BRANCHING OUT

• CLASSIC PARTY RENTALS based in Los Angeles, has acquired Chicago-based CHICAGO PARTY RENTAL and TRISERVE PARTY RENTALS, based in New York.
  For more information, call 310/535-3660 or visit www.classicpartyrentals.com.

• Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, KUONI has acquired a 100 percent stake in CONFERENCE & TOURING GMBH, based in Berlin and with offices in German cities Munich, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Cologne. For more information, call 41 44 277 4444 or visit www.kuoni.com.

• Nashville, Tenn.-based GAYLORD ENTERTAINMENT CO. has agreed to purchase the WESTIN LA CANTERA RESORT in San Antonio, Texas, for $252.5 million. For more information, call www.gaylordhotels.com.

• PETER GURSKI and KRISTA STRASSNER have launched EVENTUALITY, an event company based in Sherman Oaks, Calif. For more information call 310/877-8759 or 818/687-8279, or visit www.eventualityla.com.

BUSINESS NEWS

• THE ACTIVE NETWORK, based in San Diego, has acquired Boulder, Colo.-based REGONLINE and Lindon, Utah-based WINGATEWEB. The acquisitions make the company the largest provider of event management software in the U.S., according to a company statement.
  For more information, call 858/964-3813 or visit www.activenetwork.com.

• Lanham, Md.-based HARGROVE has been selected as the general services contractor for the NRPA Annual Congress & Expo, starting in October in Baltimore. For more information, call 301/306-9000 or visit www.hargroveinc.com.

• Headquartered in London, CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY has launched a new office in Shanghai, China. CHARLIE WHITTOCK is the managing director. CT Dubai, located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has been open for a year. For more information, call +86 21 6141 8433 or visit www.ctshanghai.com.