Anchoring the theme on IMEX America’s Smart Monday will be Julius Solaris, speaker, author and editor of Event Manager Blog, delivering a keynote on “Legacy: The Power of Events.” “The theme is the impact of legacy,” Solaris said. “It’s elevating the whole event to a bigger purpose, a bigger impact. It’s about the greater good and making an impact—making change.”

Universal’s Aventura Hotel is now open. Universal Orlando Resort’s newest hotel adds an additional 600 rooms to the portfolio, bringing the total number of guest rooms at Universal Orlando Resort to 6,200.

Entering into its eighth year, IMEX America’s Smart Monday Powered by MPI delivers a full day of free education Oct. 15 available for registered IMEX America meeting planner attendees. The day focuses on the professional development that is critical for many planners to justify even getting out of the office to travel to Las Vegas to attend the Oct. 16-18 main event that focuses on buyer-supplier appointments. The two key MPI staffers who take a leading role conceptualizing Smart Monday are Lori Pugh, manager of global education and event production, and Jessie States, head of meeting innovation.

Now a year-round destination, Epic Discovery is Vail Mountain’s playground, with ziplining, summer tubing, a mountain coaster and miles of trails for hiking and biking. This wasn’t my summer vacation, but rather part of a Marriott Convention & Resort Network (CRN) press trip in Colorado. Over the three days, we saw meeting space, amenities and group offerings at the collection’s properties in the state—including the soon-to-open Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center.

A mountain setting can take away the distractions of the office and city life and allow for a connection to nature, which often can spike productivity, creativity and collaboration. Unplugging, bringing the meeting room outdoors and creating new experiences seem to be on-trend for 2018, according to four experts dialed in to mountain meetings. 

The Kota Kinabalu Marriott Hotel opened in Sabah, Malaysia. Located along the capital's waterfront, the hotel has 332 guest rooms and 14,000 square feet of meeting and event space.

The Grand Hyatt Athens opened, marking the first Hyatt hotel in the Greek capital and the first Grand Hyatt branded hotel in Greece. The 309-room hotel incorporates curated art reminiscent of ancient Athens with original pieces from the Museum of Cycladic Art.

The Radisson Hotel Panama Canal opened in the capital city with views of the Panama Canal. The hotel is minutes from Albrook International Airport and within walking distance to the Amador Convention Center, which is scheduled to open December 2018.

Cambridge Landmark acquired the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee. The 481-room hotel is located in downtown Milwaukee adjacent to the Wisconsin Center convention facility.

Hilton opened its first tri-branded property, which includes Hilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Place, Hampton Inn by Hilton Chicago McCormick Place and Home2 Suites by Hilton Chicago McCormick Place. Connected to McCormick Place, North America's largest convention center, and adjacent to Wintrust Arena, the property is a one-of-kind addition to downtown Chicago's South Loop and Motor Row District lodging offerings.