Top Stories
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Mall of America ready to pursue $1.5 billion expansion plans
DestinationsA $250 million tax break passed in the closing minutes of the legislative session is expected to resurrect expansion plans at the Mall of America. The owners of the Bloomington megamall, Triple Five Group, said the $1.5 billion project would double the size of the mall, add hotels, a waterpark, performing arts center, officer towers [...]
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Brazil is New York City’s most important visitor market, says tourism chief
DestinationsAs the head of NYC & Company, New York City’s official tourism board, Fertitta has witnessed the meteoric rise of Brazilian visitors to the Big Apple. Last year, Brazil became the second most important overseas market for the city after the UK: 826,000 Brazilians came to visit, compared with 112,000 in 2006. “We have never [...]
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Nashville’s new convention center sets up big challenge for Memphis
DestinationsAfter nine years of discussion, controversy, planning and construction, Nashville’s mammoth, gleaming new $585 million convention center opened with two days of public events and concerts Sunday and Monday. The new Music City Center is three times bigger than the city’s existing convention center, which opened in 1987, and nearly 3 1/2 times bigger than [...]
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New Hampshire looks forward to visitor spike for holiday weekend
DestinationsNew Hampshire tourism officials are predicting an increase in visitors and spending this Memorial Day weekend, though the outlook is not as optimistic as it was last year. Citing a report by the Institute for New Hampshire Studies, tourism officials say they expect more than a half million visitors from out of state during the [...]
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Connecticut’s $27 million tourism campaign is revolutionary in its own way
DestinationsConnecticut’s “Still Revolutionary” tourism marketing campaign is succeeding and deserves continued funding, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said Tuesday. The campaign, unveiled last year as part of a two-year, $27 million initiative, generated 270,000 additional visits to Connecticut in the past year and yielded an extra $161 million on dining, entertainment and vacationing, according to Malloy. [...]
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Royal Caribbean drama: It’s Chairman against large shareholder
DestinationsRoyal Caribbean Ltd.’s largest investor is challenging Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard Fain by supporting a plan that could lead to a board shakeup at the second-largest cruise operator. Investors vote today on a non-binding shareholder proposal calling for the elimination of staggered directors’ terms at Miami-based Royal Caribbean. The company opposes the plan, [...]
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Jersey Shore almost back to normal for first post-Sandy summer
DestinationsThe boardwalks are back, and so are most of the beaches, even if some are a little thinner this year. The smell of funnel cakes, french fries and pizza will mingle with the salt air, and the screech of seagulls will be heard, but so will the thwack of hammers repairing what can be fixed [...]
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Eight questions for Transportation Secretary nominee Anthony Foxx
TransportIf confirmed as the next Secretary of Transportation, Charlotte Mayor Anthony Foxx will have opportunities to break with the business-as-usual transportation policy that revolves around Washington and special-interest politics. It is important to the confirmation process to understand Foxx’s position on existing programs and to what extent he agrees with the Administration’s centrally run, command-and-control [...]
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New Jersey Governor criticized for turning tourism ads into campaign asset
DestinationsNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and his family are starring in television commercials that are part of a publicly funded $25 million tourism campaign to encourage people to visit the Jersey Shore after Superstorm Sandy, but Democrats say they are simply taxpayer-funded campaign ads. The ad campaign called “Stronger Than The Storm” launched last week [...]
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Ash cloud rises over Alaskan volcano, canceling commercial and cargo flights
TransportAn Alaska volcano eruption is prompting regional airlines to cancel flights to nearby communities, including a town that reported traces of fallen ash. Pavlof Volcano released ash plumes as high as 22,000 feet over the weekend, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory. Clouds obscured the volcano Monday, but U.S. Geological Survey scientists said seismic instruments [...]
