Cuba air travel: The Obama administration on Friday gave the go-ahead to six U.S. airlines to begin direct flights to Cuba as soon as this fall – American, Frontier, Jet Blue, Silver, Southwest and Sun Country. Scheduled air traffic between the two countries had been suspended for 50 years.
The New York Times has the story
SBE, Trillist collaborate: Los Angeles-based hotel manager SBE and developer Trillist Cos. are partnering on SLS Atlanta Hotel & Residences, a mixed-use development in Atlanta. It will break ground in early 2017; completion is scheduled for 2019. It will include 213 hotel rooms, 56 condominium residences and F&B.
Huang Hsiang to build hotels: Taipei-based Huang Hsiang Construction Co. said at a shareholders’ meeting that it intends to set up three hotels run by international brands in the next three years. It is partnering with Marriott International to operate two hotels in Taipei. It is also collaborating with Japan’s Fujita Kanko to set up a 150-room Hotel Gracery in the city that would open next year.
Read about it in the Taipei Times
NewcrestImage acquires Hyatt Place: Dallas-based hotel owner and operator NewcrestImage purchased a 125-room Hyatt Place hotel in the Dallas suburb of Grapevine, Texas. It’s the company’s fourth hotel under that brand.
Minor in Dubai: Minor Hotels signed a management agreement with Bin Sulayem Investments to take over operation of the 216-room Mövenpick Hotel Deira in Dubai, which will be rebranded the Avani Deira Dubai Hotel. It will be the first Avani hotel in the Middle East.
Borrego Springs management: Hospitality Ventures Management Group will operate the 100-key Borrego Springs Resort & Spa in Borrego Springs, California. The property was acquired recently by Borrego Nazareth LLC. The golf and space resort is the sixth hotel management contract for HVMG.
Unico Hotels launches: AIC Hotel Group, owned by RCD Hotels, is launching Unico Hotels, an all-inclusive brand that will debut in Mexico early next year in Riviera Maya. The company hotel aims to redefine the “all-inclusive” moniker. RCD Hotels will own and operate UNICO Hotel Riviera Maya and all property’s part of the UNICO brand. The company, owned by the Chapur family of Mexico, has a portfolio of resort properties in Mexico and the Caribbean including seven Hard Rock hotels.