GLOBAL: Atlantis Paradise Island will be home to the Bahamas’ first coral gene bank, making strides in the global fight against stony coral tissue loss disease (SCTLD), an affliction decimating coral populations in the Bahamas and beyond. Signed into effect on May 18, The Bahamas Coral Gene Bank at Atlantis Paradise Island is a collaboration between Atlantis and its nonprofit organization, Atlantis Blue Project Foundation, the Bahamas Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Family Island Affairs, Perry Institute for Marine Science, and University of The Bahamas. Under this agreement, Atlantis and the foundation will support the effort to build and equip a biosecure facility to save the most vulnerable coral species from SCTLD until they can be safely returned to the reefs.
LAS VEGAS: Fontainebleau Las Vegas, the luxury resort set to open in December on the Las Vegas Strip, has announced several new leadership appointments. Mark Tricano has been named president of the resort, bringing nearly 20 years of success in the gaming, hospitality, and finance sectors. Michelle Reda, a 25-year veteran of luxury hospitality and casino marketing for Las Vegas resorts, has been named chief casino marketing officer. And Kimberly Virtuoso, who joined Fontainebleau Las Vegas in 2022 as vice president of people, has been elevated to senior vice president of people.
NEW ORLEANS: The Pontchartrain Hotel has announced the appointment of Alisha D. Staes as its new director of sales. Staes brings over 20 years of expertise working with leading hotel brands across New Orleans to her role overseeing the sales and marketing strategies for the 106-room hotel. She served as senior sales manager at NOPSI Hotel after leading sales teams at Hilton New Orleans/St. Charles, The Troubadour Hotel New Orleans, and Four Points by Sheraton French Quarter.
NEW YORK: Discover Long Island has announced that historic legislation was signed into law that increases the hotel/motel tax rate in Suffolk County from 3% to 5.5%, benefiting local cultural institutions, increasing the budget for tourism promotion, and supporting infrastructure to build the region’s first-ever convention center. The legislation officially went into effect June 1 and is expected to nearly double the local hotel/motel tax collections paid by visitors to Long Island.
SAN DIEGO: SommCon—a conference for wine, beer, and spirits education—has announced the launch of its newly expanded trade show for import, distribution, and on- and off-premise alcohol beverage buyers. SommCon Expo will take place Sept. 11-12 during SommCon's annual conference, combining three action-packed days of in-depth education and networking with an active marketplace to find new producers, products, and services. Registration for SommCon Conference & Expo is now open with full conference and expo-only passes available.