Posted Nov 1, 2010 by Elite News Team Orlando, FL - September 2010 - After a decade of planning and two and a half years of construction, The Peabody Orlando has officially opened the doors to its $450 million expansion. The newly expanded hotel features a 32-story tower, 1,641 ultra-luxurious guestrooms, 300,000 total square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible function space, a 22,000-square-foot, full-service spa & fitness center, three beautifully landscaped pools and ten delectable dining and entertainment options including a new Napa Valley wine-themed restaurant and bar called Napa and a new 6,000-square-foot high-energy lounge called Rocks.
"Nearly 24 years ago, we opened The Peabody Orlando with the intention of changing the landscape of Orlando's meetings and conventions sector, and now with our new expansion we hope to further establish the area as a top destination for meeting planners," stated Marty Belz, president and CEO of Peabody Hotel Group. "As we open the doors to our newly expanded hotel, I'm thrilled by the response and positive feedback from our valued meeting planners, vendors, industry leaders and the surrounding community."
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(Left) New Lobby in 32-story tower, (Rght) 6,000-square-foot Rocks Lounge
(Photos Credit: Preston Mack Photography, Inc.)
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(Left) Peabody Grand Ballroom, (Rght) The Peabody Grand Rotunda, prefunction space
(Photos Credit: Preston Mack Photography, Inc.)
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Originally built in 1986, The Peabody Orlando has become one of the largest Forbes Four-Star, AAA Four Diamond hotels in the eastern half of the United States and a landmark in the Orlando meetings and conventions market. The hotel's newly expanded meeting space features an impressive, pillar-free 54,652-square-foot Peabody Grand Ballroom, a 75,000-square-foot Peabody Grand Rotunda designed for networking and registration, a 34,378-square-foot Windermere Ballroom, a 26,923-square-foot Plaza International Ballroom, two junior ballrooms, 99 breakout rooms, three green rooms and five boardrooms, all connected by two covered walkways to the Orange County Convention Center.
"For the last two years, we have watched the construction site turn into a functioning hotel. We've hired more than 400 new employees and added amenities that will leave a lasting impression in the minds of our guests. This is not just an expansion, we've recreated ourselves - from the finishings in our ballrooms and the interior of our guestrooms, to the furnishing in our lobby and restaurants and the lushly landscaped recreation and pool areas," stated Alan Villaverde, president of Peabody Hotels Division and managing director of The Peabody Orlando. "Our employees and partners that have contributed to the success of this project truly have something to be proud of and I'm humbled to be a part of it all and see it come to fruition. I expect that the excitement will not fade now that we're opened, instead it will continue to grow as we play a leading role in attracting new conventions and large groups to International Drive."

In addition to the new meeting/function space, guestrooms feature the Peabody Dream Bed®, high definition 42" LCD televisions, mini LCD TVs in the bathroom mirrors, complimentary in-room refrigerators, cordless telephones and Wi-Fi Internet access. The Peabody Orlando's 891 existing guestrooms were also renovated with contemporary design and luxurious décor and furnishings, creating a seamless transition into the new tower.

Some of the construction industry's most experienced and talented engineers, designers and construction professionals from Balfour Beatty Construction US, Metro Construction, LLC and Belz Construction Company, were engaged in the $450 million project. Local architect, Stephen C. Abrams, SCA Design Group, Winter Park, Fla., designed the project. He was also part of the design team for the original hotel back in 1984. Interior architectural design was provided by Wilson Associates. Posted Nov 1, 2010 by Elite News Team Orlando, FL - October 2010 - With the recent opening of The Peabody Orlando's $450 million expansion the hotel debuted two of Orlando's newest premier dining and entertainment venues, Napa and Rocks. Napa brings Northern California cuisine and wine country selections to Central Florida. While Rocks, a 6,000-square-foot upscale, sophisticated lounge, services both convention goers and local residences with its nightly live music and elegant ambiance including comfortable sitting areas, luminous lighting and an expansive outdoor patio.
Led by chef Jared Gross, Napa's menu is comprised of organic, farm-to-fork selections offering guests the freshest, most sustainable dining experiences possible. Chef Gross, a member of The Peabody Orlando culinary team since 1997, was recently promoted to chef de cuisine of Napa. Chef Gross and seasoned corporate executive chef, Karl Edlbauer, personally selected the finest produce, meat and dairy from some of the best farms in Florida and throughout the country as the source for many of Napa's menu selections. In addition to the cuisine, Napa offers wall-to-wall uniquely hand selected wines from Napa Valley and around the world. A wide array of bottled beers are also featured including import and domestic selections as well as hard to find microbrews.
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Napa, the Napa Valley wine-themed restaurant and bar
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Rocks, the 6,000-square-foot lounge
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The classic ambience and open floor plan of Rocks sets this lounge apart from the rest. Overlooking International Drive and bordered by over 6,550 square feet of floor-to-ceiling windows, Rocks offers an extensive wine list, bottled beers from around the world and passionately crafted cocktails infused with some of the freshest ingredients, including serrano peppers, cucumbers, watermelon, sage and dill. In addition to the exquisite cocktails, Rocks offers live music seven nights a week and a select bar menu prepared in the Napa kitchen.
"Napa and Rocks are truly unlike anything in Orlando," stated Alan Villaverde, managing director of The Peabody Orlando and president of Peabody Hotels Division. "We're excited to raise the bar in Orlando's dining and entertainment culture and look forward to providing our hotel guests and Central Florida residents with some of the most unique venues in town."

"Prior to opening Napa and Rocks, our culinary team traveled across the country to draw inspiration for the creation of our menu items and select wines from Northern California," stated chef Jared Gross, chef de cuisine of Napa. "Our goal is to share sustainable, fresh flavors with our guests who embrace the farm-to-fork concept."

For more information on dining options and menu details, please visit bit.ly/a8csNG. Posted Sep 28, 2010 by Elite News Team September 27, 2010 - After a decade of planning and two and a half years of construction, The Peabody Orlando officially opened the doors to its $450 million expansion. The newly expanded hotel features a 32-story tower, 1,641 ultra-luxurious guestrooms, 300,000 total square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible function space, a 22,000-square-foot, full-service spa & fitness center, three beautifully landscaped pools and ten delectable dining and entertainment options including a new Napa Valley wine-themed restaurant and bar called Napa and a new 6,000-square-foot high-energy lounge called Rocks.

"Nearly 24 years ago, we opened The Peabody Orlando with the intention of changing the landscape of Orlando's meetings and conventions sector, and now with our new expansion we hope to further establish the area as a top destination for meeting planners," stated Marty Belz, president and CEO of Peabody Hotel Group. "As we open the doors to our newly expanded hotel, I'm thrilled by the response and positive feedback from our valued meeting planners, vendors, industry leaders and the surrounding community."

Originally built in 1986, The Peabody Orlando has become one of the largest Forbes Four-Star, AAA Four Diamond hotels in the eastern half of the United States and a landmark in the Orlando meetings and conventions market. The hotel's newly expanded meeting space features an impressive, pillar-free 54,652-square-foot Peabody Grand Ballroom, a 75,000-square-foot Peabody Grand Rotunda designed for networking and registration, a 34,378-square-foot Windermere Ballroom, a 26,923-square-foot Plaza International Ballroom, two junior ballrooms, 99 breakout rooms, three green rooms and five boardrooms, all connected by two covered walkways to the Orange County Convention Center.

"For the last two years, we have watched the construction site turn into a functioning hotel. We've hired more than 400 new employees and added amenities that will leave a lasting impression in the minds of our guests. This is not just an expansion, we've recreated ourselves - from the finishings in our ballrooms and the interior of our guestrooms, to the furnishing in our lobby and restaurants and the lushly landscaped recreation and pool areas," stated Alan Villaverde, president of Peabody Hotels Division and managing director of The Peabody Orlando. "Our employees and partners that have contributed to the success of this project truly have something to be proud of and I'm humbled to be a part of it all and see it come to fruition. I expect that the excitement will not fade now that we're opened, instead it will continue to grow as we play a leading role in attracting new conventions and large groups to International Drive."

In addition to the new meeting/function space, guestrooms feature the Peabody Dream Bed®, high definition 42" LCD televisions, mini LCD TVs in the bathroom mirrors, complimentary in-room refrigerators, cordless telephones and Wi-Fi Internet access. The Peabody Orlando's 891 existing guestrooms were also renovated with contemporary design and luxurious décor and furnishings, creating a seamless transition into the new tower.

Some of the construction industry's most experienced and talented engineers, designers and construction professionals from Balfour Beatty Construction US, Metro Construction, LLC and Belz Construction Company, were engaged in the $450 million project. Local architect, Stephen C. Abrams, SCA Design Group, Winter Park, Fla., designed the project. He was also part of the design team for the original hotel back in 1984. Interior architectural design was provided by Wilson Associates.

About The Peabody Orlando:
The Peabody Orlando, opened in November 1986, is a staple in the Orlando-area convention and tourism industry and famous for its Peabody Ducks. The hotel has received the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Four Star rating for 21 consecutive years. Located directly across from and adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center and in the heart of the International Drive entertainment district, The Peabody Orlando currently offers 1,641 ultra-luxurious guestrooms, 300,000 total square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible function space, a 22,000-square-foot, full-service spa & fitness center and ten delectable dining and entertainment options. Peabody Hotels, comprising The Peabody Orlando, The Peabody Memphis and The Peabody Little Rock (all Forbes Travel Guide Four Star rated hotels) is a division within the portfolio Peabody Hotel Group of Memphis, Tennessee. To learn more, please visit www.PeabodyOrlando.com, connect on Facebook or follow on Twitter. Posted Feb 23, 2010 by Elite News Team Orlando, FL - February 2010 - It is full-steam ahead on all fronts as the monumental $450-million expansion of The Peabody Orlando heads for completion and grand opening November 1, 2010. In preparation for expanded business, the professional sales team at this Forbes Travel Guide Four Star, AAA Four Diamond rated hotel, has been almost doubled to generate - and manage - increased business being booked by the nation's meeting planners.

Making the announcement recently, Tony Aslanian, director of sales and marketing, outlined the hotel's sales strategy, and announced details of the expanded sales team. "The Peabody Orlando has long been the iconic, quintessential meetings and conventions hotel in Orlando," he said. "Our expansion ultimately will yield 1,641, ultra-luxurious guestrooms, and increase our state-of-the-art, flexible function space to an amazing 250,000 square feet.

"Obviously, our vastly expanded hotel, calls for an aggressive, intelligent sales strategy to meet our goals in a very competitive market. To meet and exceed this new strategy, we have assembled an outstanding sales team with proven sales techniques and leadership skills. We have devoted much time to identify the best meetings hotel/hospitality sales managers in the industry, and are truly delighted with our newly-expanded team which will complement our existing, long-tenured, highly-motivated, award-winning sales managers."

Karen Chiu, one of Peabody's new national sales managers, has been highly successful in group corporate and association sales in the Midwest. For Peabody she will handle Midwest corporate accounts. Chiu brings to the Peabody, nine years of experience in hotel group sales, gained with such well-established Orlando properties as the Hilton at Walt Disney World Resort, Sheraton Studio City, and Caribe Royale Resort & Suites. With her background experience in both group and FIT sales, she will be an excellent match for the Peabody's new sales strategy. A native of New York City, she grew up in Orlando, and speaks fluent Cantonese. She has an Associate degree in Arts and General Studies from Lake-Sumter Community College, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from UCF. Chiu is an avid sports fan and is active in athletics, music, theatre, cooking, and reading. She is an intrepid traveler, with an admirable interest in other cultures, customs and languages. She has visited England, France, Belgium, Italy, The Netherlands, and Singapore and undoubtedly, more world travels are on the horizon for this dynamic, professional woman.

Michael Drinkwalter, another newly-appointed senior sales manager, has been in the hotel business since 1998 when he graduated from Niagara University, NY, with an honors Bachelor of Science degree, and accreditation from the Institute of Travel, Hotel and Restaurant Administration. He will handle association and corporate business, pharmaceutical group meetings in the New England market, and international group business. A consummate hotel sales professional, he has held various positions ranging from housekeeping/valet to audio/visual manager, assistant general manager, leading to sales and marketing director for the historic Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises. This experience well prepared him for further advancement within the Hilton Head Marriott Beach & Golf Resort where he was director of audio-visual sales and services, sales manager and senior sales manager. In 2006, he joined the Renaissance Orlando Hotel at Seaworld as senior sales manager responsible for maintaining existing accounts, and generating new ones in the northeast pharmaceutical, insurance vertical, government vertical, mid-Atlantic corporate and international group markets. He exceeded sales goals of 9,000 - 12,000 room nights per year. A native of Lockport, NY., Drinkwalter has been married to his British wife, Sarah for nine years. Undisputed head of household is their beloved cat, Max, a very fortunate feline adopted from the SPCA. Drinkwalter is an avid sports and athletics fan. He has run numerous half marathons and is in training for a full marathon in Tampa. He plays bass guitar, acoustic and electric guitar. He is an avid student of Roman Empire history and of true crime history (The Mob).

Dan Hepler, sales manager, is a seasoned hotel sales professional and has experience and attributes that will greatly enhance the Peabody's re-vamped sales force. He will handle association business covering the Midwest from Ohio to the Dakotas, and south to Kansas and Missouri. He has held management positions with the corporate parent of Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, in Washington, DC., and San Francisco, CA. Hepler was a senior account manager for the Orange County Convention Center and worked with association and corporate clients. This was followed by a stint as associate director of convention sales with the Reno-Tahoe CVB. Most recently, he was national account manager for the Doubletree Universal Hotel, in Orlando. Prior to joining the Peabody, he was solely responsible for the sales and marketing efforts for JHM Hotels with an inventory of 3,500 rooms. A native of western Pennsylvania, Hepler attended the University of Pennsylvania at Clarion with course work in Education and Business. He enjoys reading, volunteering for various animal care causes and spending time with his four-year old golden retriever, Indy.

Chuck Mincey, a new national sales manager for Peabody, handles association and corporate business for the Washington, DC., Virginia and Maryland markets. He chose to join The Peabody Orlando to be part of the finest hotel in Orlando, and to join the sales team as the completion of the hotel's expansion nears. A native Floridian he has been in the hotel industry since high school and later when he graduated from UCF. He admits he was bitten by the diversity and excitement of the hospitality business when he joined the Buena Vista Palace Resort & Spa 24 years ago. Over the years, he worked his way up from Bellman to Room Service, F+B management, associate director for convention services, to national sales director. Mincey, a talented travel writer, researched and published stories on Denmark, Switzerland and Puerto Rico and continues to love traveling to distant shores with his wife, Karen, daughter, Mariannah and son Gabriel. Fourteen years ago, the family rescued a toy poodle named Fluffy, now a beloved member of the Mincey home.

Calvin Wilson, sales manager, will handle association and corporate groups from 10 to 75. Wilson has been in the hotel business since 2004 and has developed a thorough knowledge of hotel operations from front-of-house, to heart-of-house, night auditor and MOD and on into sales. He has worked in various positions with Best Western Plaza International Hotel, and for the past five years with the Doubletree Castle Hotel where he was a top-producing sales manager. He is expert in both generating and servicing SMERF, corporate and recreation business. Over the past two years, he has achieved 130% and 106% of sales quotas. A trained, masterful public speaker of some twenty years, Wilson is a Certified Hospitality Sales Professional, a Certified Professional Food Manager and knows his way around various hotel industry software programs. Wilson is a native of Pittsburgh, PA., and when he is not interacting with Peabody clients, he is involved in public service and is an active sports enthusiast. He and his wife, Karla are the proud parents of their twelve-year-old daughter, Paige.

The Peabody Orlando (www.PeabodyOrlando.com) is a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star, and AAA Four Diamond property of Peabody Hotels within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group of Memphis, Tennessee, and is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Posted Feb 23, 2010 by Elite News Team Orlando, FL - February 2010 - The countdown is on for the completion and grand opening in 2010 of the monumental $450-million expansion of The Peabody Orlando, the multi award-winning, iconic International Drive meetings and conventions hotel. In preparation for this mammoth expansion, Alan Villaverde, managing director, The Peabody Orlando, and president, Peabody Hotels, recently announced an expanded sales strategy which includes six newly-appointed sales managers. The latest to join Peabody's sales team is Laurie Helley, a highly-regarded professional sales leader who specializes in the West Coast market, and managing executive level meetings.

To fill this position, Peabody sought a candidate who would bring specific sales experience and finely-tuned market expertise to the newly-created position of assistant director of sales. Helley (pictured) will be responsible for the growth of the hotel's share of the lucrative West Coast market, and bookings for the new Executive Meetings Program.

"When our expansion is complete, we will have 1,641 luxurious guest rooms, 250,000 square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible function space, a 22,000 square foot spa and athletic club, a meandering, luxurious pool, and several new restaurants," said Villaverde. "In this highly competitive market, it is essential and imperative that our existing professional sales team be expanded to meet the demand for generating increased business.

"After an in-depth review of candidates, Laurie Helley was appointed to this position because of her outstanding career achievements in our industry," said Villaverde. "Her management and leadership skills are well-known and respected; she possesses superb analytical skills and fully comprehends the importance and challenges of hotel operations.
Helley's reputation for establishing and maintaining long-term business relationships with West Coast clients will be of enormous benefit to Peabody's outreach to that important market."

Helley will motivate and direct the Peabody's Fastrack meetings team for groups under 275 on peak nights. She will also direct the sales strategies for the hotel's unique Executive Meetings Program which will be targeted to short-term, high-value customers who demand - and are guaranteed - top-notch Peabody Service Excellence®.

Helley began her hotel career as a sales manager in 1986 with the Hyatt Cherry Hill, New Jersey. This was followed by a three-year position as a senior sales manager with the Hyatt Regency Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, B.W.I. In 1992 she came to Orlando and worked with the Hyatt Orlando, Kissimmee, where she was associate director of sales. From there, she joined Wyndham Palace Resort & Spa as associate director of sales, then to Wyndham International, Dallas, TX., as regional director of business development. Prior to joining The Peabody Orlando, Helley was a senior sales manager at the Orlando Omni Resort at Championsgate.

A native of Holland, PA., Helley holds a Bachelor of Science, Food Service & Lodging Management degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She is a member of Meeting Planners International, Professional Conference Managers Association, National Coalition for Black Meeting Planners and Religious Conference Managers Association.

Helley has two great children, Cassandra 14, and Cole 12. She enjoys family life, a multitude of activities including travel, water sports, outdoor activities, and spending time with family and friends.

The Peabody Orlando (www.PeabodyOrlando.com) is a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star, and AAA Four Diamond property of Peabody Hotels within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group of Memphis, Tennessee, and is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Worldwide. Posted May 28, 2009 by Elite News Team Orlando, FL - April 2009 - This quarterly Peabody Expansion Construction Update, (PECU), has been specially created to keep meeting planners, and the meeting industry's professional trade journals, fully informed on the status of The Peabody Orlando's $450-million expansion and renovation.

For those of us who have been in the hotel/hospitality industry all our lives, this whole construction process is absolutely amazing," said Alan Villaverde, executive vice president, Peabody Hotels, and general manager of The Peabody Orlando. "Balfour Beatty U.S. and Belz Construction, have kept the project on time, and, indeed, even a little ahead of schedule. Here is the latest construction update."

New Guest Room Tower
Kurt Kotzin, project manager for Belz Construction Company keeps Peabody owners and management fully-informed on progress. "Several months ago, the construction schedule began to accelerate," said Kotzin. "Progress on the project can be seen week by week.

Construction of the 33-story Guest Tower is through Floor No. 12 and a new floor is being constructed every six days.

Window installation began the first week in April, 2009. Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing rough-in is proceeding methodically up the building.

Metal stud wall framing, delineating each of the rooms, begins this month.

Upcoming work through 2nd quarter includes continued installation of structural frame, windows, wall framing, sheetrock and interior utilities.

Function Space
Ballroom concrete floor slabs have been completed.

Structural steel framing was topped out in March, 2009.

Metal stud wall framing and sheetrock installation began in March, 2009.

Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing trades are roughing-in utilities throughout the building. Installation of the new central heat exchanger and the new 500,000 square foot roof began in April 2009.

Parking Garage
Structural concrete decks completed April, 2009. Anticipated TCO (Temporary Certificate of Occupancy is targeted for late June 2009, allowing initial usage of the new 2,100 car garage in July, 2009.

Vital Statistics on Grand Opening
When the expansion of The Peabody Orlando is complete, it will feature a total of 1,641 ultra luxurious guest rooms, 250,000 square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible function/exhibition space, a parking garage for 2,100 cars, 22,000 sq. ft. Peabody Spa & Athletic Club, Napa Valley Wine-themed restaurant overlooking a new, three-acre, free-formed, zero entry pool, surrounded by cabanas and lush tropical landscaping. Food-on-the-go outlets will be stationed throughout, and covered walkway access provided to all sections of the Orange County Convention Center's combined 7-million square feet of meeting, function, and exhibition space. Many meeting planners already are booking business from the fall of 2010 and through the succeeding decade.

At last reporting, the official grand opening was scheduled for November, 2010. That date has been revised forward to reflect a grand opening in October, 2010. The existing hotel soon will begin a total makeover, floor-by-floor with minimal, if any, disruption of guests' enjoyment of the award-winning Peabody Service Excellence®. In addition to the hundreds of professional construction workers on site, Peabody associates keep a sharp eye on progress of the expansion as they prepare for the 2010 completion of the construction process.

"Our associates are not the only ones who are excited by our expansion," said Tony Aslanian, director of sales and marketing for The Peabody Orlando. "The nation's meeting planners are noting our progress, too, and are eagerly investigating and booking future client events through the next decade. I am delighted to report that we are already ahead of target for a Grand Opening now slated for October 1, 2010. Currently, we have begun to invite meeting planners to visit with us for hard-hat tours of the site, and to view the exquisite model guestrooms which have been designed for their clients' comfort and convenience by one of the most respected interior design companies in the nation, Wilson & Associates of Dallas, Texas. We are now working on the creation of a 'fam' trip for editors and contributors to the nation's professional meetings and conventions trade journals."

While the global economic/financial world is in disarray, Orlando, on the other hand, has been fortunate to continue providing employment opportunities for construction workers. "There are many other high-profile construction projects in full-swing in Orlando in addition to our Peabody hotel expansion, increasing the inventory of rooms available to meeting professionals by 3,650 in October, 2010," adds Villaverde.

"Orlando's world-renowned theme parks also have major construction projects, including the Harry Potter experience which is magically appearing on Universal Orlando's park where the giant, Hagrid, has been building his house under a 'cloak of invisibility.' But to those in the know, Hagrid's House is no secret. These projects top over a billion dollars, providing thousands of jobs, and generating much-needed tax revenues for local government." Posted Jan 29, 2009 by Elite News Team Orlando, FL " January 2009 " For the 20th consecutive year, The Peabody Orlando, a property of Peabody Hotels within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group, Memphis, Tennessee, has been honored with the Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star award. The hotel is prominent as an upper-upscale member property of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.

The Peabody Orlando is one of just two area hotels to have earned such coveted status. Out of 60,000 hotels in the USA and Canada, only 137 of them merit a Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star rating. The daily commitment to excellence and the tireless efforts of both management and staff truly is remarkable, said Shane OFlaherty, president and CEO of Mobil Travel Guide, which is now the worlds premier rating organization for the hotel/hospitality, restaurant and spa industries.

Our continuing success is due to our ongoing, hotel-wide commitment to providing our guests an unprecedented level of service and comfort, a blend of meticulous attention to all aspects of operations, and the extraordinary devotion of Peabody associates to Peabody Service Excellence, said Alan C. Villaverde, executive vice president, Peabody Hotels, and general manager of the luxury, landmark hotel on International Drive, Orlando, Florida.

The Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star rating has defined the industrys highest standard for excellence in hospitality for over fifty years, said Tony Aslanian, the Orlando hotels director of sales and marketing. It is truly remarkable that The Peabody Orlando has maintained its Mobil Four-Star rating for the 20th consecutive year.

The hotel (www.peabodyorlando.com) currently is in the midst of a massive, $450-million expansion (see related news). While construction proceeds on the 34-story, 750-guestroom Peabody Tower, and the Peabody Convention Center, which will add another 150,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art flexible function space, a 2,150 parking garage, a 22,000 sq. ft. Peabody Spa & Athletic Club, and a new Napa Valley wine-themed restaurant, - there are no signs or sounds of construction inside the existing hotel, and business flows smoothly, as usual. Ultimately, hospitality is all about service with heart, and providing meeting planners (www.peabodymeetings.com) and their clients the optimum meeting experience.

Mobil Travel Guide ratings are based on inspections by field representatives, anonymous visits by senior staff evaluators, published reviews and thousands of letters from Guide users. Winners are rated for hotel facilities and amenities, impeccable housekeeping, ambience, dcor, flawless guest service and the very best of restaurants and banquets.

Contact:
MaureenBridget Gonzalez
Carroll Communications Group
for Peabody Hotels
Phone: 352-241-0947 Posted Jan 29, 2009 by Elite News Team Orlando, FL " January 2009 " Meeting planners from all over the nation are already booking events at The Peabody Orlando in 2010 and beyond, when the $450-million expansion will be complete. This Peabody Expansion Construction Update (PECU) has been specially designed to keep meeting planners fully in the picture on construction progress.

The Balfour Beatty Construction Team looks forward to 2009 and to working with all of the great associates at The Peabody, said Miles Gibbs, Balfour Beattys senior project manager. The expansion construction is progressing on schedule. In December, 2008, the Peabody Convention Centers Grand Ballroom trusses were set. The Peabody Towers first elevated deck was placed, and work has begun on the model rooms in the hotels Florida Ballroom.

The management and associates of the hotel are delighted with the timely progress of the expansion and keep a close eye on progress as they prepare for the 2010 completion of the construction process. Our associates are not the only ones who are excited by our expansion, said Tony Aslanian, director of sales and marketing for The Peabody Orlando. The nations meeting planners are noting our progress, too, and are eagerly investigating and booking future client events through the next decade. I am delighted to report that we are on target for a November 1, 2010 Grand Opening. Beginning in March, meeting planners are being invited for hard-hat tours of the site, and to view the exquisite model guestrooms which have been designed for their clients comfort and convenience by one of the most respected design/dcor companies in the nation, Wilson & Associates of Dallas, Texas.

While the global economic/financial world is in disarray, Orlando, on the other hand, has been fortunate to continue providing employment opportunities for civil and electrical engineers and construction workers. There are many other high-profile construction projects in full-swing in Orlando in addition to our Peabody hotel expansion, said Alan C. Villaverde, executive vice president, Peabody Hotels, general manager of The Peabody Orlando. Several new luxury hotels, Orlandos new $400 Million Events Center, the new cutting edge Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando, as well as new attractions at some of our world-renowned theme parks are either under construction " or are in design and development phases. Together these projects top over a billion dollars, and also are providing thousands of jobs, and generating tax revenues to local government.

Kurt Kotzin, project manager for Belz Construction Company keeps Peabody owners and management fully-informed on progress. Activity is really beginning to accelerate, said Kotzin. Progress on the project can be seen week by week.

Site preparation and foundations were completed in November 2008. Construction has now gone vertical. Daily, concrete columns are being placed on the new 34-story guest room Peabody Tower. Steel columns, trusses, and beams are being assembled on the new 300,000 square foot expansion of the hotels meeting and convention space. Currently, the work is being accomplished by approximately 400 men and women, four large mobile cranes, two tower cranes, and a fleet of construction equipment that is executing the expansion work according to the project schedule. As the work continues to accelerate, The Peabody Orlando is expecting the manpower count to double to nearly 800 people during the first quarter of 2009.

The new guestroom Peabody Tower soon will begin its climb to the 34th floor. The first elevated floor deck is scheduled the first week in January, with the next floor following seven days later. The structure of the new seven-story, 2,100 car parking garage will be completed during February 2009. Other significant construction milestones to be achieved during this period include the completion of structural steel placements and the beginning of the roof deck and glass curtain wall for the Peabody Convention Center meeting/function space.

When the expansion of The Peabody Orlando is complete, it will feature a total of 1,641 ultra luxurious guest rooms, 210,000 square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible function/exhibition space, a parking garage for 2,100 cars, 22,000 sq. ft. Peabody Spa & Athletic Club, Napa Valley Wine-themed restaurant overlooking a new, three-acre, exotic grotto pool, Food-on-the-go outlets throughout, and covered walkway access to all sections of the Orange County Convention Centers combined 7-million square feet of meetings, function and exhibition. Many meeting planners already are booking business from the fall of 2010 and through the succeeding decade.

Mobil Travel Guide AAA Four Diamond Preferred Hotels and Resorts

The Peabody Orlando (www.peabodyorlando.com) is a multi award-winning hotel. In addition, it is a Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star, AAA Four Diamond, and Wine Spectator Award of Excellence property of Peabody Hotels within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group of Memphis, Tennessee.

In the April, 2009 issue of Peabody Expansion Construction Update, look for continuing in-depth information and renderings of the Peabodys new guest rooms and function space.

Contact:
MaureenBridget Gonzalez
Carroll Communications Group
for Peabody Hotels
Phone: 352-241-0947 Posted Nov 21, 2008 by Elite News Team ORLANDO, FLA. "OCTOBER 1, 2008 -- Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine has once again given its prestigious annual Award of Excellence to The Peabody Orlando. The award was voted on by readers of the publication, the nations professional meetings and incentives planners.

I am constantly amazed at the consistent level of service and commitment to excellence by the associates of The Peabody Orlando, said Tony Aslanian, director of sales and marketing for the hotel. It is a wonderful reaffirmation of our hotels well-earned reputation " and a tribute to our owners and management - that the nations meeting planners continue to vote The Peabody Orlando among the best and most professional of meetings hotels.

Criteria for the Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine Award of Excellence are:
*Outstanding service *Excellent accommodations
*First-rate meetings/function space *Efficient set-up and arrangement of social events
*Superior catering *Exceptional ambience, easy access.
The Peabody Orlando continues to win these major awards and accolades because of our Peabody Service

Excellence, a patented hotel service delivery culture. Our associates performance rivals the best of any hotel workforce because they are trained to perform daily as a team, with flair and style, to our guests total satisfaction, commented Aslanian.

The Peabody Orlando is a Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star, AAA Four-Diamond property of Peabody Hotels, within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group, headquartered in Memphis, Tennessee, and is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts Posted Nov 21, 2008 by Elite News Team ORLANDO, FLA. " OCTOBER 6, 2008 " The Peabody Orlando announces its green initiatives titled, The Greener Peabody " C.A.R.E., Conserve And Recycle for our Earth. Many of these initiatives have already been in place for some time, but we have significantly stepped up our efforts to go even greener, said Marshall Kelberman, director of rooms for this landmark, luxury hotel on International Drive. Kelberman also heads up the hotels Greener Peabody committee.

Frankly, its everyones responsibility to design " and then execute " practical green initiatives for our planets sake and for our children and grandchildren, said Kelberman. Ours is a hotelwide initiative in which all associates are given the opportunity to express their opinions and make suggestions to identify and then help us achieve our goals. Some of the responses have been outstanding in their thoughtfulness and can-do, will-do attitudes. From CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs), identifying areas for energy savings, to water conservation efforts which could save up to 80 percent, and the pro-active, hotel-wide recycling of glass, paper, plastics and cans, we have already achieved so much, thanks to the amazing input of our associates and theencouragement of our owners and management.

Some of The Peabody Orlandos Greener Peabody initiatives:
Support of the Department of Interiors Federal Duck Stamp Annual Art Contest to promote the conservation and preservation of migratory wildfowl habitat.
Support the Annual Wings N Water Festival in Stone Harbor, New Jersey, a renowned marine, wildfowl/wildlife research institute.
Hotel-wide energy management system
Installation of CFLs in all guest rooms
Low-flow showerheads installed in all guest rooms " 2.5 gallons per minute
Already awarded Oil & Grease Prevention Program Registration Certificate by Orange County Utilities Department, Water Reclamation Division
Active co-mingling recycling program with Waste Management
10,000 pounds of leftover food donated annually to Second Harvest Food Bank
Purchase locally-grown and organic foods and products whenever possible, such as: produce, poultry, eggs and meats. When purchasing wild-caught fish/seafood, we follow the recommendations and guidelines of MSC (Marine Stewardship Council)
Purchase and serve condiments and beverages in bulk: juice, iced tea, coffee, and water in pitchers (banquets)
Just-in-time buying
Paperless Press/Media kits in digital format
Optional linen reuse program/guest choice
Fluorescent lighting converted from T12 to T8 lighting " uses less energy
Electronic communications such as BEOs, Daily Events, 90-day forecast and 11-day forecast, employee request forms, employee applications, annual associate reviews, marketing materials, and client contracts & resumes
Meeting room light conversion program
Printer cartridges recycled
Routine maintenance of window gaskets to maintain proper insulation.
Portable water coolers available upon request for meetings to reduce waste
Purchase fair trade, shade grown or organic coffee
Offer vegetarian selections
Offer biodynamic, sustainable or organic wines
Use 100% cotton napkins
Provide dedicated TV channel to meetings for area information to reduce printing
Offer paperless check-out
Environmentally responsible cleaning products in use in kitchens and public areas
Partially-used guest room amenity products not removed
Encourage vendors to minimize packaging materials, to use recyclable, biodegradable shipping and packing materials; consolidating orders to reduce transport costs
Menus currently printed on post-consumer paper
Soy inks used in pastry preparation
Use local, seasonal and/or organic flowers that minimize damage to ecosystems andconserve biodiversity
Centerpieces and decorations reused
Only non-hydrogenated cooking oils (canola) and participation in spent cooking oil removal and recycling program
Tinted windows in guest room tower to reduce cooling loss
Open, un-depleted guest room amenities donated to Edgewood Boys Ranch

The Peabody Orlando is a Mobil Travel Guide Four Star, AAA Four Diamond rated property of Peabody Hotels within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group, Memphis, Tennessee. The hotel currently is undergoing a major, $450-million expansion projected for completion in the fall of 2010. At that time the hotel will feature: 1,641 ultra luxurious guest rooms, 210,000 square feet of state-of-the-art function/exhibition space, a parking garage for 2,100 cars,
22,000 square foot Peabody Spa & Athletic Club, Napa Valley Wine-themed restaurant overlooking a new exotic grotto pool, Food-On-The-Go outlets throughout. Posted Oct 30, 2008 by Elite Concierge Orlando, FL " October 2008 " When The Peabody Orlandos expansion construction is completed in November, 2010, it will be among the largest non-gaming hotels in the United States. Construction milestones are being reached on or ahead of schedule along the way.

Construction on the project is moving apace, and the prognostications for a November 2010 opening are excellent, said Alan C. Villaverde, executive vice president, Peabody Hotels, and general manager of The Peabody Orlando. This news is music to the ears of the nations professional meeting planners.

The long-anticipated expansion of The Peabody Orlando is now a reality, said Tony Aslanian, director of sales and marketing for the hotel. This expansion project is a worthy reaffirmation of our owners commitment to Orlando and Central Florida as a prime destination for meetings and conventions. And, in this uncertain economic climate, the expansion of our hotel will generate much-needed jobs and pump additional tax revenues into local government.

When the expansion is complete, the hotel will feature a total of 1,641 ultra luxurious guest rooms, 210,000 sq. ft. of state-of-the-art, flexible function/exhibition space, a parking garage for 2,100 cars, 22,000 sq. ft. Peabody Spa & Athletic Club, Napa Valley Wine-themed restaurant overlooking a new, three-acre, exotic grotto pool, Food-on-the-go outlets throughout, and covered walkway access to all sections of the Orange County Convention Center.

Stephen Abrams, president of the Winter Park based SCA Design Group was the principal-in-charge of the original Peabody hotel in Orlando. Our firm has been dedicated to the architectural design of The Peabody Orlando expansion for the past twenty years, he said. We are committed to making sure that the expansion is the ideal addition to the hotel and the International Drive convention area.

Some of the construction industrys most experienced and talented engineers, designers and construction professionals from Balfour Beatty Construction US, and Belz Construction Company, are fully engaged in this mammoth $450-million project, which was designed by local architect, Stephen C. Abrams, SCA Design Group, Winter Park, who was part of the design team for the original hotel back in 1984.

Good coordination and great communication are the keys to this project, said Paul Conover, project manager, Belz Construction Company And, indeed, that seems to be the case as construction deadlines are met and even surpassed.

Construction phases of the expansion are moving vigorously ahead. From the initial site preparation, which to the untrained eye looked like a vast hole in the ground, the outlines of the new buildings are now discernible. Meeting planners from all over the nation have been asking what they can expect " and when " so that they can brief their clients. This Peabody Expansion Construction Update (PECU) has been designed to answer those questions, and to keep meeting planners fully in the picture on construction progress.

To take advantage of this magnificent new meetings hotel, which is uniquely and strategically located in the midst of the 7-million square feet of combined space of the Orange County Convention Center, many meeting planners already are booking business from the fall of 2010 and through the succeeding decade.

Activity is really beginning to accelerate, said Kurt Kotzin, Project Manager for Belz Construction Company. Progress on the project can be seen week by week.

Peabody Guest Tower which will house 750 ultra luxurious, fully wired, guest rooms is on course and the first two tower cranes standing a massive 408+ feet high are in position. The first level floor slab will be cast in early-December.

New Parking Garage is on schedule for completion in mid-2009. Work on the elevator tower, foundation and walls is in full swing and the construction schedule will be met. The first pieces of the frame arrive on site in December.

New Function/Meeting/Exhibition Space continues with the placement of underground utilities, concrete foundations and retaining walls.

The Peabody Orlando (www.peabodyorlando.com) is a multi award-winning hotel. In addition, it is a Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star, AAA Four Diamond, and Wine Spectator Award of Excellence property of Peabody Hotels within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group of Memphis, Tennessee.

In the January, 2009 issue of Peabody Expansion Construction Update, look for continuing in-depth information and renderings of the Peabodys new guest rooms and function space.

Contact:
MaureenBridget Gonzalez
Director, Public Relations
The Peabody Orlando
407-345-4521 Posted Sep 11, 2008 by davida Orlando, FL - August 2008 - Readers of Association Meetings magazine, the nation's top association meeting planner journal, again have bestowed the coveted Inner Circle award on the Peabody Orlando, International Drive's original, custom-designed, landmark meetings hotel. The unique, strategically located property, directly opposite the Orange County Convention Center, currently features 891 guestrooms, 57,000, sq. ft. meeting space, and is undergoing a $450-million expansion, adding guest rooms and meetings/exhibition space for totals of 1,681 guestrooms, and 210,000 sq. ft. of flexible function space. Completion is projected for fall of 2010, and in the meantime, it's business at usual at this Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star, AAA Four Diamond rated hotel.
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The Peabody Orlando Earns Inner Circle Award of Association Meetings Magazine"Congratulations to The Peabody Orlando (www.peabodyorlando.com) for winning the prestigious Inner Circle Award for the eleventh time," said Sue Pelletier, editor of Association Meetings magazine. "Properties that win this highly selective award were chosen by association meeting planner readers of our publication for their excellence in terms of food and beverage, guest and meeting room quality, catering and convention services, audiovisual and technical support of their meetings." A total of seventy Inner Circle winners in the hotel/resort, convention center and CVB categories, won the Inner Circle Award: fifteen CVBs, 15 convention centers and 40 hotels and resorts in the US, Canada and overseas.

The nation's association meeting planners are among the meetings industry's most important clients for a hotel such as The Peabody Orlando which specializes in association meetings. "Since we opened our doors for business in 1986, The Peabody Orlando has been serving association meeting planners and their clients with our renowned Peabody Service Excellence, ensuring flawless, memorable meetings," said Alan C. Villaverde, executive vice president, Peabody Hotels, and general manager of The Peabody Orlando.

"The Inner Circle Award of Association Meetings magazine represents the independent evaluations of the nation's professional meeting planners who book and then evaluate association meetings. This award is an impressive re-affirmation of The Peabody Orlando's total commitment to serving association meeting planners and their clients."

The Peabody Orlando is a Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star, AAA Four Diamond property of Peabody Hotels within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group, and is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
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Contact:
MaureenBridget Gonzalez
Director, Corporate Communication
Peabody Hotels
407-345-4521 Posted Aug 29, 2008 by davida Orlando, FL - August 2008 - Meetings & Conventions magazine has just announced the winners of its prestigious Gold Key Award for 2008, among them, for the nineteenth consecutive year, Orlando's landmark meetings and conventions hotel, The Peabody Orlando. For over 30 years, this award has been bestowed upon the world's finest meeting properties.

"The Gold Key Award has set the bar for excellence among industry awards," said Lori Cioffi, editor-in-chief, Meetings & Conventions magazine. "The Peabody Orlando was selected as one of the best hotels of its type by our readers, the nation's professional meeting planners."

Since opening its doors for business November 1, 1986, The Peabody Orlando has maintained its legendary ability to provide meeting planners and their clients, state-of-the-art facilities, top-quality F+B/catering, and the best possible guest services through its registered Peabody Service Excellence culture.

"This distinction is an impressive tribute to the dedication and commitment to excellence of our associates, who provide meeting planners and their clients the ultimate experience of flawless, memorable meetings," said Alan C. Villaverde, executive vice president of Peabody Hotels, and general manager of The Peabody Orlando (www.peabodyorlando.com). "It is gratifying that for the 19th consecutive year, meeting planner subscribers to Meetings & Conventions magazine, one of the nation's premier professional journals for the meetings industry, again voted The Peabody Orlando one of the world's best meeting venues."

The annual Gold Key Award of Meetings & Conventions magazine is one of the most important measures of The Peabody Orlando's success, because it is voted upon by thousands of meeting planners who have experienced the hotel's service and facilities, and can vouch for them. Readership of Meetings & Conventions magazine represents some 70,000 corporate, incentive and association meeting planners, who vote for those hotels that surpassed their expectations in all aspects of the meeting planning process during the year.

This year, meeting planners based their selection of Gold Key Award winners on several criteria: overall attitude of meeting staff; quality of meeting rooms; availability and quality of guest services; quality of food and beverage service; proficiency and ease of handling reservations; availability of A/V and other technical/support equipment, and possible range of recreational facilities on- and off-property.

The Peabody Orlando is a Mobil Travel Guide Four-Star, AAA Four Diamond property of Peabody Hotels within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group, and is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
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Contact:
MaureenBridget Gonzalez
Director, Corporate Communication
Peabody Hotels
407-345-4521
| Posted Feb 19, 2008 by Mbrooks Orlando, FL - February 2008 - The much anticipated expansion of The Peabody Orlando, the area's luxurious, landmark hotel on International Drive, directly opposite the main entrance to the Orange County Convention Center, has commenced site work on the project.

"Having weathered years of various global economic challenges, I am excited to announce that a construction contract has been executed with Balfour Beatty Construction Company, clearing the way to commence site work immediately," said Martin S. Belz, president and chairman, Peabody Hotel Group, of Memphis, Tennessee. Balfour Beatty Construction is one of the nation's largest commercial contracting companies with offices in Florida, North Carolina, Washington, DC and Dallas, Texas. The Florida Division has built more hotel rooms in Florida than any other contractor. In the Central Florida area alone, they have built over 19,000 rooms valued at $2-billion.

Interior design will be provided by Wilson & Associates of Dallas, Texas, the company that provided similar services for the opening of The Peabody Little Rock in 2002. Architectural design services were provided by Stephen C. Abrams of Winter Park, Florida. Belz reports that the projected completion date for the expanded Peabody will be late 2010.

"This is the news we've all been anticipating for the past few years," said Alan C. Villaverde, executive vice president, Peabody Hotels and general manager of The Peabody Orlando. "It is really exciting to know that the dream is about to become a reality and that our expansion is about to happen." The expansion of The Peabody Orlando will include the addition of a 35-story tower accommodating 750 luxurious guest rooms and suites, 145,000 sq. ft. of flexible function space, an upscale, full-service spa, grotto-style swimming pool, English garden, hiking trail, additional shops, boutiques, restaurant, and a parking garage for 2,100 cars.

The existing 891-room hotel features 57,000 sq, ft. of flexible function space, three award-winning restaurants: Dux, Capriccio Grill, B-Line Diner, and an award-winning banquet/catering department. "It will be business as usual throughout the construction period," said Villaverde. "Since construction initially will take place on hotel land adjacent to the main building, the impact on our guests will be minimal."

The Peabody Orlando (www.peabodyorlando.com), a Mobil Travel Guide Four Star, AAA Four Diamond rated hotel is a property of Peabody Hotels within the portfolio of Peabody Hotel Group, Memphis, Tennessee.

Source: Hospitality Newsmaker Alert