the Yahoo listing, Tolani is recognized not only for his work operating multiple hotels but also charity work, youth empowerment and education. It also mentions the organization's receipt of several honors and awards, including the 2016 Tripadvisor Certificate of Excellence and, more recently, the Nelson Mandela Leadership Award from the Non Resident Indian Welfare Society. "Sunil Tolani is a self-made man, highly respected and publicly admired worldwide Indian American CEO, social entrepreneur, philanthropist and humanitarian," the Yahoo article said. "[The Prince Organization is] regularly commended by various third-party organizations as one of the best and top places to work. Prince has also been named the fastest growing private companies and top minority-owned organization three times in a row."

Rodney Williams is retiring from his position as principal and chief investment officer at Noble Investment Group at the end of the year. He will continue to serve on the firm's investment committee as a senior advisor. Williams joined Noble in 2004 as the company's first CIO overseeing the company's sourcing and investment underwriting as well as executing project developments. Prior to joining Noble, he was a managing principal with Hardin Capital, a joint venture between DLJ Real Estate Capital Partners and Hardin Construction, and held senior executive roles with Coopers & Lybrand, InterContinental Hotels, and Laventhol & Horwath. "Rodney's impact on our Noble organization has been profound," said Mit Shah, Noble CEO. "His vision, integrity, and devotion have made us a better team. His benevolence and grace have made me a better person. Perhaps Rodney's most important legacy will be his most valued endeavor - helping to develop and inspire our next generation of Noble stewards to lead lives that matter."

DALLAS-BASED INVESTMENT firm NewcrestImage became the second largest shareholder in TiffinLabs, a Singapore-based food tech company which operates food delivery-focused virtual restaurant brands, a statement said. Founded in 2020, TiffinLabs introduced numerous virtual brands across Singapore and Malaysia. It started U.S. expansion in Dallas in 2021 and now operates in Chicago, Detroit, Knoxville, and Charlotte. By 2023, it expects to have 1,000 digital storefronts globally and to be operating in 30 U.S. cities. "TiffinLabs offers hotels and restaurants a low cost, turn-key source of incremental revenue for post-pandemic recovery, while for us as investors, TiffinLabs represents a strategic opportunity for long-term growth," said Mital Patel, managing partner of NewcrestImage. Because of the company's shareholder position, Patel now becomes a board member of TiffinLabs.

THE U.S. HOTEL construction pipeline was slightly up at the end of the first quarter of 2022, according to Lodging Econometrics. Dallas was the top U.S. market for building. The pipeline stood at 5,090 projects containing 606,302 rooms, up 2 percent by projects, but down 3 percent by rooms, during the period. There are 961 projects with 128,784 rooms currently under construction in the first quarter, down 27 percent by projects and 28 percent by rooms compared to 2021, stated the latest trend report by LE. There are 1,911 projects with 223,030 rooms are scheduled to start in the next 12 months, up 2 percent by projects and 3 percent by rooms. Projects and rooms in early planning reached a record high in the first quarter, with 2,218 projects containing 254,488 rooms, up 24 percent by projects and 12 percent by rooms, compared to a year ago.

Brian Leaf is now vice president and head of internal sales for Peachtree Hotel Group's broker-dealer affiliate Peachtree PC Investors. Previously, he was vice president for capital markets. Leaf joined Atlanta-based Peachtree in 2017, prior to which he was an internal wholesaler at Inland Securities Corp. in Oak Brook, Illinois. Before then he was a property manager for Colliers International in Atlanta. He has a bachelor's degree in business administration and real estate from the University of Georgia and holds the FINRA Series 7, 24 and 63 securities licenses.

Prakash Padariya is now chief information security officer for IT and security teams at OYO. Prior to that, he was with Netherlands headquartered online payment solutions provider PayU in a similar role. Previously, Padariya worked in senior management roles for a variety of companies, including GE, Royal Bank of Scotland, IBM, Target Corporation and Accenture, according to the company. He will oversee OYO's security strategy globally and will report to chief technology officer Ankit Mathuria. According to the company, Padariya also will be responsible for leveraging technologies such as big data analytics and artificial intelligence to enhance cyber security functions from the ground.

The last two National Football League Offensive Rookie of the Year pursuits quickly turned into two-horse races between a quarterback who was drafted first overall and a running back. Last year, it was the QB, Kyler Murray of the Arizona Cardinals, who outdistanced running back Josh Jacobs of the then-Oakland Raiders. In 2018, QB Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns staged a late rally in the chase for NFL OROY but couldn't run down the leader, running back Saquon Barkley of the New York Giants. Mayfield and Barkley were selected 1-2 in the 2018 NFL Draft. The NFL OROY is annually a popular prop wager with bettors at online sites like the Bovada sportsbook, because of its volatility and unpredictability. The betting odds on this wager tend to be fairly long. Once again this season, though, the battle has again rapidly taken on the look of a two-player showdown. The difference this year is that the two players are both QBs. Joe Burrow of the Cincinnati Bengals, like Murray (2019) and Mayfield, a QB selected first overall in the 2020 draft, was the early leader. Recently, though he's been overtaken by another first-year passer, Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers.

A NEW SURVEY finds that nearly three in five U.S. travelers plan to "trip-stack" this holiday season by adding another destination or trip directly following or leading up to their existing travel plans. The survey by G6 Hospitality's economy lodging brand Motel 6, also found that most travelers will be looking to try something new. The fifth annual holiday survey also found that, along with plans to trip-stack, 67 percent of respondents said that holidays are the only time when friends and family are available to travel. More than half, 52 percent, of those surveyed plan to cross an average of three state lines while on their winter trips and 46 percent plan to stay at a hotel or motel for their trips, the survey, which received response from 2,000 Americans, pointed out.

The Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Huntsville Downtown is now open in Huntsville, Alabama. It is owned by Chattanooga, Tennessee-based Vision Hospitality Group led by Mitch Patel as president and CEO. The 150-room hotel will be operated by Vision's subsidiary Humanist Hospitality. It is near the Von Braun Center multi-purpose indoor arena as well as various boutiques, restaurants breweries and craft coffee shops. Huntsville is home to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center, Marshall Space Flight Center and Redstone Arsenal, along with the second largest technology and research-park in the nation. Hotel amenities include 1,800 square feet of meeting space and a lobby bar.