What's New in Event Venues: First Fully Electric Conference Center in the US, Marriott's New 'Fanbassador,' and More

In Case You Missed It

BizBash editors recently explored how event profs and venue owners are making better use of existing spaces—from outdoor entertainment experiences taking advantage of natural landscapes to food halls overtaking historical buildings to experiential warehouse transformations delivering surprise-and-delight moments. We also chatted with Tinsel Experiential Design's Erica Taylor Haskins about her favorite event venues around the world.

Here are seven more things to know this month... 

1. Jason Kelce has teamed up with Marriott to offer exclusive NFL fan experiences. 

Marriott Bonvoy and Courtyard by Marriott have teamed up with retired NFL star Jason Kelce, naming him their first-ever "Fanbassador" for the 2024 football season. In this role, Kelce will reveal weekly football-themed experiences to fans via the Marriott Bonvoy Moments platform. Specifically designed to appeal to every kind of football fan, the moments will range from joining Kelce at a game day pool party to having him pick your fantasy league loser’s punishment, receiving custom-designed apparel from designer Kristin Juszczyk, and participating in a mystery experience with Kelce himself at a Courtyard by Marriott in Philadelphia. 

“As a player, Jason Kelce inspired an entire generation of fans to pursue the game they love, and we could not think of a more perfect NFL fan to be the first-ever Marriott Bonvoy and Courtyard by Marriott ‘Fanbassador’ than him,” says Brian Povinelli, Marriott's senior vice president and global head of marketing and brand. “Each of these experiences [is] set to ignite the same enthusiasm and love of the game that Jason embodies, creating unforgettable memories for our members and guests to pursue their passion for the game every single week of the season, all the way to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans.”

2. Hotels are creating Taylor Swift-inspired experiences for the Eras Tour's return to North America. 

When Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour returns to North America next month, hotels in Miami, New Orleans, and Toronto will be ready for an influx of Swifties. IHG Hotels & Resorts, for example, is rolling out the red carpet with a variety of experiences, including an artist-in-residency program with Swift concert photography at Kimpton EPIC Hotel in Miami; themed cocktails and a costume contest brunch at Kimpton Hotel Fontenot in New Orleans; a lobby friendship bracelet-making station at voco St. James Hotel in New Orleans; and more.  

Other Miami hotels planning unique experiences include The Elser Hotel & Residences, which will have Swift-inspired welcome baskets plus T-shirts and glitter kits for Swiftie dads to make their own concert getups; The Gabriel South Beach, which is offering personal spa services and stylists pre-concert; face gem and body jewelry kits at The Balfour Hotel; and more. 

3. Offices are using hotel-like amenities and events to lure back workers.

The New York Times recently wrote about the “hotelification” of office spaces, an effort to lure workers back in person. These so-called “work resorts” are taking a page from boutique hotels with amenities like signature scents, high-end golf facilitators, upscale grocery stores, and a calendar of community events like craft cocktail fairs and silent discos. 

According to the article, “In this new iteration [of hotelification], there is the additional layer of the ‘hospitality experience,’ which Amy Campbell, an architect and senior associate at Gensler in San Francisco, describes as ‘anticipating the needs of others and then creating accommodations for that.’ Ms. Campbell said she was seeing hotelification in all sectors, including residences and airports—and called it ‘a niche market that we’re going to see grow.’"

4. The country's first fully electric conference center is now open.

ASM Global has opened the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center (IDCC), the first fully electric conference center in the U.S. This eco-friendly facility, designed to meet New York State Energy Research and Development Authority standards, supports Ithaca’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. The center’s sustainability features include an all-electric, full-production kitchen; air-source heat pumps for space heating, cooling, and domestic hot water; energy-efficient lighting; a robust composting system; and an efficient recycling program.

The catering menu, meanwhile, includes a minimum of 35% plant-based options; single-use items have been eliminated; leftover prepared food is repurposed in the center's “Green on the Go” retail store to minimize waste; and fryer oil is reused as fuel for sustainable practices. The center offers over 15,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a grand ballroom and several meeting rooms, and is located near Ithaca Commons and the scenic Finger Lakes region. 

5. Avani Hotels has launched an interactive quiz to personalize guest journeys.

Avani Hotels & Resorts has launched an online quiz to help travelers discover which of six "Avani Tribe" travel types they belong to, offering personalized itineraries based on their preferences. The quiz is available on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok, as well as through a more detailed version for sharing on Facebook or via email. The results categorize users into tribes such as Water Baby, Wellness Wanderer, or Foodie, and recommend Avani destinations suited to their interests, from tropical resorts to urban adventures.

To further engage travelers, Avani has partnered with influencers representing each travel tribe who will embark on customized trips designed to showcase unique experiences. For example, Foodie Kacie Rose will explore Dubai’s vibrant culinary scene, while Adventurer Locky Gilbert and his wife, Irena, will enjoy private island experiences in the Maldives. “Avani Tribes is dedicated to crafting travel experiences that are finely tuned to individual personalities, while also embracing the concept of collective individualism," says Ian Di Tullio, chief commercial officer of Minor Hotels. "By connecting like-minded people, Avani Tribes creates a sense of belonging between travelers, ensuring that each journey is not only personally fulfilling but also enriches the shared experience of a community with similar values and interests."

6. Proposed "no tax on tips" policies are getting mixed reactions from hospitality workers.

There’s not much that presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump agree on—but both have proposed policies to exclude tips from federal income tax. But some hospitality workers caution that the issue isn’t as straightforward as it seems, with some noting it will create resentment between servers—who would essentially no longer pay taxes on much of their income—and cooks, who would. Others are worried it will incentivize consumers to tip less. Eater recently spoke to several restaurant chefs, owners, and economists to get their take on the plan; check out the article here.

7. A venue association is teaming up with an industry conference to champion eco-friendly event practices. 

Event Sustainability Live (ESL) has partnered with the Association of Event Venues (AEV) to promote sustainability within the events sector. As part of the collaboration, AEV will host a pavilion at the ESL show, providing a space for its members, including major U.K. venues like The Kia Oval and Manchester Central, to showcase their sustainable event solutions. The partnership reflects both organizations' commitment to eco-friendly practices and offers a platform for industry professionals to share innovations. ESL will take place Nov. 20-21 at ExCeL, London.