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Reno Tahoe:
A Healthy Prescription for Planners It’s an exciting time to visit Reno Tahoe. The destination is in the midst of an
Downtown Reno
unprecedented high-tech boom that’s bringing new businesses onto the scene — which is making the region an even more attractive place for meeting planners who are looking for a cure for the same old “been there, done that” experience. With Reno Tahoe’s stellar reputation for service and value — as well as its ever-greater options for meetings, events and activities — you just might say that Reno Tahoe has the remedy for the common meeting. “A LOT OF THE APPEAL OF THIS DESTINATION has always been there,” said Chris Baum, president and CEO of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority.” But I think we’re doing a much better job of showing it off now.” And there’s a lot to show off. On the business front, Tesla’s new, $5 billion, 5 million-square-foot lithium ion battery factory is creating more than 6,500 jobs in the area. Apple is investing $1 billion in their new data storage center for iTunes and iCloud over the next 10 years. Amazon is relocating a major distribution center to the Reno area, and real estate data analytics company Clear Capital is moving 400 jobs into downtown Reno, across the street from Triple-A Baseball’s Reno Aces Stadium. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. As a result, Reno Tahoe is on the business — and meeting planner — radar screen like never before. “The Tesla deal has put us into the Wall Street Journal and USA Today,” Baum said. “We’ve been in the national and international news a lot lately.” Business growth, of course, leads to more corporate travel. “All the stars are lining up on Reno’s side now,” he said. “All these new companies are moving in, with their suppliers and sales forces. We’ve seen a big bump in corporate business travel since the second half of 2014.” And that also means more meetings and conventions, with more spectacular possibilities than ever before. Reno Tahoe is already getting more RFPs and requests for site inspections, Baum said. “And we’re getting bigger groups in terms of room-night requirements,” he added. “With all the buzz about Reno reinventing itself, it’s really cool to see how we’re diversifying the types of conventions that visit, too.” MARCH 2015
To meet the increased demand, Reno Tahoe is getting better than ever. Outstanding new restaurants are opening. Gorgeous new event venues are debuting. Neighborhoods like the Midtown District are getting impressive makeovers. And strategic new flights like JetBlue’s recently announced nonstop from New York’s JFK Airport are connecting the recently upgraded Reno-Tahoe International Airport to the east coast of the United States, making it even more accessible for groups around the country — and around the world. For meeting planners, the case for Reno Tahoe is indeed compelling: Reno, Sparks and North Lake Tahoe have about 15,500 high-quality hotel rooms, with a unique local ownership model that puts planners in touch with each resort’s ultimate decision-makers. Banquet prices frequently come in at 25 to 40 percent less than most national markets, with coffee priced at less than $40 a gallon. The Reno-Sparks Convention Center, meanwhile, is spread across one, gloriously practical level of 500,000 square feet of contiguous meeting and exhibit space, which means that attendees won’t feel like they’re spending half their life riding up and down escalators. Reno Tahoe is a convention destination quite unlike anywhere else. An eye-catching new promotional campaign, called “The Reno Remedy,” is showcasing these many selling points, targeting planners in search of a solution to the headaches that some destinations can cause. “The new campaign was launched within the past few months,” noted Baum. “It grew out of listening to what meeting planners were complaining about and giving them a solution to their problems via Reno Tahoe’s unique model.”
This creative new campaign — together with the many new developments in Reno Tahoe — are having a positive effect already. “There’s a sense of excitement here,” Baum said. “There’s a feeling in the air that this destination is entering a new chapter. It’s an electric time to be here, whether you’re a business traveler, tourist or attending a meeting or convention.” So if you’re a planner in need of a cure for the common headaches of your job, read on for some fresh ideas. The “Reno Remedy” might just be the prescription for a perfect meeting. ■
MeetRenoTahoe.com
Produced by Northstar Meetings Group Custom Media Department 100 Lighting Way, 2nd Floor, Secaucus, NJ 07094 (201) 902-2000 Lesley Krautheim, Group Managing Editor Alison Golub, Senior Editor Janice Hill Perez, Senior Editor Sarah Veit, Editor Tessa Sestina, Art Director Michelle Hickey, Designer Adam Schaffer, Production Specialist Gina Russo, Production Specialist Marianne Chmielewski, Group Production Manager John L. DeCesare, Publisher Kirk Lewis, Publisher Mark Chesnut, Contributing Writer SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION
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Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe
The Reno Remedy for Meetings and Conventions RENO TAHOE OFFERS VALUE, OPTIONS AND SERVICE THAT KEEPS PLANNERS COMING BACK.
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eeting planners have a lot of people to satisfy. And it can sometimes be a struggle to pick a destination that meets the requirements of organizers, attendees and others involved with staging a successful event. As Reno Tahoe continues to evolve, and welcomes a slew of new businesses and visitors, it’s proved to be the perfect fit for an ever-wider number of groups, thanks in no small part to its impressive infrastructure (including nine resorts with 800 to 2,000 rooms each!), commitment to service and excellent value. So how does Reno Tahoe help planners prevent the symptoms of a run-of-the-mill meeting and the headaches that might cause? Several meeting planners offer their perspectives. Aces Ballpark
Reno Tahoe proved to be a perfect fit for Sgt. Bill Lewis II, director and training conference coordinator at the California Association of Tactical Officers (CATO). He staged the group’s annual training conference in Reno at the Grand Sierra Resort in November 2014. Attendees included more than 750 law enforcement-affiliated officers from 111 departments, 33 country agencies, six states and one foreign government. For Lewis, Reno’s geographic location was one reason for choosing the destination. “It was the desire of the CATO Board to move its annual training conference further north, to better serve our members in Northern California, as well as to simply explore a new and convenient location for the conference,” he explained. “The proposal submitted by the Grand Sierra Resort fully addressed our needs in terms of meeting/ exhibit space, catering, accommodation, on-site restaurants, overall hospitality and our budget.” Reno Tahoe was also a logical choice for Mike Fitzgerald, CEO of Vision Global, which staged a sales and training convention for an Hispanic Amway Global organization in September 2014, with about 5,500 attendees. His goal was to provide attendees with a “first-class event as well as a first-class experience” and “to train and educate the attendees while giving them a fun location in which to enjoy themselves during their non-convention free periods of time.” Fitzgerald said that Reno Tahoe more than fit the bill. “Vision Global was looking for a more unique location than we have had in the past; something new, different and appealing,” Fitzgerald explained. “I had always heard great things about Reno, but had never had the
MEETING PLANNER MALADY: Drab locations, inattentive staff.
THE RENO REMEDY: A dramatic, attention-getting destination with “can-do” employees who make every group feel special. 4
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Reno-Sparks Convention Center
event, she still got the same high-quality service and attention as she had in the past. “In those five years, I’ve never felt that the bureau or the properties have forgotten what I’ve done there,” she said. “They’ve invited me to properties and on FAMs, but I’ve never felt like I’m pressured, or forgotten. Many times, other properties and cities forget. I always say one of the most important things I do as a planner is develop relationships, because it makes the difference between a ‘yes’ and a ‘no.’”
MEETING PLANNER MALADY: Overpriced accommodations with exorbitant food and beverage. THE RENO REMEDY: An array of four-star hotels and quality F&B at prices that are just short of unbelievable.
opportunity to bring an event to that region. Vision Global’s board made the suggestion, so we decided to bring one of our largest events to Reno.” And the results, he said, were nothing but positive. The helpful, hands-on staff of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority has made Reno Tahoe an ongoing favorite for Andrea Bauerfeind, director of Event Strategic Services at AetherQuest Solutions, which organizes an annual small business development conference for veterans. They’ve been sending some 300 attendees to Reno every year since 2011. “Reno offered itself as a great partner to the event,” Bauerfeind said. “In 2011, this was a first-time event, and in the beginning years we could not make great predictions on room nights, F&B minimums we could commit to, etc. Reno offered us no attrition and extremely low F&B guarantees, together with its already-low prices that enabled us to get a good event history going without too much risk to the hosting organization.” Donna Jarvis-Miller, conference manager at American Public Human Services Association, is another perfect example of how Reno Tahoe can meet the needs of diverse types of meetings and groups. At press time, she was putting together the organization’s annual meeting in Reno for about 100 attendees. But her experience with Reno goes back much further; in the past, she helped organize the Wild West Veterinary Conference (WWVC), which draws about 1,200 attendees every year to Reno for a multi-day trade show and educational program for veterinary professionals. Since WWVC attendees pay out of pocket, Reno’s value was a big reason why the organization chose to keep going back, according to Jarvis-Miller. “The conference originally was owned by three veterinary medical associations [VMAs], in three different states,” she explained. “Even though Oregon and Arizona were the homes of the other two VMAs involved, when we would propose to their board the idea of rotating it [to other states], they always came back with ‘we can’t get room rates that we’re getting in Reno if we go to Oregon or Arizona, and we can’t get the value of food and beverage.’ We could always get much more in Reno.” Even though it’s been about five years since Jarvis-Miller last sent a group to Reno, she said when she contacted the CVB about the 2015 6
WITH ITS NATURAL BEAUTY, attentive service and exceptional facilities, Reno Tahoe is a people pleaser, according to many meeting planners. Bauerfeind said that her attendees most like the good weather, great food and overall affordability of accommodations and dining. Fitzgerald said his attendees liked Reno Tahoe so much that they’ll likely go back again, too. “We received an enormous amount of positive feedback from our attendees,” he said. “We had a record number of attendees to our event and we have been asked to consider Reno again for future events.” Lewis reported a similarly positive reaction. “Our participants were extremely complimentary about the conference location as well as the training program presented,” he said. “The most positive comments were specifically directed at the friendliness of the hotel staff, the all-inclusive amenities of the location and the services provided at the Grand Sierra Resort, [which] allowed many of our participants to enjoy the benefits of the location without having to leave the premises — including the casino and great variety of restaurants. Our participants — conference attendees and commercial vendors — also seemed to enjoy the overall cost-savings of the location.” “They’re excited,” said Jarvis-Miller of the attendees she’s about to send to Reno Tahoe this year. “This particular group has never been there before, and they’re really pleased that we’re going to a place where I can get them an affordable rate. I’ve warned the leader of our group to not get used to the big breakfast, because we won’t be able to afford it if we go to another city.”
MEETING PLANNER MALADY: Cookie-cutter event venues that fail to inspire attendees.
THE RENO REMEDY: Unique sites that work to make your event dazzle. THE IMPRESSIVE DIVERSITY of well-equipped venues — including hotels of every size and unique independent sites — are a big part of Reno Tahoe’s allure. Fitzgerald praised all of the venues that hosted his event, including Circus Circus Reno, the Silver Legacy Resort & Casino and the Lawlor Events Center on the campus of the University of Reno, Nevada. “The MARCH 2015
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University of Nevada, Reno Campus
National Automobile Museum
Riverwalk District
hotels were incredible,” he said. “I’ve been planning events for over 20 years, and the staff at both properties were very professional, with a strong understanding of flexibility and customer service — two things that are very important to meeting planners, as we tend to make modifications to our agenda several times leading up to our program.” As for the non-hotel site, Fitzgerald said “the team at the Lawlor Events Center was, without question, one of the most professional and well-organized teams that I have ever worked with. If an organization is looking for an arena venue, I would put the Lawlor Events Center at the top of my list of recommendations.” Other popular offsite event venues include the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center, the National Bowling Stadium, the Reno Events Center and Wildcreek Golf Course — all owned by the RenoSparks Convention and Visitors Authority. So no matter what is required, planners are in close contact with the people in charge.
OVERALL, ONE OF RENO’S BIGGEST SELLING POINTS is its people. “Reno gets it,” Fitzgerald explained. “They understand that there is a tremendous amount of competition when it comes to cities and their abilities to host larger conventions. When you go to some cities, you get treated well, but there is a sense that, ‘we can book this weekend for anyone, so you are fortunate to be able to hold your event here.’ I knew Reno was different as soon as I had my initial conversation with Julie Greer, a national convention sales manager at Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority. She understood what customer service and consistent follow-up was all about. She put me in touch with the right people and made my meeting-planning experience easy and uncomplicated. She is truly an asset to Reno and their efforts to bring business to the city. I would, without question, recommend Reno to any meeting planner that is looking for a unique experience and, quite frankly, a ‘fun’ location.” Lewis said that pricing, facilities and staffing are among Reno Tahoe’s strongest points. “Based only on our experience at the Grand Sierra Resort in Reno, the biggest selling points to our group included the cost savings, great facilities and the cooperation of the hotel staff to address our needs,” he said. “Many of our participants pay their own way to attend — and that includes tuition, room, meals and travel — so we must take into consideration accommodations and services that are not Continued on page 11 Heritage at Whitney Peak Hotel
MEETING PLANNER MALADY: Destination people who just don’t care.
THE RENO REMEDY: Experienced local folks who appreciate your business and become part of your team.
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LEX at Grand Sierra Resort
feet of meeting space with the latest technology, as well as direct, enclosed skybridge access to the Reno-Sparks Convention Center.
Photo Credit: © MDWelch_MRphotography
• THE NEVADA MUSEUM OF ART, which hosts events for groups of between 20 and 500 participants, will introduce a new rooftop Sky Room in February 2016. The $5.5 million addition will offer dramatic views of Reno and the surrounding mountains, and will have capacity to seat 250 attendees for formal dinners and up to 397 for conferences, workshops and other events.
WHAT’S NEW • WHITNEY PEAK HOTEL, Reno’s newest non-gaming, non-smoking hotel property, opened in May 2014 near the downtown Reno Arch. The luxury boutique hotel is expanding its guest room count this year and adding more than 14,500 square feet of new meeting space, for a total of 310 rooms by April and more than 22,000 square feet of event space in the fourth quarter of 2015. The property is also home to the world’s tallest exterior climbing wall, which measures more than 164 feet, at its BaseCamp facility. • GRAND SIERRA RESORT AND CASINO, which is under new ownership, has over the past three years invested more than $50 million in improvements, including renovated hotel rooms, a brand-new spa and a 25,000-square-foot nightclub. This year, the property is unveiling a new main porte cochere, a renovated Grand Ballroom (Spring 2015) and an updated buffet (late 2015). Due to reopen this summer is the hotel’s historic Grand Theatre, which will have an additional 1,000 seats and updated decor. • THE 1,382-ROOM NUGGET, which is also under new ownership, is undergoing a $50 million improvement project that’s bringing upgrades to hotel rooms, public areas, restaurants and entertainment venues. The new Gilley’s Dance Hall, BBQ and Saloon opened in 2014.
• SILVER LEGACY RESORT CASINO has completed $6 million worth of additions, upgrades and renovations. In December 2014, the 19,000-square-foot Grande Exposition Hall, as well as the hotel lobby, were upgraded. A new Starbucks, a new Mexican restaurant and new cocktail lounge have opened, and the former Café Sedona has been remodeled and reopened as Café Central. • HYATT REGENCY LAKE TAHOE RESORT, SPA AND CASINO has wrapped up a $20 million renovation of its guest rooms, Stillwater Spa, Lone Eagle Grille, Sierra Cafe and the Spa Terrace Conference Center. A $500,000 upgrade of Hyatt’s meeting space was completed at the end of 2011. • THE HISTORIC CAL NEVA RESORT at North Lake Tahoe, once owned by Frank Sinatra — with regular guests including the Kennedys, the Rat Pack and Marilyn Monroe — is now under the ownership of Napa Valley-based real estate developer, Criswell-Radovan. Plans call for the renovated property to reopen within a year. • RENO-TAHOE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, which recently completed a $26 million construction and upgrade program, now has nonstop international air service from Guadalajara, Mexico, with nonstop flights to London slated to start in December. In addition, the city will be even more accessible from the east coast of the United States when JetBlue launches nonstop flights from New York City’s John F. Kennedy International Airport in May 2015.
• PEPPERMILL RESORT SPA & CASINO has also unveiled upgrades. The Terrace Lounge at Peppermill was recently remodeled and redesigned. This privately-owned property has an award-winning green initiative that includes a state-ofthe-art geothermal heating system, local produce sourcing for its restaurants, a soap recycling program and Tesla charging stations. The property was recently ranked the top hotel in North America by the national travel site Expedia’s “Elite Program” members. • ATLANTIS CASINO RESORT & SPA is home to the Concierge Hotel Tower, where the rooms were recently voted Reno’s best by U.S. News & World Reports. The property has 50,000 square
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RSCVA’s Chris Baum
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Continued from page 8 only economical for personal budgets, but ‘first class’ for their needs and ours as well. Our experience at the Grand Sierra Resort has proven to be not just a one-time deal, as we are now scheduled to return again in 2016, due to the overall success of our recent event.” “The properties always work well with planners,” agreed Jarvis-Miller. “There are great partnerships that I’ve found with Reno in general. And the bureau gets it, too. They’re always willing to listen.” Reno properties and suppliers are also especially conscious of budgetary limitations, Jarvis-Miller added. “Typically, when you have smaller conferences, budget is a big issue for any association or nonprofit, and overall, my experience is that I can make our dollars go a little further in Reno and the properties are willing to put more concessions on the table to win our business.” Like Fitzgerald, Jarvis-Miller also raved about the human side of doing business in Reno Tahoe. “I don’t think you will find a friendlier city,” she said. “Most cities are challenged to provide the level of friendly service that I find when I work with the bureau and the properties in Reno.” ■
MARCH 2015
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Something for Everyone FROM FANTASTIC VENUES TO EXCITING TEAMBUILDING, RENO TAHOE KNOWS HOW TO WOW GROUPS.
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et’s face it. Meetings aren’t always the most exciting experiences. Uninteresting settings, unimaginative venues and uninspiring activities are all part of an affliction that can threaten the success of any meeting. But with its unforgettable array of gorgeous natural settings, unique venues and amazing group activities, Reno Tahoe has the cure for the common meeting, in more ways than one. Among the many selling points is that the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority (RSCVA) owns and operates many of the region’s leading venues, making it even easier for groups to do business. Here are a few options for making the most of that next meeting in Northern Nevada.
OUTDOOR EXCITEMENT FOR GROUPS Reno Tahoe’s natural beauty can be a strong selling point to build attendance, and planners can also make use of the great outdoors for interesting and exciting group activities. From world-class skiing to golfing, kayaking, fishing and rock climbing, Reno has positioned itself as paradise for lovers of the great outdoors. And the fact that Reno Tahoe USA is host to many major outdoor events is proof of the region’s appeal as an outdoor destination, as well as its ability to host large, active groups. Among the biggest gatherings: Iron Man, the 178-mile Reno Tahoe Odyssey, the Reno Rodeo, National Championships Air Races, Lucas Oil Off-Road Racing Series and Reno River Festival. FORE! Among the group-friendly venues with spectacular views of the Sierra Nevada mountains is the 18-hole Wildcreek Golf Course. Located in nearby Sparks, planners can easily set up their own golf tournaments here, since the property is owned by the RSCVA. The course has a clubhouse, restaurant and driving range, and tee times are a bargain compared to other resort destinations. Northern Nevada Golf
National Bowling Stadium
We’re #1 Northern Nevada is tops in several surprising categories, including…
#1 dryest state in America #1 in gold and silver mining #1 most mountainous state #1 in wild horses… and wild sheep! #1 Lake in North America (numerous polls) RENO-STYLE RODEOS Looking for something completely different? Why not set up a lively dude rodeo at the Reno-Sparks Livestock Events Center, an RSCVAowned facility located minutes from downtown Reno. Situated on 43 sprawling acres, the Livestock Events Center has two indoor and two outdoor arenas; the climate-controlled main arena has seating for 6,200 people, and can serve as the setting for a Wild West experience that attendees aren’t likely to forget. BOWLING FOR BUSINESS The RSCVA-operated National Bowling Stadium is home to the Kingpin Club, which hosts groups of 50 to 150, complete with 10 professional lanes, a full bar and multiple HD screens. Larger groups can use the facility’s 78 championship bowling lanes and what is billed as the longest video screen in the world, capable of projecting 440-foot-wide
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THE BEST PART OF YOUR MEETING MIGHT BE MEETING RENO.
If you haven’t been to Reno in a while it might be time to get reacquainted. Downtown Reno is full of acclaimed new restaurants and bars, galleries, museums, and so much more. And the best part? The Silver Legacy – with 1,700 rooms and 155,000 square feet of meeting and exhibition space – is right in the middle of all the fun.
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To submit RFP email or call Vern Sohrt, Executive Director of Sales. 775-325-7244 • vsohrt@silverlegacy.com
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video images. The National Bowling Stadium is a fun, different way to kick off a convention any time of year.
largest cross-country ski resort, Royal Gorge, groups can enroll in specialized clinics to improve their skills on the powder.
WILD WESTERN ADVENTURES In Reno Tahoe, planners can make history come alive like few other destinations. Guided group excursions and activities include cemetery tours, mine tours, stagecoach rides and even ghost hunting tours in nearby Virginia City,home of the “Comstock Lode” and America’s richest city… in 1865. Today this well-preserved gold and silver mining town is a fun and interesting peak back at the West West that has captured the imagination of people from around the world.
TEAMBUILDING EXCITEMENT With its incredible diversity of venues, facilities and natural settings, Reno Tahoe is an ideal place for teambuilding activities. Whatever a group’s age, physical condition or special interest, they’ll likely find a rewarding, challenging and fun teambuilding opportunity here. Rock-climbing makes for great teambuilding, and it’s possible for groups to enjoy this challenging activity without even leaving the city of Reno. The Whitney Peak Hotel is home to North America’s tallest rockclimbing wall, which soars to 164 feet and overlooks downtown Reno. The facility also has a 7,000-square-foot indoor bouldering park. The meeting and events team at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe has created a variety of new teambuilding activities and group events, including a small-team chili cook-off competition fashioned after competitive cooking TV shows, using locally sourced ingredients. The hotel’s cardboard boat races, meanwhile, provides each team with large sheets of cardboard and rolls of duct tape, challenging them to create their own sea-worthy ship to sail on the “high seas” of Lake Tahoe or the resort’s swimming pool. ■
WINTER WONDERS Reno Tahoe is truly a year-round destination, and groups will find plenty of outdoor excitement, no matter the season. When temperatures cool down, groups enjoy skiing and snowboarding at no fewer than 18 world-class, alpine and cross-country ski resorts — the highest concentration of ski resorts in North America, as a matter of fact. At Woodward Tahoe, a residential action-sports camp, groups can make use of trampolines and drop ramps, participate in action-packed teambuilding activities or just relax, network and enjoy the view of Boreal Mountain Resort. Groups can also tour Tahoe’s postcard-perfect snowy landscape by dog sled, horse-drawn sleigh, snowmobile or on a guided backcountry Snowcat tour. Near the villages, attendees can gather for live music performances and perhaps roast s’mores at the fire pits. At the recently renovated Olympic Museum at Squaw Valley, groups can admire memorabilia from the 1960 winter Olympics, which took place here. And at North America’s Virginia City
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For more information about holding your next meeting, convention, or event in Reno Tahoe USA, contact John Leinen, our Vice President of Sales, at (775) 827-7704 or visit MeetRenoTahoe.com
Sparks Marina
Lake Tahoe
MARCH 2015
Float some new ideas. Allow us to help you navigate your crew while discovering inspiration in unlikely places. For your custom booking at our premier lakefront resort, contact Group Sales today. 888 899 5017 laketahoe.hyatt.com
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