CHICAGO After a slight bit of wrangling mostly centered on a do-able launch date American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) Chairman John Russell won approval Friday, April 6, from the group s board of directors to launch a discounted membership promotion.
Russell got the nod on the final day of AH&LA s annual conference, held at the Chicago Hilton & Towers.
The proposed trial promotion will offer membership at $1 for one room for one year for 100 days. The proposal must now be ratified by the state lodging associations, ostensibly by April 30, to give the group enough prep time to roll out the program.
If final approval is granted at the state level, Russell said the program would launch around Memorial Day and run through the summer.
We re trying to kick this off Memorial Day and we almost need a 30-day lag time to start to get together the promotional materials, the press, said Russell.
Initially, some board members expressed concern that the date would not give their state associations time to review the proposal and make a decision, with some noting their next association meetings were scheduled in June or July. Russell encouraged the members to utilize out-of-the-box thinking, suggesting state associations concerned about timing to conference via phone or email.
Such logic apparently prevailed as the measure passed without dissention.If the AH&LA Dollar Days promotion campaign passes muster with the state lodging associations, Russell told HOTEL BUSINESS. there s 10,000 franchise brand rooms ready and waiting for the group to bank.
[Last Wednesday] night, Keith Pierce, [president of Cendant Corp. s Wingate Inn]walked up to me and said: John, I m paying for all 10,000 rooms, said Russell, adding he has several others in his pocket that he believes will help achieve the Association s stated goal of adding 150,000 new rooms this year in a drive for members.
“I think it s a wow, I think it s huge, said Russell. (4/9/01) Stefani C. O Connor