Barry Diller Moves to Take Over MGM Resorts in $18 Billion Deal
The Las Vegas Strip is consolidating fast. Soon, two billionaires (Barry Diller and Tilman Fertitta) may control a large chunk of its hotel rooms.
Sean O’Neill is Skift’s Senior Hospitality Editor. Sean’s forte is reporting, and he’s broken multiple hotel industry scoops. He has also conducted 1:1 interviews on stage with the CEOs of Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Hyatt, and Wyndham.
Hilton Launches ‘Undergraduate’ Hotel Brand for College Towns. Here’s What the Numbers Say.
Hilton wants developers to invest millions in Undergraduate, its new hotel brand aimed at small college towns. Yet the new brand has no track record, requiring potential owners to take a leap of faith.
Caesars Agrees to $5.7 Billion Takeover by Tilman Fertitta
Billionaire Tilman Fertitta is buying a debt pile with a casino company attached. His firm is assuming $11.9 billion of debt from Caesars while putting up $5.7 billion to acquire it. Expect asset sales as an endgame.
Direct Booking Tug-of-War: Hotels’ Long Bid to Take Back Power
Ten years after Hilton, Marriott, and other chains began coaxing travelers to book directly, online travel agencies still control roughly the same slice of the pie. Yet the chains have won the economics: lower commissions, better contract terms, and stronger loyalty programs.
Accor CEO Bazin to Step Down in 2028, Shareholders Push Back on Pay
Accor had a retirement policy. So the news here is CEO Sébastien Bazin saying a “succession search” is underway and that he may leave sooner if the board “finds the right person.” More than 40% of shareholders voted against his pay.
Marriott Signs ResortPass Deal. Why Hotels Are Pushing to Sell More Than Rooms.
Hotels have long treated the room as the only thing worth selling. Marriott's deal with ResortPass signals a growing sideline to boost margins: selling empty pool chairs and spa slots to locals who show up for the day.
Waldorf Astoria, Aman, and Auberge Invest in Texas Hill Country
These may read as bets on new Texas wealth. They’re also real estate plays, with branded residential as the anchor that makes the hotels financeable.
Choice Hotels’ Interim CEO: What We Know About Dominic Dragisich
Dominic Dragisich knows Choice Hotels’ numbers, brands, and growth strategy as well as anyone. The question is whether knowing the playbook is the same as writing a new one.
Choice Hotels’ Patrick Pacious Is Out as CEO
Choice Hotels' announcement of a leadership transition without a confirmed successor points to an abrupt decision to part with the CEO.
NYC Hotel Housekeepers’ Pay to Hit $61 an Hour
A strike threat timed to the World Cup gave hotel workers maximum leverage. Every hotel union negotiator in other major cities will see this deal the new national labor benchmark.