Music Licensing Program Offers Discount Benefits
Ownership changes recently took place at the Hotel La Jolla. The hotel’s owner, Seattle-based WestCoast Hotels, Inc., was purchased by a competitor, Cavanaughs Hotels in Spokane, Wash.
The new company, based in Spokane, was renamed WestCoast Hospitality Corp. The purchase price, which is a combination of cash and assumed debt, is estimated at $61.4 million.
Statements released by Cavanaugh about the deal say that the WestCoast purchase could increase the company’s 2000 revenues by $30 million. The deal closed in January.
The new company owns 46 hotels in nine Western states, including the Maui Coast Hotels in Hawaii, the WestCoast Santa Cruz Hotel, the Anabelle Hotel in Burbank and the Cavanaughs Olympus Hotel in Salt Lake City.
WestCoast Hotels had been originally established in 1910 as Vance Hotels. In 1987, it was rechristened WestCoast Hotels.
“We are looking forward to taking the best components of Cavanaughs and WestCoast and moving forward to create a stronger brand,” said Donald Barbieri, chairman president and CEO of Cavanaughs, in a company statement.
“We now have a new vehicle of growth, through fee-based management and franchise revenues, which is less capital intensive, as well as a brand name that we feel is very understandable and marketable.”
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Benefits: BMI, a Nashville-based nonprofit organization, is implementing a benefit program that will discount costs of music licensing for members of the local chapter of the California Restaurant Association and the Food & Beverage Association of San Diego County.
According to a BMI release, the discount program complements the new license for eating/drinking establishments.
Members in the program get a 10 percent discount on the license.
Historical Changes: The Coronado Museum of History & Art, formerly called the Coronado Historical Museum, will be moving into a new location at 1100 Orange Ave., in August.
According to a representative at the Coronado Vistors Bureau, the museum will feature several exhibition galleries, state-of-the-art research archives and a lecture hall for public use. The new location will also feature a museum store and caf & #233;.
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Chef Talk: Several changes for local chefs. Liliaana Navarrete was recently named executive chef at the Crescent Shores Grill at the Hotel La Jolla. Former executive chef Cynthia Bartkowski relocated to Singapore. Caf & #233; Sevilla’s executive chef Christian Vignes is officially executive chef for all the Sevilla locations, including a new one in Carlsbad and another soon to open in Riverside. Damian Zedower was appointed chef de cuisine at the Shores Restaurant located at the Sea Lodge Hotel in La Jolla. At George’s At The Cove in La Jolla, executive chef Trey Foshee has become a partner. Foshee joined the restaurant last May.
Checking In: A ceremony and celebration recently took place to recognize a new vacation ownership resort at the Welk Resort Center in Escondido. Larry Welk, son of Laurence Welk, performed the official groundbreaking. The San Diego Performing Arts League selected Old Globe Theatre production director Tom Hall as its Gold Star honoree for the volunteer-recognition Star Awards 2000. Hall, who has been with the Old Globe for 20 years, recently announced his resignation. The San Diego Convention Center Corp. reports that through direct delegate spending, its events in March contributed $52,551,522 to San Diego’s regional economy. Scott Vandenberg recently joined the Hyatt Islandia at Mission Bay. Former Manager Jerry Westenhaver has moved to the Hyatt in Sacramento.
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Tons Of Fun: A helicopter recently dropped two 3-ton, 30-foot long poles into place for two new “Kids Power Tower” rides at the Legoland California. The popular attraction allows guests to pull themselves up the colorful poles in chairlifts, then gently freefall back to the ground.
The deadline for the next tourism & hospitality column is April 13. Rodrigues can be reached at (858) 277-6359, ext. 107, or via E-mail at (trodrigues@sdbj.com).
