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THE WEEKLY COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER OF ASSOCIATIONS, CVBs AND HOTELS VOLUME 42, ISSUE 34
DECEMBER 9, 2024
Federal Court Issues Injunction Against Corporate Transparency Act NFIB and NSBA Applaud Ruling By Todd McElwee
Experience Scottsdale welcomed a guest from the North Pole as Santa Claus joined Steven Schopf, The Scottsdale Resort and Spa, Curio Collection by Hilton; Nicole Hobbs, Mountain Shadows; and Tracy Jackson, CMP, Experience Scottsdale, at Association Forum’s Holiday Showcase on December 5 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago.
Incoming Dept. of Gov. Efficiency Leader Scrutinizes NYC Hotel Migrant Agreements
By Jordan Bradley
Vivek Ramaswamy, President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to co-lead the as-yet-established Department of Government Efficiency, has called attention to New York City for paying $220 million to house migrants and asylum seekers in Manhattan’s Roosevelt Hotel. The Roosevelt Hotel was closed in 2020 as a result of the pandemic and remained closed until it was tapped
as a shelter for asylum seekers in May 2023. Since its reopening, the hotel has operated as an entry point where asylum seekers register with city officials, undergo medical exams, and are connected with services. If they choose to stay in New York City, the asylum seekers are assigned a room, either at the hotel or at other shelters throughout the city, according to a September 2023 report from the New York Times. According to a June 2023 article
Inside
Rosen Hotels Appoints Frank Santos as New CEO By Jordan Bradley Rosen Hotels and Resorts, an Orlando-based collection of boutique hotels and resorts, announced the promotion of the company’s Chief Financial Officer, Frank Santos, CHAE, CHA, to the position of Chief Executive Officer. The company made the announcement on December 3, less than a week after the passing of Rosen Hotel’s Founder and former CEO, Harris Rosen. Santos was hired as Rosen Hotels’ CFO in 1985, officially stepping into his post
in January 1986 and working closely with Rosen for almost 39 years. Eventually, Santos also stepped into the role of Vice President at the company. “It is an honor,” said Santos. “I will always be grateful for the privilege to lead this great company that Mr. Rosen poured his heart and soul into building for 50 years.” According to Rosen Hotels, Santos and Rosen worked together on several community projects, including the Tangelo Park and Parramore preschool Please turn to page 3
from the Indian Times, the Roosevelt Hotel is owned by the state-run Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which leased the property in 1979 and eventually purchased it 20 years later. The contract between the PIA and the city stipulates that NYC administration will operate the hotel for three years, providing services and rental facilities for 1,250 rooms for migrants, Khawaja Saad Rafique, former PaPlease turn to page 2
The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) and National Small Business Association (NSBA) are celebrating an important legal victory. On December 3, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas granted NFIB’s request for a preliminary injunction, blocking the Treasury Department from enforcing the Corporate Transparency Act’s (CTA) beneficial ownership information (BOI) reporting requirements. “This ruling is a huge victory for small businesses nationwide, and just in time” said Beth Milito, Executive Director of NFIB’s Small Business Legal Center. “For many Main Street small businesses, they were a mere four weeks away from the deadline to file their information in accordance with the CTA. The BOI reporting requirements are a harmful invasion of small business owners’ privacy and a misuse of their valuable time. Thank-
North Carolina’s Christmas Tree Industry Hit Hard By Todd McElwee
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Waldorf Astoria New York Now Accepting Reservations for Spring Opening
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AHLA’s Kevin Carey Appointed to SBA Council
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Historic Hotels of America Announces Annual Awards of Excellence Winners
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Smiley Poswolsky Looks at Belonging During Holiday Showcase Keynote
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Roughly two months after its landfall, Hurricane Helene is still impacting the holiday season for North Carolina’s Christmas tree growers. Damage from the storm combined with labor shortages and other issues has made 2024 a year many farmers would like to forget. “The hurricane hit just a few weeks before harvest so the growers’ focus has been to repair roads, culverts, and bridges so they could ship their trees this season,” Tim O’Connor, Executive Direc-
tor, National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), told USAE. “They are still harvesting and shipping trees which is their busiest time of the year. The longer-term damage will include replanting the trees that were lost to mudslides and repair/ replace buildings that may have been damaged. That will become their focus after the season has been completed.” North Carolina has 940 growers producing approximately 53 million trees on more than 33,000 acres, the North Carolina Christmas Please turn to page 4