Hilton Timeshare

As promised, here is an update on the new Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) resort in Myrtle Beach. According the building’s contractor, Landmark Builders, construction is on time and progressing smoothly.

As mentioned previously, the new Hilton timeshare resort is located on Ocean Boulevard at 22nd Avenue North. The total cost of the new resort is estimated to be at least $41.5 million (according to city documents). [Read more…]

Yesterday, Westgate confirmed rumors that they have purchased the former Las Vegas Hilton Resort. The resort, now known as the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino (LVH), will be rebranded as the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. The new Westgate sign is expected to replace the LVH sign sometime today.

Featuring 1,500 guest rooms, the LVH was the biggest resort in the world when it opened in 1969.The resort was originally built by Kirk Kerkorian to house over 800 Elvis concerts in the 1960s and 1970s. The resort also featured performances from the legendary Liberace and Barbara Streisand. More recently, the resort has been upgraded to include 2,956 guest rooms and 305 suites. The resort also features a 74,000 square foot casino and Las Vegas Monorail station. [Read more…]

Hilton Grand Vacations Club (HGVC) has broken ground on the newest timeshare resort in Hawaii, The Grand Islander Tower at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki Beach Resort.

The new 418-unit tower will be adjacent to the Tapa Tower at Hilton Hawaiian Village Waikiki. Located along Kalia Road, the new Grand Islander tower will offer breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean from any of its 37 floors. Members will also receive access to Hilton’s private 22-acre beach.

Hilton Worldwide has partnered with Blackstone Real Estate Partners VI, A Blackstone-managed fund, for the tower’s funding. The group celebrated with start of construction with a groundbreaking ceremony.

The ceremony and traditional Hawaiian blessing was hosted by Tyler Henritze, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone. Other attendees included Mark Wang, Executive Vice President, Global Sales and President, Hilton Grand Vacations for Hilton Worldwide, Jerry Gibson, Area Vice President for Hilton Hawaii, and Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell.

Tyler Henritze shared, “We are thrilled to partner with Hilton Worldwide to bring a new timeshare offering to the Hilton Hawaiian Village Beach Resort. Combined with the quality of the Hilton Grand Vacations Club product and the Hilton brand, this destination will provide a fantastic vacation experience. We’re pleased that Blackstone’s investment will help create hundreds of jobs for the community, in line with our continuing commitment to Hawaii’s tourism economy.”

Currently, more than 3,000 people are employed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. The new tower will add more than 1,000 jobs for Waikiki residents.

While Henritze discussed the benefits for Waikiki residents, Mark Wang touched on the opportunities for vacation ownership.
Wang commented, “It is our privilege to continue creating new ownership opportunities for our discerning clientele with a spectacular new Hilton Grand Vacations Club tower in Hilton Hawaiian Village. This project combines the industry-leading sales, marketing and management expertise of Hilton Grand Vacations with the established development strength of Blackstone, and builds upon our history of strategic collaboration.”

The Grand Islander will become the 5th Hilton Grand Vacations Club resort on Oahu and the 8th resort in Hawaii. The expected date of completion is Spring of 2017.

To celebrate the world of hospitality, the National Association for Catering and Events (NACE) has announced the 2014 Grand Tour Gala charity fundraiser. The event will be held on November 1st at the Hilton Orlando Resort on International Drive.

At the Grand Tour Gala, the Orlando Chapter of NACE will present its 2014 Dick Pope Legacy Awards. This year’s recipients include Steven Hogan, CEO of Florida Citrus Sports; Richard Kessler, Chairman and CEO, Kessler Hotel Group; Adrian Jones, General Manager of Legoland^® Florida and VP Merlin Entertainments USA; and Chef Emeril Lagasse, Celebrity Chef and Host of TV’s Emeril’s Florida.

The Dick Pope Legacy Awards, in honor of Dick Pope Sr., honor the leaders of Florida’s tourism and hospitality industries. Dick Pope was the founder of Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven Florida in 1936. Cypress Gardens was the first park attraction in Florida and a major source of tourism revenue after World War II.

Professor at The University of Central Florida Rosen College of Hospitality Management, CSEP, CPCE, and The Grand Tour Gala executive producer Dr. Mary Jo Ross shared, “We are thrilled to recognize these outstanding honorees, who not only excel in their executive roles for their own companies but also provide exemplary leadership in our hospitality industry, in the areas of sporting events, attractions, hotels and culinary experiences.”

The event is also a great scholarship opportunity for Hospitality students. Since the first Grand Tour Gala in 2011, the charity has provided over $180,000 in student grants and scholarships. Recipients include students from the NACE Educational Foundation, the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association Educational Foundation, and the University of Central Florida (UCF) Rosen College of Hospitality in Orlando.

This year’s Gala will feature a London theme. Guests will enjoy British food and live theater entertainment. To raise funds for the scholarships, donations will be collected through a silent auction. Students from the UCF Rosen College of Hospitality Management will also attend to offer concierge services to gala guests.

President of the Orlando Chapter of NACE, Patricia Buchanan said, “NACE is excited to have the UCF students play such an important role in this event, as they are the future of our industry.”

For more information, visit GrandTourGala.com. For sponsorship details, contact Patricia Buchanan at [email protected] or by phone at (407) 383-2132.