Venue News

Hotel Hartness, located in Greenville, South Carolina and managed by Hay Creek Hotels, has announced its opening. The hotel is an upstate destination for luxurious accommodations, elevated dining, and resort-style amenities, featuring 73 guest rooms and suites, as well as Patterson Kitchen Bar, the intimate Captain bar, and Spa H. The hotel also features two levels of meeting and conference space encompassing 16,000 square feet. A variety of indoor and outdoor venues can be customized for weddings and small- to medium-sized events, as well as a large ballroom that can host up to 300 people.  

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and Iguana Investments Florida have announced plans to build a 170-room luxury property in downtown Jacksonville, Fla., as part of the Jacksonville Shipyards development. Anticipated to open in 2026, the Four Seasons Hotel and Private Residences Jacksonville will be built on the banks of the St. Johns River, adjacent to the proposed Stadium of the Future – a renovated and reimagined EverBank Stadium that will serve as home to the Jacksonville Jaguars football team. 

Accolades

MPI (Meetings Professional International) has named Paola Bowman, Director of Client Services and Events at the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau, as one of its 2023 RISE Award recipients. The RISE Awards recognize community members from across the globe, celebrating the spirit of leadership, impact, and innovation. As an experienced hospitality and events professional, Bowman has worked in numerous positions, from front of the house to sales and services. She holds her CMP and CMM and was named as one of Smart Meetings Magazine “100 Women Who Inspire Us” in 2018 and was recognized in the Connect Association 40 under 40 group of 2019.  Most recently, she has been selected by ConventionSouth Magazine as a Meeting Professional to Watch in 2023.  

Hot off the Press

Bluefin International, an innovative leader in digital signage solutions, has hired Noël Kennedy to head up their European sales team. Noël is an AV veteran with nearly 25 years of experience on the distribution, end-user, and manufacturing side of the industry. His well-rounded career will serve him well at Bluefin as he leverages existing and builds new relationships in the EU market for customizable digital signage displays as their European Sales Director.