Continued from the home page....
Finalists Announced For 27th Annual IH/M&RS Gold Key Awards
HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates Named 'Designer of the Year'

The International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show® (IH/M&RS) has named finalists for the coveted Gold Key Awards for Excellence in Hospitality Design, an honor bestowed to designers of the most innovative and captivating hospitality properties completed or renovated within the past 18 months. Finalists were selected from more than 150 projects in 17 countries and territories, and were judged by a panel of notable industry experts.

The finalists and winners - as well as the "Designer of the Year" - will be honored at the Gold Key Awards Breakfast on Monday, November 12, 2007, 7:30 - 9:30 am, at New York City's Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The ceremony coincides with the 92nd annual IH/M&RS, taking place November 10-13, 2007, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

The 2007 Gold Key Awards finalists are:

Best Hotel Design

Cheryl Rowley Design (Beverly Hills, CA) for Hotel Palomar Dallas (Dallas, TX)
HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates (Santa Monica, CA) for Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street (Beijing, China)
Wilson Associates (Dallas, TX) for Kempinski Hotel (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Guest Room

Banjo Architecture & Design (Los Angeles, CA) for Delano (Miami, FL)
Ministry of Design (Singapore) for New Majestic Hotel (Singapore)
Wilson Associates (Dallas, TX) for Kempinski Hotel (Dubai, United Arab Emirates)

Lobby/Reception

HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates (Santa Monica, CA) for Hyatt Regency Hotel (Aruba)
Jeffrey Beers International (New York, NY) for The Cove (The Bahamas)
Yabu Pushelberg (New York, NY) for Sofitel LA (Los Angeles, CA)

Lounge/Bar

CL3 Architects Limited (Hong Kong, China) for The Racing Club (Hong Kong, China)
Jeffrey Beers International (New York, NY) for Seaglass Lounge - The Cove (The Bahamas)
Wilson Associates (Dallas, TX) for Four Seasons Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)

Restaurants - Causal Dining

CL3 Architects Limited (Hong Kong, China) for Nishimura Restaurant (Beijing, China)
CORE architecture + design (Washington, DC) for COMET ping pong (Washington, DC)
Rockwell Group (New York, NY) for brgr (New York, NY)

Restaurants - Fine Dining

CORE architecture + design (Washington, DC) for LIA'S by Chef Geoff (Chevy Chase, MD)
Ministry of Design (Singapore) for SHO U (Singapore)
Rockwell Group (New York, NY) for NOBU InterContinental Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)

Spa

HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates (Santa Monica, CA) for The Resort at Singer Island (Singer Island, FL)
Wilson Associates (Dallas, TX) for Four Seasons Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)

Suite

Anderson Miller, Ltd. (Chicago, IL) for Westin Bayshore - Vancouver (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP (Chicago, IL) for The Peaks Resort & Spa (Telluride, CO)
TVS Interiors (Atlanta, GA) for Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Suites (Chicago, IL)

"The Gold Key Awards generate a special buzz, defining the trend direction of hospitality design," said Christian Falkenberg, IH/M&RS show manager. "The design firms represented amongst the 2007 finalists are to be commended for their ingenuity and attention to the intricate details that elevate these properties to a higher level."

Countries and territories represented among the 150 submissions were Aruba, Bahamas, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and United States.

Judges for the 2007 Gold Key Awards were Stephen Brandman, Thompson Hotels; Carl D'Aquino, D'Aquino Monaco Inc.; Tony Fortuna, Lenox Room; and Christopher Keller, Gettys. Finalists were selected based on aesthetic appeal, practicality and functionality of design.

Highlighting the ceremony will be the presentation of the "Designer of the Year" Award by Gold Key Awards sponsors HOTELS and Interior Design magazines. HBA/Hirsch Bedner Associates has been selected for this esteemed recognition for its attention to the needs and trends of today's sophisticated world traveler. The firm combines a detailed knowledge of design with a depth of experience that enables its associates to identify interior design trends at the source, make predictions about new directions and innovations and influence design standards at a global level.

In addition, NEWH, Inc., the Hospitality Industry Network, will present its third Icon of Industry Award to civic leader and philanthropist Manfred "Manny" Steinfeld, co-founder of Shelby Williams, the nation's leading seating company for contract and institutional markets. A $5,000 scholarship in Manny's name will be awarded to a student focusing on a career in the hospitality industry.

Tickets for the Gold Key Awards Breakfast are $75 each, and available online at www.ihmrs.com/goldkey/breakfast.html, or by sending a check, payable to the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show, to IH/M&RS Gold Key Awards, Attention Becky Taylor, George Little Management, LLC, Ten Bank Street, White Plains, NY 10606-1954. The purchase of a Gold Key Awards Breakfast ticket includes complimentary admission to the IH/M&RS. For additional information, contact Becky Taylor, at (914) 421-3253. The Gold Key Awards Breakfast will take place on Monday, November 12, 2007, 7:30 - 9:30 am, at New York City's Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Complimentary shuttle transportation will be provided to the International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show following the ceremony.

The 92nd annual International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show will run Saturday, November 10, through Tuesday, November 13, 2007, at New York City's Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Following a full-day of conference and networking activities on Saturday, November 10, the IH/M&RS will feature three full days of exhibits from Sunday, November 11, through Tuesday, November 13. The market presents some 1,250 hospitality industry suppliers and attracts approximately 35,000 in total trade attendance.

The International Hotel/Motel & Restaurant Show is sponsored by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc., and the New York State Hospitality & Tourism Association; and is managed by George Little Management, LLC (GLM®).

For IH/M&RS exhibitor information, contact Christian Falkenberg, show manager, at GLM, Ten Bank Street, White Plains, NY 10606-1954. Telephone (914) 421-3296. Fax (914) 948-6197. E-mail: christian_falkenberg@glmshows.com. Additional information and registration is available online at www.ihmrs.com, or by contacting GLM's Customer Relations Department at (914) 421-3206 or (800) 272-SHOW.