Venue News
Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa, the premier Texas Hill Country resort in San Antonio, recognized its 30-year anniversary on Friday, February 24. The resort is honoring the milestone anniversary with a 50-million-dollar renovation expected to be complete this spring. Currently, the resort is in the process of completely reimagining its 500 guestrooms and suites, with updates including an upscale, ranch-inspired aesthetic, historical tribute artwork, renovated guest rooms, and remodeled event and meeting spaces.
Hot off the Press
The American Rental Association (ARA) trade show, The ARA Show™ 2023, the largest equipment and event rental trade show and convention in the world, was held February 11-15 at the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) in Orlando, Florida. More than 750 exhibitors attended the trade show, and over 700 rental professionals attended the two newest additions: EventsU (formerly Events & Tents) and Future of Equipment Rental, special full-day education programs. The keynote address sponsored by ARA Insurance featured Daymond John of ABC's "Shark Tank." In 2024, The ARA Show will return to New Orleans and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center with a full day of educational seminars on Sunday, Feb. 18, and the trade show from Monday, Feb. 19, through Wednesday, Feb. 21.
Shadow Lake Partners (SLP) announced that its portfolio company Town & Country Event Rentals (T&C), has acquired Signature Party Rentals (Signature). Headquartered in Van Nuys, CA, T&C was added to the SLP portfolio through a majority recapitalization in December of 2022 as a premier provider of event infrastructure and support services in Southern California. Signature is a dominant provider of event design, equipment rental, installation, and other support services in Orange County and the Desert Cities around Palm Springs, CA. Jason Davis, President of Signature, joined in 2011 and will continue to lead the company and its 200+ employees along with all the current senior management team. Davis will report directly to Tom Siciliano, CEO of Town & Country Event Rentals.
The hospitality industry is booming, and event professionals are driving its growth. To gain insight into the event and sales management role, Tripleseat surveyed 125 customers working at restaurants, hotels, and unique venues to learn about salaries, experience, benefits, the average number of event bookings, costs, and more. Here are some of the highlights:
- The average annual salary plus commissions for event professionals is $72,000
- Employers are making the right moves, as 41% of event professionals always feel appreciated at work
- 58% of event professionals reported having a team of 2-5 people, which often supports 2-5 locations
- The average venue hosts more than 10 events per month at an average cost of $7,087
- Dinner and happy hours rank as the most popular event types
Click here to read the full report.
In airport news: San Antonio is set to expand its airport while a new airport is in the works for Kansas City. A new, 832,000-square-foot terminal for San Antonio International Airport aims for opening mid-2028, while at Kansas City International Airport construction of a new single terminal to replace two existing terminals plus new runways and taxiways are to be complete by March 2023, just in time for the city to host a high-profile citywide event: the 2023 National Football League draft.
