Latest Hospitality and leisure industry News
A Georgia city will blow up an old hotel to greet 2025
MACON, Ga. (AP) — One Georgia city will welcome 2025 with a larger-than-average bang. The Macon-Bibb County Commission on Tuesday approved a plan to implode a vacant 16-story hotel at midnight on New Year's Eve. Macon-Bibb County spent $4.5 million last year to buy...
Belem, host of next year's climate talks, is Amazonian city plagued with pollution and violence
BELEM, Brazil (AP) — For the last few years, climate scientists, environmentalists and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva have been talking up the first U.N. climate conference to be held in the Amazon. The largest tropical forest in the world stores huge amounts of planet-warming...
The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is buying a racecourse in Alabama
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Poarch Band of Creek Indians, which operates casinos in multiple states, has reached an agreement to purchase the Birmingham Racecourse. The McGregor family, which owns both the Birmingham Racecourse and VictoryLand, a former dog racing track in Macon...
Jersey Mike's sandwich chain is acquired by private equity firm Blackstone for $8 billion
NEW YORK (AP) — Jersey Mike's, the quickly expanding sandwich chain, is being acquired by asset management giant Blackstone. In the transaction announced Tuesday, private equity funds managed by Blackstone will be used to acquire majority ownership of Jersey Mike's. The deal is...
Arthur Frommer, travel guide innovator, has died at 95
NEW YORK (AP) — Arthur Frommer, whose "Europe on 5 Dollars a Day" guidebooks revolutionized leisure travel by convincing average Americans to take budget vacations abroad, has died. He was 95. Frommer died from complications of pneumonia, his daughter Pauline Frommer said Monday. ...
Olav Thon, billionaire Norwegian real estate developer, dead at 101
OSLO, Norway (AP) — Olav Thon, a billionaire entrepreneur recognizable for his bright red cap who went from selling leather and fox hides in his youth to build one of Norway's biggest real estate empires, has died, his company said Saturday. He was 101. “It is with great sadness...
A $1 billion proposal is the latest plan to refurbish and save the iconic Houston Astrodome
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astrodome has been in limbo, waiting for its chance at a second life since being shuttered more than 15 years ago. It was a technological marvel when it opened in 1965. But its heyday has long passed and it hasn’t been home to a sports team since the...
Restaurants, other services still in grip of high inflation even as overall rate slows
NEW YORK (AP) — While prices for most goods have been falling throughout the year, inflation for a wide range of services remains high. That has put a strain on consumers eating out, servicing their cars and paying for various kinds of insurance. Prices for services rose 3.7% in...
Beyond Meat reverses revenue slide by raising prices on its plant-based products
Beyond Meat reversed a sales slide in the third quarter, growing revenue for the first time since 2022 as it charged higher prices for its plant-based meat. The El Segundo, California-based company said Wednesday its revenue rose 7.6% to $81 million in the July-September period. That...
Playa Hotels: Q3 Earnings Snapshot
AMSTERDAM (AP) — AMSTERDAM (AP) — Playa Hotels & Resorts NV (PLYA) on Wednesday reported a loss of $2.7 million in its third quarter. The Amsterdam-based company said it had a loss of 2 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for non-recurring costs, were less than 1 cent on a...
