More of the Week’s Meetings and Travel News

Here is a roundup of some more of the week’s news from the world of meetings, conventions, hospitality and travel:

–A few days after handing over the W Chicago-Lakeshore, Starwood worked out a similar deal for the W Los Angeles-Westwood, selling the property to a real estate investment trust and signing a 40-year management contract. globest.com

–The U.S. Department of Transportation has been fining travel companies left and right in the name of consumer protection. nbcnews.com

–Hotels that unveiled major renovations this week include Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, Nev., and Boston Marriott Copley Place. rgj.com; marriott.com

–A developer wants to build a tourist destination four times the size of Disneyland (complete with a convention center) 60 miles east of San Francisco in California’s Central Valley. recordnet.com

–The U.S. lodging industry’s 2011 profits were up 20% over the previous year. worldpropertychannel.com

–A lawsuit filed Monday accuses the major hotel companies of conspiring with online travel agencies such as Expedia and Travelocity to fix prices. latimes.com

–International visitors to the United States have been spending record amounts of money so far this year. travelpulse.com

–The Center for Exhibition Industry Research released a new report on the value of face-to-face interaction. ceir.org

–Flight attendants for one of US Airways’ regional affiliates serving the East Coast authorized a strike. sacbee.com

–The Mississippi Gaming Commission approved the construction of a casino resort in Gulfport featuring a Hemingway Hotel. sunherald.com

–Experts seem to think Trump Organization’s hotel plans for the Old Post Office building in Washington, DC, is a risky proposition. washingtonpost.com

–The CEO of hospitality and travel conglomerate Carlson resigned. usatoday.com

–The Sacramento Convention and Visitors Bureau in California introduced a new brand, logo and tagline. discovergold.org

–Brown Palace Hotel in Denver became the latest independent hotel to join Marriott’s Autograph Collection. bizjournals.com

–Spanish company Riu Hotels & Resorts bought land near Times Square to build a Manhattan hotel. costar.com