Pennsylvania

Philadelphia
The Pennsylvania Convention Center eliminated its 8 percent labor-management fee in July. Other customer-service enhancements at the facility include mandatory hospitality training of workers, a customer-service booth on the show floor, and increased transparency of labor rates and hours. Labor rates now are posted online at paconvention.com. Other changes, based on suggestions from customers, include a new dedicated break area for workers and a ban on workers using mobile devices or cell phones on the show floor.

The 268-room Hotel Monaco Philadelphia opened early last month across from the Liberty Bell and Independence Park. An adaptive reuse of the historical Lafayette Building combines historic architecture with modern design. The property has 13,000 square feet of meeting space, including a 3,300-square-foot ballroom. The on-site Red Owl Tavern offers streetside dining, and the Stratus Lounge is the city's largest rooftop bar.

Construction began in April on the 246-room Hilton Home2 Suites Philadelphia Center City, slated to open in the summer of 2013. The site is adjacent to the convention center and will provide more than 2,000 square feet of its own meeting space, as well as 9,750 square feet for ground-floor retail and restaurant space.

Construction could begin next year on a W Hotel on Chestnut Street. The development would happen on a site previously slated to become a Waldorf Astoria, a project that was shelved in 2009 due to the recession.  Starwood Hotels & Resorts has no details to report yet, but the company is "committed to actively working with Chestlen Development" to make it happen. Plans originally were announced six years ago for a W property in the city at 12th and Arch streets, next to the Pennsylvania Convention Center; construction began last spring on the Hilton Home2 Suites on that site.

The 180-room Sheraton Valley Forge Hotel opened in September, just outside of Philadelphia in King of Prussia, Pa. The property offers 25,000 square feet of meeting space, including 13 conference rooms and two executive boardrooms. A fitness center, an indoor pool and a restaurant also are on-site.

Meeting Hotels
Larger properties in the Center City neighborhood, in the vicinity of the Pennsylvania Convention Center, include the 1,408-room Philadelphia Marriott Downtown; 757-room Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown Hotel; 581-room Loews Philadelphia Hotel; 498-room Courtyard Philadelphia Downtown; 445-room Crowne Plaza Philadelphia; 432-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia Center City; 364-room Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia; 313-room Westin Philadelphia; 306-room Hotel Sofitel Philadelphia; 301-room Radisson Plaza--Warwick Hotel Philadelphia; and 300-room Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia.

Convention Center
Pennsylvania Convention Center; exhibit space, 679,000 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 79; (215) 418-4700 or (800) 428-9000

Taxes
Occupancy tax, 8.2%; sales tax, 7%; total tax on hotel rooms, 15.2%

Group Venue
The Freedom Elite, a new private charter yacht, cruises the Delaware River year-round, offering picturesque views of Philadelphia's skyline. The 92-foot upscale vessel docks at Penn's Landing and can accommodate groups of 40 to 110 guests. Harbor cruise company Entertainment Cruises, which operates the yacht, can work with planners to customize the event and menu. (866) 394-8439

Contact
Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, (215) 636-3300

Pittsburgh
The 712-room Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown should wrap up Phase II of renovations by the end of the year. The hotel will unveil newly enclosed exhibit space, an updated grand staircase between the lobby and ballroom, and a new restaurant.

The 402-room Pittsburgh Marriott City Center has undergone a revamp this year that freshened the property's guest rooms, event space, the lobby and more. A newly renovated Steelhead Brasserie & Wine Bar is set to debut next month.

The ballroom meeting floor at the 616-room Westin Convention Center, Pittsburgh now sports new carpet and wall vinyl, along with new artwork on display, and the property debuted a new outdoor patio next to the Original Fish Market restaurant.

The DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown will renovate one-third of its 333 rooms between January and March of next year. The property features 13 meeting rooms, including the 5,850-square-foot Pennsylvania Ballroom that holds up to 500 people for a reception.

The 143-room Hampton Inn & Suites Pittsburgh--Downtown will begin a soft-goods renovation project next month, scheduled to wrap up by February 2013.

The 107-room boutique Three Rivers Hotel will open in the spring of 2013. The property, on Fort Pitt Boulevard, is a member of the Choice Hotels International Ascend Collection.

A 106-room TownePlace Suites by Marriott is planned for the site of the former Showcase Cinemas West theater in Robinson Township. The $14 million hotel development is slated to begin construction this fall and debut toward the end of 2013.

The Market Square Gardens development downtown, now under construction and set to open in early 2014, will include a 175-room Hilton Garden Inn, office and retail space, and a 325-space parking garage.

Meeting Hotels
 Among hotels that can host meetings in downtown Pittsburgh are the 712-room Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown; 616-room Westin Convention Center, Pittsburgh; 596-room Omni William Penn Hotel; 402-room Pittsburgh Marriott City Center; 399-room Sheraton Station Square Hotel; 333-room DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel & Suites Pittsburgh Downtown; 300-room Renaissance Pittsburgh Hotel; 182-room Courtyard Pittsburgh Downtown; 165-room Fairmont Pittsburgh; 143-room Hampton Inn & Suites Pittsburgh--Downtown, and 142-room Cambria Suites Pittsburgh at CONSOL Energy Center.

Convention Center
David L. Lawrence Convention Center; exhibit space, approximately 313,400 square feet; number of meeting rooms, 53; (412) 565-6000

Taxes
Room tax, 7%; sales tax, 7%; total tax on hotel rooms, 14%

Group Venue
Phipps Conservatory is one of the country's oldest and largest Victorian greenhouses. The Tropical Forest Conservatory, a 12,000-square-foot array of paths with a lookout, waterfalls and a fish pond, makes a beautiful backdrop for events. The adjacent Special Events Hall, a glass-enclosed space that seats up to 200 for a banquet or 350 theater-style, offers spectacular views of the surrounding environs. The Outdoor Garden seats up to 250, and the Palm Court and South Conservatory can host cocktail receptions of up to 125. The entire Phipps facility is available for private events and has 14 glass rooms through which guests can explore and mingle. (412) 622-6914

Contact
VisitPittsburgh, (412) 281-7711 or (800) 359-0758