Hotel & Motel Management - January 19, 2009 - (Page 34)

H&MM January 19, 2009 | HotelMotel.com 34 Special Report ALIS PANEL PREVIEW “What is designed needs to be coherent with our brand and what we do.” MARK HARMON, CEO, AUBERGE RESORTS Mark Harmon, CEO of Auberge Resorts, will address the topic from a brand-management perspective. He agreed there is no true formula when mixing elements, but there is a science from a brand’s perspective in terms of getting involved in the right type of deal. “What is designed needs to be coherent with our brand and what we do,” Harmon said. “[Deals are] driven in part by opportunity, by land, by characteristic of site and by character of market, and whatever we do needs to resonate with our brand and our owners and what they’re looking for.” This requires quite a bit of research, but the proper mixture of brands and uses is more than half the battle in a mixed-use development, especially in this difﬁcult economic period. “Marginal deals have dropped out … and as we see some liquidity, there will be a focus on better projects,” Harmon said, adding that well-developed mixed-use projects will be viewed favorably. Algeo Bryan Algeo, VP for WATG WATG, will provide a design prospective for the panel. Algeo said designers should be consulted early in the development phase to give their perspective on the mix of elements and how the parts will comprise the whole. “We like to build relationships with clients, and we become a trusted adviser,” Algeo said. “Throughout the process, we voice our concerns and make sure they all share a common vision and goal and are not working against each other.” The designer also needs to get a feel for the developer’s vision. If one element is expected to draw more business than others, the designer needs to know that. Being a part of the business model is a key to getting the best design for a project. In terms of location, Algeo said the best locations for large mixeduse projects in the future will be in Panama or Costa Rica because they have “pro-development governments and a demand that outweighs supply of product.” ccrowell@questex.com Mixed-use planning Continued from page 32 then that’s a drag on the rest of the said there is no magic formula, but operation.” the mix has to meet the needs of Berins said there was a tendena targeted audience in the right cy for most of the last decade to location. go into mixed-use projects for the “It really has to be customer wrong reasons and with the wrong driven; it can’t be that you have a outlook. Residential components concept and go try to ﬁnd a mar- were considered essential for every ket for it,” Berins said. He upscale project because gave an example of a golf they were perceived as ﬁcourse operation that nancial support. failed because it wasn’t “I think we’ve all designed for the right aulearned a lesson that each dience. “It might have element has to be viable been the most challengon its own and if you’re ing course in the world, relying on one to subsibut if the guests [staying dize another, it doesn’t at the hotel on the resort] Harmon seem to work out well aren’t that great of golfers, AUBERGE RESORTS that way,” he said. DELLISART LODGING Hospitality Management Times are tough Don’t go it alone Upgrade your Management • • • Owner friendly agreement Performance driven Open book accounting Douglas E. Artusio CHA, CHME, Chairman & CEO (770) 329-8004 CIRCLE NO. 110 CIRCLE NO. 138 http://www.HotelMotel.com http://www.ihrco.com http://www.ihrco.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Hotel & Motel Management - January 19, 2009

Hotel & Motel Management - January 19, 2009 Contents Select Inn First in Vista's Buying Plans Danzinger Chosen for Round 2 at Wyndham Perspective Energy Star Update Legally Speaking Consultant's Corner Sales Clinic Travel Trends Franchise Law Family Business Cornell Insights HotelWorld Update Transactions Careful Marketing is Key for Timeshare Debt Market Slow for Most Transactions Trends & Stats Proper Mix of Uses Leads to Profitable Partnerships Card Check, Employee Retention Big Issues for CEOs Locking Systems Televisions Fitness Centers/Spas Mattresses Ad/Editorial Index Marketplace Checking Out

Hotel & Motel Management - January 19, 2009

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