The world’s first flying car may hit the sky soon, the AHLA devotes a day to hotel employees, and HDTV tours the Hard Rock Hotel New York. All that and more in this week’s Five on Friday.
From TGI Fridays to fine dining: Who is USHG’s new CEO?
It was announced in early August that Union Square Hospitality Group (USHG) CEO Danny Meyer would step down and be replaced by Chip Wade, who held the role of president and chief operating officer at the New York-based group for the past three years. The New York Times wrote about Wade’s journey from working at Dunkin’ Donuts as a teenager to landing at Johnson & Wales’ culinary school and earning an MBA at the University of Texas at Dallas. His résumé includes posts at multiple casual restaurant chains, including TGI Fridays and Red Lobster. While it may appear as an interesting hiring choice for a company operating fine dining establishments, it was, of course, strategic. Wade is improving the restaurants’ efficiency, while tapping into his culinary roots.
Planes, trains, and … flying cars
The Switchblade flying car, rendering courtesy of Samson Sky
Commercial flying car company Samson Sky recently received word from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that its Switchblade model passed inspection, clearing the way for the Redmond, Oregon-based company to begin flight tests, reports Architectural Digest. “Our biggest problem so far has been the common misconception that a flying car has to be a mediocre car or a mediocre plane, or both,” says Samson Sky CEO and founder Sam Bousfield, who designed the vessel. “Because I was an architect, and not trained to think that this couldn’t be done, I didn’t see it that way.” Switchblade can fly at a maximum altitude of 16,000 feet (20,000 feet below where commercial jets fly) and can reach up to 190 miles per hour. While on the ground, speeds are expected to exceed 125 miles per hour.
AHLA establishes National Hotel Employee Day
Yesterday, the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA) announced that it has established September 1st as National Hotel Employee Day. According to the organization, the day will celebrate employees’ hard work and the significant role they play to support the travel, tourism, and hotel industries. “On this inaugural National Hotel Employee Day, we thank America’s nearly two million hotel employees,” says AHLA president and CEO Chip Rogers. “Every day in communities across the nation, hotel employees’ service and dedication help facilitate some of Americans’ most important life. And with more than 120,000 open hotel jobs across the nation, now is the time to consider one of the more than 200 enriching careers in the hotel industry.”
California is home to the U.S.’s coolest concert venue
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Located adjacent to downtown San Diego, the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park opened in August 2021 and has already built a strong reputation. The nearly four-acre outdoor venue—which was developed, created, and funded by the San Diego Symphony—is surrounded by water on all sides, features two restaurant options spearheaded by celebrity chef Richard Blais, and plans to host about 100 performances each year, reports Forbes. The venue supports an average seating of 4,700; however, it can host as many as 8,500 people for large acts.
HDTV visits the Hard Rock Hotel New York
Jeffrey Beers and Stacy Shoemaker Rauen at the Hard Rock Hotel New York
For the fourth episode in our HDTV video series, Hospitality Design editor in chief Stacy Shoemaker Rauen tours Hard Rock’s Manhattan flagship with designer and architect Jeffrey Beer. The exclusive behind-the-scenes look explores the 446-key new-build, high-rise hotel, which was some six years in the making and required an 85-foot-deep excavation. Read more and catch up on the full episode now!
