In Brief 4-1-2002

Meetings & Conventions: Newsline

In Brief

US AIRWAYS named David N. Siegel president and chief executive officer; Stephen M. Wolf will retain the title of chairman. Siegel, who had been filling in following the resignation of Rakesh Gangwal last November, was formerly CEO of Avis Rent A Car System. Before joining Avis, he spent seven years working for Continental Airlines.

WHILE 94 PERCENT of travelers consider hotel safety to be important when choosing a property, only 22 percent research the safety of their hotel, revealed a survey by Harris Interactive. Almost half of the women surveyed cited personal safety measures such as staff background checks and electronic keys as their most critical concern; 41 percent of men cited fire safety.

A BATTLE IS BREWING over the development of a new hotel in Minneapolis. Marriott International filed suit in March against the developer of the Block E entertainment district, which announced that Le Méridien has been chosen to build the first luxury hotel in the complex. Marriott contends that a contract signed back in 2000 gives it the rights to operate the 225-room property.