Latest news: Accor debuts in Vegas; $5.5B NYC casino plan; sales in Florida, Illinois

Accor makes debut in Vegas. Accor is making its debut in Las Vegas by signing the Treasure Island on the strip in partnership with businessman and casino owner Phil Ruffin. The 2,884-key Treasure Island – TI Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, Handwritten Collection will debut later this year. It becomes the second Handwritten Collection address in the United States, following Hotel Stratford San Francisco - Handwritten Collection last year. The hotel has recently completed a multi-million-dollar renovation and features 10 dining venues and eight upscale lounges and bars. 

Resorts World’s NYC Casino plan. Resorts World New York City presented its plan for New York’s largest integrated resort, which it says is the largest of all the bids in terms of site size, build area, and casino floor area. The $5.5 billion proposal would transform the 73-acre Aqueduct site into the single-largest entertainment hub, spanning 5.6 million sq. ft. integrated resort, allowing for 6,000 slot machines, 800 gaming tables, 2,000 hotel rooms (including a 400-key Hyatt Regency and two Resorts World hotels), a 7,000-seat arena, more than 7,000 parking spaces, more than 30 food and beverage outlets, a spa and more than a dozen acres of community greenspace. Resorts World New York City could be open as early as July 2026 because all land-use approvals have already been granted and the company said it is ready to start construction the day it receives a license.

Marriott closes on citizenM. Marriott International completed its acquisition of the lifestyle citizenM brand, further growing the company’s select-service portfolio globally. The current citizenM portfolio includes 37 open hotels, comprising 8,789 rooms, across more than 20 cities in the U.S., Europe, and Asia Pacific. citizenM's current pipeline of two hotels (300 rooms) are also anticipated to be added to Marriott’s portfolio.

Tampa hotel is acquired. Winter Haven, Florida-based KK & Z Hospitality LLC has acquired the 77-key Sleep Inn & Suites in Tampa, Florida, from Ben Mallah for $10.5 million. The hotel was originally built in 2019. Cushman & Wakefield facilitated the transaction. 

Illinois hotel sells. Indianapolis, Indiana-based Witness Investment has acquired the 117-key Hilton Garden Inn Springfield in Illinois from Louisville, Kentucky-based Schulte Hospitality Group on July 11 for an undisclosed amount. Hunter Hotel Advisors facilitated the transaction.

Liberty exiting hotel business. After more than four decades in the hospitality sector, Houston-based Liberty Group has formally left the hotel business, selling off its entire portfolio of branded properties. Founded in 1980 by Indian-born entrepreneur Raxit Shah, Liberty Group began as a single-property hotel operator in Florida. Over the years, it expanded across the southeastern United States, accumulating a portfolio of 57 hotels and over 5,000 rooms. Liberty completed its divestment earlier in July.

Renovation of historic Austin hotel. Austin, Texas-based Pixiu Investments, Dallas-based Woodbine Development and Hyatt Hotels Corp. are renovating the 175-key Driskill Hotel in Austin. Texas’ first luxury hotel was built in 1886 and is part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt. The renovations will include guest rooms, the lobby and common areas, meeting and social spaces and culinary outposts, with the addition of a new ballroom, cocktail bar and retail space. The first phase of the renovation will debut this fall with a reimagined bar and restaurant, both operated by Austin-based MML Hospitality. The second phase is scheduled for completion next summer. 

Largest AC in North America reopens. The 355-key AC Hotel Arlington National Landing in Arlington, Virginia, is now open following a multi-million-dollar transformation. The property, formerly the Crystal City Marriott, is the largest AC Hotel in North America. Philadelphia-based HHM Hotels operates the hotel.

US hotels mixed in June. The U.S. hotel industry showed mixed year-over-year performance results, according to June 2025 data from CoStar.  For the month, occupancy was 68.5% (-1.7%), ADR was $162.51 (+0.4%) and RevPAR $111.32 (-1.2%). Among the top 25 markets, New York City experienced the highest occupancy level (+0.9% to 88.5%). Markets with the lowest occupancy for the month included New Orleans (53.8%) and Phoenix (59.5%). The top 25 markets showed higher occupancy and ADR than all other markets.

Hard Rock adds in the UAE. Orlando-based Hard Rock International is working with HR Hotel FZ LLC, a joint venture company between Malta-based db Group and Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates-based RAK Hospitality Holding, to bring Hard Rock Hotel & Residences Ras Al Khaimah to the United Arab Emirates. This project, which will offer approximately 300 hotel rooms and 395 branded residences, is scheduled to open in 2028.

First voco in Oman. IHG Hotels & Resorts has signed a management agreement with Golden Group Holding for voco Al Mouj Muscat, a 251-key beachfront resort set to open in Q4 2025. The deal marks the first signing of the voco brand in the Sultanate of Oman, further expanding IHG’s premium portfolio across the Middle East. IHG currently operates nine hotels across five brands in Oman, with 3 hotels in the development pipeline set to open within the next three to five years.

Seibu Prince adds in Vietnam. Tokyo-based Seibu Prince Hotels & Resorts is set to open the 164-key Prince Hotel Da Nang in October in Vietnam. The hotel was formerly Sel de Mer Hotel Suites.

Choice launches new marketing. Choice Hotels International is launching two new marketing campaigns, highlighting the benefits of its four extended-stay brands: Everhome Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Studios, and WoodSpring Suites. The “Stay in Your Rhythm” campaign is focused on all its extended stay brands, showing guests how they can keep up with daily routines, while “The WoodSpring Way” highlights the hospitality and service WoodSpring Suites staff deliver to its guests. Both campaigns will run through the remainder of the year and into 2026, across various channels, including paid social media, TV, digital display, and online video.