Meeting News - January 7, 2008 - (Page 30)

Destination Insider: L.A. & The Beaches continued from page 28 reopens on the Sunset Strip on April 1. The sister hotel of the stylish London NYC, the London West Hollywood is after a Los Angeles ambiance paired with a modern retro feel. The LXR (Luxury Resorts & Hotels) property will feature 223 suites, elegant dining overseen by acclaimed chef Gordon Ramsay (see International on page 20 for more Ramsay news), a divisible 3,960-sf ballroom and prefunction space, and a rooftop pool with unparalleled views of the Los Angeles skyline. An upscale spa is slated to open in the fall. —Irene Korn The rooftop pool of the Avia Long Beach hotel, which is opening in spring 2009. over the next few months. Part of that trio is the 138-room Avia Long Beach boutique, opening in spring 2009 (photo, above left), located well within that waterfront area. The other two are the 165-room Hotel Esterel at The Promenade and a 175-room Residence Inn, which is on the south side of the bay. Both are looking at mid-2009 openings. Features like flat-screen TVs, Wi-Fi, and spainfluenced bathrooms are planned for Avia, a LodgeWorks property. Stylish cabanas and a bar will augment its rooftop pool deck. The property will have 1,350 sf of meeting space. If that sounds more like South Beach than Long Beach, it’s time to pay a visit, as the city’s new sensibility is all about enjoying life outdoors, according to the CVB. “Long Beach has become a major playground for conventions and associations when they [choose to meet near] the Pacific Ocean,” said Goodling. Planners report back that they like “the compact, safe walking environment, and it’s right along the waterfront. It’s a complete package.” The Aquarium of the Paciﬁc, often used as an events venue, is just one of the attractions in the Rainbow Harbor/Shoreline Park area, where shops and restaurants are easy to reach for rest and relaxation after a day in the convention halls. Even grande dame Queen Mary is getting in on the redevelopment fever. Its new ownership group, Save the Queen LLC, plans to develop the 56 acres surrounding the vessel, in addition to making ship improvements, said Goodling. —Julie Barker Long Beach’s Waterfront Continues Vigorous Moves Three more hotels to open in 2009 The big story in Long Beach has been unfolding for the past 10 years, with over $1 billion invested in the waterfront area near the convention center. Within an eight-block radius are 100 restaurants, a renovated Renaissance Hotel, a renovated Hyatt Regency, and an array of entertainment options. “The next ﬁve years [will be] even more exciting,” said Steve Goodling, president/CEO of the Long Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, adding that three more hotels will break ground MeetingNews Q & A: A Strand of Luxury Hits Surf City USA more moderate price scale for meetings, we have the Hotel Huntington Beach and a Comfort Suites. These new hotels will add a whole new dimension to Huntington Beach. The new vice president of marketing for the Huntington Beach Conference & Visitors Bureau, Donna Mulgrew, conveys her excitement for two market-moving projects. Q A What’s the status of the Strand, and how will it change Huntington Beach for meetings? The mixed-use project is on target for the retail portion to open in the summer—there should be about 65,000 sf of restaurants and retail. It’s right next to Main Street, so it will add to the downtown attractions. A Joie de Vivre boutique property called Shorebreak Hotel is scheduled to open next fall with 157 rooms and 3,000 sf of meeting space, making it ideal for executive retreats and board meetings. How about Paciﬁc City? How is that mixeduse development progressing? That’s scheduled to open in 2009. [At press time, it was announced that a W hotel will open January 7, 2008 there.] Paciﬁc City is being advertised as “one part SoHo hip, one part South Beach cool, one part Rodeo Drive luxury,” so that will really change the face of Huntington Beach. The project calls for a promenade of retail and restaurants. Q A How will the new developments affect the existing meetings properties? Q A The two existing beachfront properties—the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort & Spa and the Hilton Waterfront Beach Resort—will now be linked with Main Street via Paciﬁc City’s promenade. Downtown is already very self-contained and only about three blocks from the pier, so these developments mean that [meeting groups] will have even more to do in a [compact] area. On a I worked for a DMC and meeting planning company for several years, so I understand what planners are looking for and what they’re up against on a daily basis. It’s all about relationships with planners and steering them in the right direction for their needs—and that won’t change. For the past several years, we’ve branded Huntington Beach as Surf City USA, and that’s been serving us well—the authentic surf culture is still very much a part of us here. At the same time, we’re moving forward with these high-proﬁle projects, so it’s a very exciting and fun time. —Irene Korn www.meetingnews.com Q A Do you expect any changes in the way the area is positioned to meeting planners? 30 MeetingNews http://www.meetingnews.com

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