Venue News

AAA Four Diamond Grand Geneva Resort & Spa, an iconic Marcus® Hotels & Resorts destination located in Lake Geneva, WI, has announced the completion and first look of its most recent project, a full renovation of its meeting and event spaces. Just in time for the 30th anniversary of the resort (May 2024), Grand Geneva Resort & Spa has completed a full renovation to its meeting facilities including five large ballrooms, four boardrooms, the ballroom foyer, and public restrooms. Equipped with all new modern technology and contemporary designs, all meeting and event spaces are now open and available for meetings and events. 

Fairmont Grand Del Mar has unveiled their newly reimagined lobby lounge, library, and bar. In partnership with Los Angeles-based design firm Bishop Pass, the luxury resort’s transformative renovation continues, drawing inspiration from opulent Italian palazzos, while creating an intimate space for gatherings. The refreshed spaces feature a color palette rooted in gold with accents of green and deep burgundy, executed through textured textiles and leather. New neo-baroque and rococo detailed furnishings have been added, including the installation of Venetian glass chandeliers in the main lobby and seating to create space for intimate gatherings. In partnership with Warwick Bookstore, the library features a curated selection of books for guests to explore throughout their visit. Other enhancements include the addition of a large screen television, and private liquor program featuring top-rated whiskies, bourbons and cognacs. 

People on the Move

Dream Golf, a collection of golf resorts and new properties in development, announced that longtime Bandon Dunes General Manager Don Crowe has been named Senior Vice President of Operations. In his new position, Crowe will support operations at Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley resorts and establish operations teams, policies, and processes at Rodeo Dunes, under construction in Colorado, and additional properties currently being evaluated or developed. Two veteran Bandon Dunes team members are now overseeing operations at the world-renowned resort on the South Coast of Oregon. Jeff Simonds has been elevated to General Manager, and Ken Nice, former director of agronomy, is now the resort’s Managing Director. Crowe will work out of Dream Golf’s Chicago office. 

Hot off the Press

Complex, the definitive platform for global youth culture and music lifestyle, has announced its acquisition of Family Style Food Festival, the first-ever festival at the intersection of food and streetwear with a heavy hitting curated lineup of the best chefs, restaurants, brands, and entertainment. The acquisition of Family Style marks a new chapter for the festival as it joins forces with the leading convergence culture media juggernaut and will serve as Complex’s new food-focused vertical, delivering the latest news, content and media within the culture and food space. The festival, which draws over 10,000 attendees annually, has featured the hottest restaurants, chefs, artists and brands including Evan Funke, Majordomo, Shake Shack, Community Goods Cafe, Broad Street Oyster, and more. Through Complex’s acquisition, Family Style will expand significantly in Los Angeles, head to new markets, and also pop-up for the first time at ComplexCon 2024 in Las Vegas this November. 

Montgomery, Alabama is addressing challenges involving transportation during major events with an innovative micro-transit solution to meet the growing demand for on-demand transportation both within and outside its historic, revitalized downtown. The city’s new M Micro Transit Route makes getting from one event to another simple, safe and affordable. On-demand rides are scheduled via the app which is available at Google Place  Store or at the Apple App Store for just $1.50. Black executive style vans with distinctive M-branded graphics arrive with uniformed drivers to take passengers to their destinations. The route covers popular downtown sites and hotels, the Montgomery Regional Airport and the new Montgomery Whitewater Park.  

Awards & Accolades

GlobalMeet, a leader in virtual event technology, announced that its webcasting platform was a 2024 winner in both the TITAN Business Awards and Eventex Awards. These awards acknowledge GlobalMeet as a high performer in the event technology space, noting the platform's unmatched security, scalability, and stand-out features and integrations. GlobalMeet received the highest acknowledgment awarded in the 2024 TITAN Business Awards for the Business Technology Solutions category, Virtual Event Technology Solution. GlobalMeet stood out among submissions from 57 countries, based on its originality and innovative product developments. They were also awarded the bronze award in the 2024 Eventex Awards for the Virtual Event Platform category. The judges evaluated entries based on their ability to showcase their solution's value through past achievements and results while also highlighting new advancements that uniquely solve the increased demand for virtual event technology. 

Products on the Market

The world-renowned wedding photographer, Genevieve "Gigi" de Maniom, is releasing her first art book, SILVER, set to debut on September 1, 2024. SILVER presents a spectacular 25-year retrospective of Gigi de Manio's illustrious career. Published by Goff Books/ORO editions, this coffee table-style masterpiece spans 240 pages filled with immersive color and black and white images that beautifully encapsulate the essence of love and celebration. Featuring a foreword by noted art historian Theodore E. Stebbins, Jr., and an intimate recounting of Gigi's own story, SILVER takes readers behind the scenes of the most memorable weddings—including those of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky, Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent, among other notable names.