las-vegas

Upon recently unveiling expanded community partnerships and sustainability programs, Las Vegas Sands Corp. has been recognized for the second year in a row by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) for its industry-leading corporate sustainability efforts in North America. Las Vegas Sands Corp. received a full 100 percent score in the environmental reporting category.

One of the most well-regarded global sustainability indices, the DJSI Corporate Sustainability Assessment is an annual evaluation of companies’ sustainability practices. More than 3,400 publicly traded companies are invited to participate annually. The Dow Jones Sustainability North America Index tracks the performance of the top 20 percent of the 600 largest Canadian and United States companies in the S&P Global Broad Market Index based on a variety of economic, social and environmental criteria.

“Corporate responsibility is extremely important to our company and we pride ourselves on being a global leader in sustainable practices,” said Robert Goldstein, president and chief operating officer of Las Vegas Sands. “We are very proud of our accomplishments and honored to have received this prestigious recognition from DJSI for another year.”

Las Vegas Sands Corp. is deeply committed to environmental stewardship through the work of the Sands ECO360° Global Sustainability Program, which focuses on sustainable buildings and development, as well as reducing the impact of the company’s business operations on the environment. The program integrates best practices in sustainability across all company properties and serves as a roadmap for continuous improvement on environmental performance.

Local Partnership Increases Aid to Las Vegas Homeless

Las Vegas Sands Corp. reaffirmed its commitment to address homelessness in the Las Vegas area. Through grants totaling $320,000 to local non-profit organizations Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth (NPHY) and HELP of Southern Nevada, Las Vegas Sands Corp. will help support the availability and effectiveness of stable housing in the Las Vegas area for homeless youth and adults. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Las Vegas trails only New York, Los Angeles, Seattle and San Diego in the size of its homeless population.

The $170,000 donation to NPHY will fund two key initiatives that will expand its emergency shelter, allowing it to double the number of clients that can be housed per year, and expand accessibility of its Drop-In Center from five to seven days a week and expand their hours. At the center, homeless youth can fulfill immediate needs such as food, clothing and hygiene supplies, and be connected to resources to help them become independent, including crisis counseling, life skills classes, and educational and employment assistance.

Las Vegas Sands Corp. also donated a $150,000 grant for HELP of Southern Nevada, to support the Housing First Harm Reduction Model in Las Vegas. In recent years, many homeless programs and advocates have shifted to such “housing first” approaches that couple housing with supportive services and intensive case management instead of treatment-based models that require beneficiaries to prove housing readiness through enrolling or completing treatment programs. HELP of Southern Nevada was the first organization in Las Vegas to use the housing first principle.

Recycled Hygiene Kits Donated in Lehigh Valley

In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, more than 200 volunteers gathered this month at Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem to build 10,000 hygiene kits for social enterprise Clean the World. The kits, which were assembled to help improve the health and well-being of communities in need, will benefit nearly 20 charitable organizations in the greater Lehigh Valley.

The effort is part of Sands Bethlehem’s global corporate citizenship program Sands Cares, and its ongoing partnership with Clean the World to support its mission of promoting good health and well-being around the globe through improved access to soap and hygiene education.

This is the second consecutive year Sands Bethlehem has built hygiene kits for Clean the World, and the 2016 events will bring the total number of hygiene kits created by Sands Bethlehem to 35,000. Since 2011, Las Vegas Sands and Clean the World have recycled more than 190 tons of waste from Las Vegas Sands properties into more than 1.6 million bars of soap.

ritz-carlton-beach-eventThe Ritz-Carlton, Cancun

Enliven all the senses during meetings and events held at Ritz-Carlton properties, which launched “A Meeting of the Senses” program in September. The relaxed and refined environments at 60 participating hotels and resorts around the globe are setting the scene for innovative meetings that awaken the mind, stir creativity and intensify focus.

Ritz-Carlton has assembled a group of trusted advisors who are drawing upon the latest trends to craft experiences that positively impact everyone, including meeting planners. Individual properties have relied on unlikely sources to curate unique and unexpected food and beverage experiences, develop wellness-inspired breaks and personalize itineraries that embrace the environment of the hotels and destinations.

ritz-carlton-fireworksThe Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes

For example, Pinterest’s visual and creative focus has proven to be one of the most invaluable resources for trend-spotting for planners at The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis. Meeting experts at The Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, Florida, visit New York City each year to tour the holiday window displays at luxury department stores, and bring back ideas to incorporate in future events. The team at The Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman dedicates time to view high-end runway fashion shows, incorporating couture into decor and set-ups.

ritz-carlton-tableThe Ritz-Carlton, Dallas

At The Ritz-Carlton, Kapalua, on the Hawaiian island of Maui, event specialists utilize the beauty of the location as a platform for planning. The resort was the first on the island to offer Picnic under the Stars, which includes a movie and picnic basket for each guest on its rolling Plantation Lawn. The property also serves garden-to-glass specialty cocktails, featuring herbs grown onsite, and brings in food trucks and the local farmers market to the hotel. It also creates menus that are interactive and specific to Maui, with a meeting break “shop” offering pineapple three ways: fresh pineapple juice, candied pineapple rings and pineapple scones.

The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans has an oyster butler and a crawfish concierge who teach attendees how to properly shuck oysters and peel the local delicacy. At The Ritz-Carlton, Rancho Mirage, outside Palm Springs, California, hands-on cooking classes and wine tastings utilize all senses to fully engage guests.

Besides meeting the ever-changing needs of meeting-goers, The Ritz-Carlton is striving to stay ahead of the curve, responding to industry trends and leading the new wave of events.

houston-hard-hat

Earlier this month, Smart Meetings received a hard hat in the shape of a cowboy hat in the mail as a PR tool to call attention to the emerging Houston convention district project. The box also contained press releases from Houston First, announcing the opening of “Texas’ largest convention campus.”

The collateral proclaims that “With a $1.5 billion facelift, Houston’s Tex appeal is growing by the minute.” Wow. Tex Appeal. Now that’s sexy.

When all the pieces of the reinvigorated Houston convention district are complete by the end of 2016 or early 2017, the complex will feature a new five-block plaza with a stage for concerts. The pedestrian-friendly Avenida Houston will host outdoor gatherings for convention attendees, offering 99,000 sq. ft. of space, and will connect meeting-goers to such popular attractions as Minute Maid Ballpark, Toyota Center and BBVA Stadium.

The metamorphosis of the Houston convention district will be showcased next February when the city hosts of the Super Bowl. According to Leah Shah, public relations manager for Visit Houston, the convention district projects were already slated, but the Super Bowl “created a really nice deadline.”

One of the key new components of the project is the 1,000-room Marriott Marquis Houston, which opens in November. It will be connected to George R. Brown Convention Center via skybridge. But it will probably better known as the hotel with the Texas-shaped lazy river. It’s important to note that the Marriott will have 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space.

The second anchor hotel connected to the convention center by skybridge is the existing 1,200-room Hilton Americas-Houston. The Hilton offers more than 90,000 sq. ft. of event space.

The Houston convention district includes the 12-acre Discovery Green park, which can be used for concerts in the summer and offers ice skating in the winter.

Other cool enhancements throughout the Houston convention district include the addition of trendy restaurants that are opening on the ground floor of the convention center adjacent to the plaza. Ten locally created art installations are part of the renovation, creating a backdrop designed to bring out the best in convening groups.

“Houston is one of our nation’s cultural capitals, home to world-class museums, acclaimed art galleries and a huge community of talented artists,” Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner says. “Infusing Houston’s vibrant art scene into Avenida Houston will serve not only residents, but also provide visitors with a glimpse of Houston that we hope will leave a lasting impression.”

houston-convention-district

venetian-palazzo-gondola

It’s time to dream bigger for your next meeting. If you’ve spoken to professionals in the meetings industry lately, you’ll know that the complete event packages of The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas feature unique amenities that are built with meetings foremost in mind. From our flexible meeting and convention space to more than 25 years of experience, The Venetian and The Palazzo create meetings that are just as big as you dream them to be. Best of all, it’s under one roof.

Our team of meetings professionals is unequalled; there is no request or challenge that we have not encountered or overcome. Furthermore, we are dedicated to executive meetings and events, a point of distinction.

Ease of booking is a hallmark of The Venetian and The Palazzo Meetings. More than 70% of the contracted programs we take are planned in the year, for the year. What’s more, we can take an event from planning to execution in as few as seven days. This is due in part to our facilities, which are incredibly flexible and can be configured to accommodate any need.

On the technical side, our ability to provide high bandwidth is unrivaled. In the vast majority of events, our Wi-Fi capacity greatly exceeds what planners demand.

An undeniable advantage of The Venetian and The Palazzo Meetings is its foundation as an integrated resort. There is no need to take taxis across town or endure long travel. With everything under one roof, more time can be spent on what’s important: the meeting. Our campus offerings go above and beyond to offer everything a guest could want. Celebrity-chef restaurants, gourmet catering with an extensive menu, stellar entertainment, and shopping round out the experience.

grand-canyon-skywalkGrand Canyon Skywalk, Arizona

Clutching a rockface while navigating a 300-foot walkway, leaning over the ledge of a tall building, and bungee jumping from a bridge 708 feet above the ground are among the pulse-pounding adventures available to visitors in locations around the world.

Such exciting activities aren’t for everyone, but they can certainly provide a jolt for meeting groups, and offer great team-building takeaways. Here’s a rundown of some of the most thrilling attractions.

Coiling Dragon Cliff Skywalk, Zhangjiajie, China: Situated in China’s Hunan Province, this glass-bottomed walkway attached to Tianmen Mountain offers stunning views. It’s also 4,700 feet above the ground and only about 5 feet wide, so visitors steady themselves by clinging to the rock face.

Mount Huashan, Shaanxi Province, China: Not to be outdone, this mountain in Huayin City offers visitors the opportunity to hike on wooden planks along the side of the mountain until they reach a teahouse 7,000 feet above the ground. Visitors complete the journey wearing harnesses that are attached to a chain strung along the path.

Grand Canyon Skywalk, Arizona: Walking to the edge of a cliff isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but those who do so at this location, protected by a railing, are able to snap amazing shots of one of the world’s most magnificent natural attractions.

Trolltunga Cliff, Hordaland County, Norway: Those who want to take the Grand Canyon experience a step further can head to this location. It features stunning views of nearby cliffs and a lake that are most dramatically viewed from the ledge of a cliff—but there are no railings to steady and protect you!

CN Tower Edgewalk, Toronto: Leaning over the edge of this building, 1,200 feet above the ground, sounds like a terrifying experience. Actually, participants are harnessed in, but it still gets the blood rushing.

Bloukrans Bridge bungee jumping, South Africa: Even the most experienced bungee jumpers’ hearts skip a beat at this location, near Nature’s Valley, Western Cape. It’s the tallest commercial bungee jumping attraction in the world, 708 feet above the Bloukrans River.

Stratosphere Casino, Hotel and Tower, Las Vegas: Thrill-seekers love the eccentric rides on the roof of this hotel building. X-Scream passenger cars dangle perilously over the edge as they tilt over the city. Those who dare to ride Insanity, a huge claw-like ride, spin in the air while extended 64 feet over the edge of a 900-foot tower.

San Francisco Nob Hill Connection

As 2016 Major League Baseball draws to a close and convention season gears up in San Francisco, Nob Hill Connection held a reception yesterday in recognition of its year-long partnership between five of San Francisco’s finest luxury hotels.

Bay Area meeting planners and baseball aficionados gathered at the Fairmont San Francisco to learn more about holding meetings and events in the historic neighborhood while enjoying the game between the San Francisco Giants and the St. Louis Cardinals (which the Giants won by 6-2).

The partnership between the InterContinental Mark Hopkins, Fairmont San Francisco, Stanford Court, The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco and The Scarlet Huntington was formed to allow groups to seamlessly take advantage of services and amenities offered at each property.

Altogether there are 1,837 guest rooms, 250 suites, 170,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and 72 meeting offered between the five properties, making up a mini-convention campus at the top of the hill. The Nob Hill Masonic Center caps off the function space with a 2,560-seat auditorium and 70,000 sq. ft. of space located across from Grace Cathedral.

Dubbed the “hill of palaces” by Robert Louis Stevenson, Nob Hill was where California’s famous railroad tycoons Charles Crocker, Collis P. Huntington, Leland Stanford and Mark Hopkins built their magnificent mansions. In the 1870s, Nob Hill was the focus of business and cultural life in the burgeoning city. Protected by steep slopes and even steeper property values, its powerful residents could safely survey the excitement of the bustling city below. Today, the neighborhood continues to showcase spectacular views of the city.

london-olympics-2016

Freeman, the trade-show expert when it comes to integrated digital- and live-brand experiences, has received the prestigious ISO 20121 Event Sustainability Management System certification. The certification is an international standard designed to help organizations involved in the events and hospitality industries incorporate sustainability into management practices and processes.

“Environmental and social responsibility has always been at the heart of Freeman and guides our business,” said Jeff Chase, vice president of sustainability. “Earning this certification—an industry first–—reflects the philosophy of our founder, Buck Freeman, and is a tribute to the over 7,000 employees who strive to create sustainable events for our clients.”

ISO 20121 was unveiled at the 2012 London Olympic Games. It provides a management blueprint to address the “triple bottom line” of sustainability: economic, environmental and social impacts of events. The standard helps organizations operate in a way that is financially viable for the company, customers and suppliers; minimize the use of resources and reduce waste; and consider the needs and expectations of those affected by the event or business. A key component is the development of a continual improvement plan, which is then implemented, analyzed and modified to achieve ever-increasing standards of performance.

The trade-show expert will drive its organization-wide sustainability plan by adopting the Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX)/American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) Green Meeting Standards for major business locations and functions. There will be particular emphases on sustainable exhibits, audiovisual, communications, transportation and onsite offices to help clients meet their own sustainability goals.

oracle-openworld

Oracle, which will hold its annual OpenWorld citywide in San Francisco Sept. 18-22, applauds Freeman’s green efforts.

“Because of Freeman’s industry-leading sustainability program, together we’ve helped reinforce for other vendors how important it is to adopt the kind of systematic, sustainability-as-standard-business-practice approach that we’ve long encouraged,” says Paul Salinger, vice president of marketing for Oracle. “Sustainability is a big tenet of Oracle’s events globally. We want to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank our close partner, Freeman, for achieving certification to the ISO 20121 standard.”

Freeman produces more than 4,300 expositions annually and 12,500 other events worldwide. The trade-show expert boasts an expansive network of offices, talent and global partnerships for reach and access that is unmatched in the industry.

zika virus

Amid news of Congress’ failure to pass sorely needed Zika legislation this week, the travel industry has taken a stand on preventing the spread of the mosquito-borne virus. Congress returned from recess on Tuesday, only to halt a $1.1 billion package that would have helped address the outbreak of Zika in parts of the United States.

American Hotel & Lodging Association and U.S. Travel Association submitted a joint letter to Congress, urging swift action to fight Zika infection and assist agencies in dealing with its impact. Funding is necessary to support new research and the development of vaccines to combat the virus. The letter was signed by 127 hotels, state tourism offices and other travel organizations.

The letter states, in part: “A failure by Congress to act quickly jeopardizes not only our citizens’ health, but also the U.S. economy. The number of individuals infected with the Zika virus has grown and there have been multiple instances of local transmission. The impact to the travel industry will have adverse and widespread economic ramifications.

“Funding for Zika efforts will ramp up local responses to the growing threat, support an acceleration of research and development on vaccines as well as advanced approaches to mosquito control. According to the National Institutes of Health and Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), money will run out at the end of September so it is imperative that Congress makes funding a first priority.”

The Palm Beach Post stated the CDC has spent nearly all of its funding—$194 million out of $222 million reserved for Zika. Money has gone to state and local health agencies for diagnostic tests, public outreach and staffing costs in Florida and Puerto Rico, which contain the highest number of reported cases in the U.S.

As of Aug. 31, CDC case counts in Florida total 542, out of which 35 were locally transmitted. In Puerto Rico, case counts are the highest at 13,841, with 50 acquired from outside travel. However numbers have since risen and new occurrences of the virus are surfacing more frequently. The Florida Department of Health confirmed seven new cases of Zika this week, according to reports from USA Today.

“I’ve been all over Florida and the country listening to people’s concerns about Zika, and no one can comprehend why the U.S. Congress has left this unaddressed,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow.

Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau in coordination with the Florida Department of Health and Miami-Dade County has updated travel advisories for pregnant women traveling to two neighborhoods where clusters of the virus have been identified. In Wynwood, mosquito control efforts have cleared 76 blocks, reducing the zone to 0.5 square miles. Miami Beach has also reported infections in an area that spans 1.5 miles. There are at least 35 counties in the state of Florida where Zika has appeared.

ted talks at marriott hotels

Marriott Hotels has announced a partnership with TED, the non-profit devoted to ideas worth spreading. This relationship brings creatively curated TED Talks, blogs and original quotes to hotel guests worldwide. Travelers staying at Marriott Hotels will now have access to thought-provoking and inspirational content to help jumpstart their own original, inventive thinking. The content is expertly curated by TED, according to selected themes that are topical and relevant to guests, including curiosity, innovation, travel and entrepreneurship. The themes change every quarter.

In addition, through this partnership, Marriott Hotels will also host a series of five global TED Talks Fellows salons in Seattle, London, Dubai, Bangkok and Santiago throughout this year and into 2017. Themes and speakers for the salons will coincide with the content themes during that period.  By featuring some of the remarkable TED Fellows as a source of motivation, Marriott Hotel guests will have the opportunity to engage with TED’s trailblazers in an intimate conversation setting, addressing innovative and thought-provoking discussion topics to each region.

“At Marriott Hotels, everything we do is guided by our belief that travel expands the mind and triggers new and creative ways of thinking. We know that travelers today look for more in a hotel and we are bringing to life new innovations that help elevate guests’ stay to memorable experiences,” said Matthew Carroll, Vice President and Global Brand Manager of Marriott Hotels. “TED content does not only entertain, but educates and engages on topics that are relevant to our guests. Together we are delivering a series of original content, events and experiences that will spark travelers’ creativity and inspire new perspectives.”

“Marriott has created a space that is perfect for our global, creative, and action-oriented community of Fellows,” said TED Fellows deputy director Shoham Arad. “TED Fellows represent 90 countries all over the world, and are working at the forefronts of their domain – Fellows are artists, doctors, scientists, entrepreneurs, inventors and beyond. Marriott’s hotels are there where we are, and the space they have built is enabling a true exchange of ideas.”

Content that is offered in the form of blogs, curated TED Talks and inspirational quotes through guest room entertainment and when logging into Wi-Fi will be made available by this fall.  Original videos created by TED for Marriott Hotels guests will also be released on the Marriott Hotels social media channels.  Additionally, Marriott Hotels event experts will feature one-of-a-kind “Inspirational menu” of TED assets that can be utilized for corporate groups for on-property meetings.

philanthropic team building activity

So, you and your colleagues are going to get together in a ballroom or meeting room to do a team-building event that gives back to an organization in need. What are you actually going to get out of this event? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot.

1. Your team will problem-solve while getting to work and play together.
Who knew Bob from sales was so fun and clever? Doing a philanthropic team-building event aligns co-workers in new ways and provides a great creative outlet away from the office. Plus you get to bond while helping others—a powerful force for good!

2. Bonding while participating in a philanthropic event creates an even more meaningful experience.
Incorporating some CSR or other philanthropic opportunity as part of a team-building activity creates an emotional value and experience for those involved. It will create new bonds and strengthen existing relationships. It will also bring awareness to a community issue and provide an opportunity for you and your team members to help.

3. Team members get to shine and show off their individual strengths.
A team-building event requires different skills from each group member, which creates opportunities for everyone. Throughout the process, developing new ways of interacting with each other will create valuable, fresh perspectives that will travel with your team back to the office.

4. A deserving community organization reaps the benefits from your event.
Whether it’s books for a local school literacy program or boxes of food for a nearby food bank, your company will help provide tangible benefits to a group in need. So, your event will make a great contribution to the community.

5. Philanthropy & Engaged Staff = Happy Company
Research has shown that employees feel more connected and loyal to an organization that participates in CSR activities. An organization that places a focus on philanthropy translates into one that cares, and is not just about the bottom line.

Alan Ranzer, managing partner and co-founder of Impact 4 Good is a leading voice in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement. Under his leadership, the company has created and implemented hundreds of team-building activities for major corporations that have contributed immeasurably to local charities in the United States and abroad.

Contact us for more information at [email protected].