From Mario Bros to Marriott, what’s making accom news?
Video game pioneer Atari is lending its brand power to eight new hotels being built across the US.
The company responsible for such classics as Pac-man, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong and Mario Bros has signed a contract with a real estate developer to create Atari-branded hotels in Phoenix, Austin, Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Jose and Seattle.
Each will include ‘esports studios’ and Atari ‘gaming playgrounds’, with the studios reportedly being venues where gaming professionals compete, and the playground more laidback guests-orientated lounges equipped with gaming PCs.
The hotels will also encompass pools and gyms, restaurants, bars, bakeries and movie theatres.
Atari will play no part in the day-to-day operations but will receive five percent of each hotel’s revenue and an advance of $600,000 for licensing the brand to the developer.
Lamington drive
A new development titled Lamington Markets could see a 7333sqm site in Lutwyche, Brisbane transformed into two 12-storey towers encompassing a hotel, residential apartments, healthcare services, a cinema, respite facilities, shops and an urban farm.
The Conrad Gargett-designed plans submitted to the Brisbane City Council describe the project as “one of the first integrated, future-thinking developments” built to accommodate the city’s ageing population.
“We see it as becoming the heart of Lutwyche,” architect John Flynn told The Urban Developer of the Meridian Property Holdings proposal.
Accor principle
Australia’s dominant hotel group, Accor, has committed to eliminating all single-use plastics by 2022.
The French industry giant joins fellow market leaders Marriot and IHG in making the pledge to ditch plastic toiletry amenities and cups by the end of 2020 and all remaining single-use plastic items in guestrooms, meeting areas, restaurants and leisure activity areas by the end of 2022.
Accor said that it would join the Global Tourism Plastics Initiative led by the United Nations Environment Programme and the World Tourism Organisation, in collaboration with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
Sébastien Bazin, Accor chairman & CEO, said: “We are aware of the significant impact we have on our planet and our responsibility to create tangible benefits for our employees, guests, suppliers, partners and host communities.
“What guides us is the consciousness and social awareness that drives every person who strives to be a good citizen. It’s about being aware, socially conscious and consistent.”
Marriott millions
Marriott International signed a record number of rooms in 2019, growing its global inventory to some 515,000 rooms at the end of 2019 for the first time in the company’s history.
Marriott signed 815 agreements, representing more than 136,000 rooms, its seventh consecutive record-breaking year for organic rooms signings.
During 2019, the company added 516 properties with more than 78,000 rooms in 60 countries, an average of one new property every 17 hours.
“With growth and loyalty as the cornerstones of our company’s success, our unrivalled 2019 signings illustrate our winning strategy, which combines leading brands, powerful business platforms and an enduring focus on our associates,” said the group’s president of global development, design and operations services, Tony Capuano.
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