Venue News
Thompson San Antonio - Riverwalk, the new luxury hotel has proved to be the city’s go-to venue for weddings and important events. The hotel, which opened last February, offers refined and flexible meeting spaces, 162 stylish rooms, a spectacular location on the famed River Walk, and exceptional cuisine from a celebrated chef makes the hotel an ideal venue for leadership summits, corporate and social events, reunions, and more. Thompson San Antonio’s nine indoor and outdoor venues span more than 10,000 square feet and feature a versatile selection of layouts. Dramatic windows rise from the floor to meet soaring 24-foot-high tray ceilings in the Solana Ballroom with a capacity to hold 200 people. Adjacent is the Solana Foyer, perfect for a pre-event space and filled with natural light. In addition, a 677-square-foot executive boardroom offers advanced audiovisual capabilities and crisp Mid-century modern décor. Thompson San Antonio - Riverwalk utilizes all areas of the hotel, offering multiple creative spaces to host events including the Cenote Pool Deck. This open-air terrace provides a stunning poolside setting with incredible views of the River Walk and the downtown skyline. Companies can also rent out signature restaurant, Landrace, from James Beard Award finalist Steve McHugh. The celebrated fare, which honors regional Texas ingredients and heritage growers, will delight guests who can choose from an inviting indoor space or opt for the palm-fringed outdoor terrace overlooking the riverfront. Lastly, the rooftop bar and lounge, The Moon’s Daughters, provides a one-of-a-kind San Antonio event space. Perched on the 20th floor of the hotel, guests can enjoy delicious Mediterranean-influenced flavors, captivating views, creative beverages, a professional sound system, and superior service.
SAHARA Las Vegas provides the perfect setting for a dream wedding in Las Vegas with a variety of exceptional venues throughout the property. Offering guests an unforgettable experience from the rehearsal dinner to the reception, SAHARA Las Vegas allows guests to customize their special day with visually stunning venues including ballrooms, indoor-outdoor and poolside event sites, restaurants and much more. Whether guests seek a wedding ceremony or to renew their vows, the SAHARA Las Vegas events team will help the couple plan a memorable ceremony. Delivering exceptional personalized service for couples is their top priority, and they will make their guests feel that way from start to finish.
People on the Move
Global experience agency WRG, a division of The Creative Engagement Group, has evolved its leadership team following significant growth, new client wins and product innovation. Tim Collett has been announced as the agency’s new Managing Director. Collett, who joined WRG in 2017, was previously Global Head of Live Events. During this time, he was responsible for several ground-breaking events, including the delivery of the inaugural London Car Free Day for Transport for London, as well as supporting the rapid expansion of WRG’s virtual event offering by pioneering the creation of a unified, agnostic Event Production team. Prior to joining WRG, Collett was VP Executive Producer at Jack Morton Worldwide. Throughout his career, Collett has worked on a wide range of high-profile events and spectacles around the world - across all major audience types and sectors. In his new role, Collett is focusing the agency around five priorities of innovation, experience design, sustainability, talent development and DE&I.
Evans Hotels, the family-owned hospitality company comprised of the Bahia Resort Hotel, Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, and The Lodge at Torrey Pines, is pleased to announce Matthew Adams as its new Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, and Anthony Belef as its new Chief Human Resources Officer. Adams will supervise all operations for Evans’ resorts, as well as the Bahia Belle and William D. Evans sternwheelers, and Belmont Laundry, which provides laundry services for the properties. Belef will oversee the human resources function for the company. Prior to joining Evans Hotels, Adams served as Chief Operating Officer for Windsor Hospitality, based in Santa Monica, and Executive Vice President of Operations for Omni Hotels. Before that, he built an impressive 30-year career in the hospitality industry managing iconic hotels in the United States and Europe, including the Grand Hyatt New York, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, and Park Hyatt Paris. During his long tenure at Hyatt, Adams rose to the level of Senior Vice President - Operations. Belef brings 25 years of hospitality experience in both operations and human resources. Prior to joining Evans Hotels, Belef worked for Omni Hotels and Resorts as a Director and Area Director of Human Resources. For the last six years, he led the Human Resources team at the Omni La Costa Resort and Spa, and also supported a portfolio of Omni properties, including locations in Texas and all of Omni’s California properties.
The Gabriel Miami, Curio Collection by Hilton, is happy to announce the appointment of Duncan Clements to general manager. In this role, Clements is responsible for driving overall operations and guest satisfaction for the downtown lifestyle hotel’s 129 newly renovated rooms and suites. Clements assumes this position immediately and oversees all aspects of hotel operations. The Gabriel Miami is a cultural hub in Downtown Miami located within close proximity to the city’s main attractions, including museums, beaches, shopping and entertainment venues. The property is also at the epicenter of Miami’s downtown business district, offering rooms to business travelers as well as meeting and event attendees visiting the Magic City. Clements brings over 30 years of hospitality to his new role at The Gabriel Miami. He graduated from Manchester University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hotel and Catering Studies. Throughout his professional career, Clements has held prestigious roles at major hospitality establishments across the globe, including properties in London, Adbu Dhabi, Glasgow, and Birmingham. Career highlights span across multiple hospitality brands, including Hilton International, Kimpton Hotels, Intercontinental Hotels, Destination Hotels and more.
