Conventions

Delanoë Tower Paris France

The 50 floor Delanoë tower, so named after the Mayor of Paris, resembles the dancing towers in Dubai. The Delanoë tower was designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron, of the Bird’s Nest fame from the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

It is also the 1st skyscraper in Paris in over 30 years. The mixed use glass structure at 1st look, depending on where you are standing is either very thin or massive. The footprint, as buildings go is long and thin- a flat triangle. the 1st floors will be a convention center with the next 30 floors a luxury hotel with all amenities. Rounding out the top will be offices. However Mayor Delanoë envisioned much more as explained in this press release:

The base of the tower should host a convention center. Then upstairs, we must find a luxury hotel from 300 to 400 rooms and offices. But the mayor of Paris has also wanted the implantation of businesses, including luxury, style restaurants, including pan, bars, shops. Equipment should also have their place: swimming pool, library, public gardens suspended. The municipality would also present a “museum of world languages.”

Scheduled to open this year, the word is still out on whether it is a “oui” or a “non”

Apr. 1-4, 2012. ARDA is the American Resort Development Association, a Washington D.C.-based trade association representing the vacation ownership and resort development industries (timeshares). ARDA has almost 1,000 corporate members ranging from privately held firms to publicly traded corporations with experience in shared ownership interests in leisure real estate. The membership also includes timeshare owner associations (HOAs), resort management companies, industry vendors, suppliers, and consultants; as well as owners through the ARDA Resort Owners Coalition.  Through its advocacy program, ARDA monitors regulatory issues that affect timeshare by engaging in lobbying efforts focused on the establishment of a legislative environment that enhances consumer confidence and protection.  Since time is money, come share the money….!

Mar. 20-23, 2012. CPRS is the California Park and Recreation Society.  It’s there to provide career development, networking and resources, and is the public advocate for California park and recreation professionals.  CPRS is a nonprofit public interest organization with more than 4,000 members who create opportunities for providing recreational experiences to individuals, families and communities, fostering human development, promoting health and wellness, increasing cultural unity, facilitating community problem solving, and protecting natural resources.  86 percent of park and recreation agencies in California claim at least one CPRS member. In addition, over 175 park and recreation agencies are themselves CPRS members.  Tired of walking round all the booths already?  Park it…

Mar. 12-15, 2012. The Cruise Shipping Miami brings together the international cruise industry to launch new products, unveil innovative new services, meet cruise industry buyers and attend conferences covering cruise-related topics.  The recent recession was not kind to the industry, and selling off unsold cabin inventory has been a topic for heated debate, with some arguing that deep discounting was damaging the market’s image and profitability.  Other topics were shipbuilding, repair, and refurbishment, terminal design and operations, regulatory issues, crew-recruitment, shore excursions and port services, overall industry development, plus new industry shifts to markets like Asia.  The conference fielded expert panels and speakers including cruise line CEO’s and cruise industry leaders.  Now, who’s in charge of rearranging the deck-chairs?

Mar. 7-9, 2012. Aviation Expo 2012 at Las Vegas Convention Center.