We're rounding up the biggest venue news of the week—in one convenient place. Got a tip? Get in touch!
In Case You Missed It
Check out our roundup of 15 tech-forward venues for hybrid events throughout the United States and Canada. We also chatted with the team behind the Engage! Summit to learn about their favorite venues around the world, from London to Mexico to Dubai to Florida.
Here are six more things you should know this week...
1. The hotel industry considers easing mask requirements.
Last week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that fully vaccinated people no longer need to wear a mask or physically distance in most settings—though many local officials are making their own rules, such as Los Angeles, which doesn’t plan to relax mask requirements until June 15. One group taking the CDC’s message to heart is the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), which has 27,000 members representing nearly half of all hotels in the U.S.
“In light of the recent CDC announcement … our Safe Stay guidelines will relax mask requirements for guests who are fully vaccinated,” said AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers in a statement. “At this time, we are not asking hotels to require proof of vaccination status, but we do ask that all guests and workers, vaccinated or not, respect and honor these revised guidelines. Unvaccinated guests should wear face-coverings at all times and practice physical distancing.”
2. Some venues have begun offering incentives to get vaccinated.
A number of spaces around the country have begun offering COVID-19 vaccines to fans, including the famous Red Rocks amphitheater in Colorado. Each night, 100 doses are being given on a first-come, first-served basis; those who get the shot will be given a T-shirt that commemorates the venue's 80th year, plus a voucher with discounts. The initiative, being run in association with Denver’s Department of Public Health and Environment, kicked off May 13 at a Diplo concert.
In Los Angeles, the Hollywood Pantages Theatre is taking a similar approach: On May 22, a pop-up vaccination site will take over the venue, and all who attend will be entered to win a pair of tickets to the hit musical Hamilton. (Insert joke about "not throwing away my shot" here!)
3. Hotels are debuting unique art exhibits.
This week, the JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort debuted its Secret Butterfly Garden, an interactive, augmented-reality experience where guests interact with a digital forest and sculpture garden using a mobile smartphone device. Located on the roof of the hotel, the installation was designed by L.A.-based studio HEAVY. One highlight of the unique space? Six hundred titanium butterflies that illuminate in different shades of blues depending on how the light shines through them.
Another property that launched a conversation-starting art piece is the Fairmont Olympic, Seattle. Earlier this month, the property revealed a unique kinetic art installation atop its new Olympic Bar. The moving art piece, designed by Spanish design studio Lázaro Rosa-Violán (LRV), is inspired by the hotel’s logo of a ship; it features nautical elements and materials like wood, iron, sails and rope and is powered by motors that cast dynamic, ocean-like shadows throughout the bar. It’s made up of over 400 handmade pieces.
“The piece on its own is a very complex element, but we wanted to spice it up with some extra ingredients: movement and shadow casting,” said the LRV design studio in a press release. “Not only did we want the reimaged lobby to be the heart of the hotel for guests, but we wanted to create a space where locals can re-visit and actually experience the design."Photo: Courtesy of Fairmont Olympic, Seattle
4. Venues are getting ready for Pride month.
Hotels, restaurants and other venues are gearing up for Pride month with a variety of deals and discounts. The Kimpton Marlowe Hotel in Boston, for example, is offering a special rate from June through August that offers two Pride-themed cocktails, access to on-site drag brunches and complimentary use of bikes around the city; for each stay, a donation is being made to the Boston Alliance of LGBTQ+ Youth.
The Sofitel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills, meanwhile, has debuted the Love Above All wedding package, which includes a ceremony on the hotel’s helipad, a curated list of preferred LGBTQIA+-friendly vendors and exclusive discounts at LGBTQIA+-owned stores. The venue is also hosting a clothing drive benefiting the Trans Wellness Center from June 21-30, and a Pride brunch at Le Garden at Riviera 31 every Sunday in June.
5. The U.S. hotel industry just recorded its highest monthly performance levels since before the pandemic.
According to April 2021 data from hospitality analytics firm STR, hotels reached an average of 57.5% occupancy last month—the highest since Feb. 2020. Among the top 25 markets, Tampa had the highest occupancy level at 77%, followed by Miami. The lowest levels came from Boston and Minneapolis.
6. Houston is building a NASA-inspired music venue.
Designs have been revealed for The Terminal, the city’s new 5,000-capacity music venue at POST Houston. A partnership with OMA’s Jason Long and Live Nation, the venue will feature industrial materials and unique lighting effects, including a lobby bar with an aluminized fabric heat shield as a nod to NASA.
“A performance venue is a vessel for gathering and a machine for generating spectacle, but beyond the stage and the central crowd, the energy of the show can often be shrouded in darkness,” said Long in a statement. “We wanted The Terminal to be a place where you could be simultaneously connected to the stage and creatively disengaged, so we tried to bring the performance and its aura to every corner of the venue.”
