Inn-Sight Newsletter

Q3 2024

What's Next

 

November 2nd

Annual Awards Celebration

5:30PM-10:30PM

Kansas City Marriott Downtown

Register

December 12

Annual Meeting & Holiday Networking Reception

Crowne Plaza Downtown

Registration opening soon

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IN THIS ISSUE

  

ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT


MICHELIN KEY AWARD IN KANSAS CITY


2nd ANNUAL CITY & STATE LEADERS NETWORKING RECEPTION


AHLA UPDATES


FISCAL YEAR 2025 GOVERNMENT PER DIEM RATES


REQUIREMENTS FOR KCMO LIQUOR CONTROL


2024 ANNUAL AWARDS CELEBRATION


2025 HLAKC BOARD OF DIRECTORS ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS


WHAT'S NEW


WELCOME NEW MEMBERS


OFFICERS

Chairman

Michael Rose

Holiday Inn - KCI


President

Brian Johnson

 Loews Hotel


President-Elect

Robert Leyva

Inn at Meadowbrook


Vice President

Ryan Baldwin

Hotel Phillips


Vice President

Walker Swan

  Crowne Plaza - Downtown


Treasurer

Derek McCann

  Marriott - Downtown


Secretary

Christina Roth

  Hampton Inn & Suites - Plaza


  

HOTEL DIRECTORS

Zachary Alft

  Margaritaville


Alex DeChagas

  Hotel Kansas City


Jess Desai

  Orangewood Inn & Suites KCI


Jeff Keeley

  InterContinental at the Plaza


JJ Kuntz

  Stoney Creek Hotel & Conf. Ctr.


Travis Maschino

  Scarlett Hotel Group


Chad Mohwinkle

  Sheraton at Crown Center


Dhruv Patel

  Lotus Hospitality


Levi Seidensticker

  Embassy Suites - Plaza


ALLIED DIRECTORS


Jeff Coleman

  Ecolab


D'Wayne Leatherland

  Agenda:USA


Cesar Sanchez

  Pinnacle Staffing Group


Margaret Marsala

  Excel Linen Supply


Mike Burris

  Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association


EX-OFFICIO

Nathan Hermiston

  Visit KC


 FOUNDATION PRESIDENT

Tim Ryan

  Lotus Hospitality

 



 

Contact us:

816.421.3646 phone


Andrea O'Hara, Exec. Dir.

andrea@kansascitylodging.org


Kyle Sadewhite, Admin

kyle@kansascitylodging.org


 

Annual Golf Tournament


We’re excited to share that this year’s Annual Golf Tournament was a tremendous success! With perfect weather, participants enjoyed a fantastic day of friendly competition and networking on the course. The atmosphere was full of energy, and everyone had a wonderful time.


A special thank you goes to our sponsors for their generous support, which made this event possible. Proceeds from the tournament benefit our Education Foundation, providing scholarships and valuable opportunities to students pursuing careers in hospitality.


Congratulations to our tournament and raffle drawing winners and thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to this meaningful cause. We can’t wait to see you again next year!


Thank you to our sponsors!

Ecolab

True North Hotel Group

CW Outsource

BluSky

Loews Kansas City Hotel

Lotus Hotel Group

Kansas City Marriott Downtown

Atwell Suites Kansas City Airport

Excel Linen Supply

CertaPro Painters

Pinnacle Staffing

Parking Management Company

SP Plus

U-First Reconstruction

Spectrum

ServiceMaster DSI

Johnson Controls

Encore

Fern

Boulevard Brewing Company

North Kansas City Beverage Co.

Central States Beverage Co.

Michelin Key Award Goes to Crossroads Hotel


We are thrilled to announce that Crossroads Hotel has been awarded a prestigious MICHELIN Key, an international recognition for its outstanding design, service, and contribution to the local community.


Introduced in April 2024, the MICHELIN Key celebrates the world’s best hotels, highlighting those that excel in both quality and character. This achievement not only places Crossroads Hotel among the top-tier accommodations globally but also showcases Kansas City as a premier destination for exceptional hospitality.


Congratulations to the Crossroads team on this remarkable honor!

2nd Annual City & State Leaders Networking Reception


On August 20th, we hosted a very successful second annual City & State Leaders Networking Reception, which provides a unique opportunity to connect with elected officials from both sides of the state line.


This event continues to strengthen relationships with our elected leaders, fostering collaboration and highlighting the critical role that the hospitality industry plays in driving the local economy.


A heartfelt thank you to Loews Kansas City Hotel for their outstanding hospitality, providing a beautiful setting and incredible cuisine.


The evening was filled with engaging conversations and meaningful connections that will positively impact our industry and community.


Thank you to our hosting partners at the Greater Kansas City Restaurant Association and to all who attended. We look forward to next year’s event as we continue building these important relationships!

American Hotel & Lodging Association


Last week, the American Hotel & Lodging Association hosted its annual Hotels on the Hill event, bringing together industry leaders from across the country to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. The event provides a critical platform for hospitality professionals to advocate for key policies that impact the industry. This collaborative effort strengthens the voice of the industry, ensuring that the concerns of hoteliers are heard at the highest levels of government.


The priorities discussed with lawmakers included the following:

  • Grow the hotel workforce by co-sponsoring and passing the Closing the Workforce Gap Act (H.R. 7262), from Reps. Elissa Slotkin and Jack Bergman. The bill would replace the arbitrary annual cap of 66,000 available H-2B temporary visas with a new, needs-based system.
  • Protect small businesses by extending the pass-through tax deduction (199A), which is set to expire in 2025 and provides crucial tax relief to franchisees and other hotel small businesses.
  • Help to create jobs and support hoteliers by maintaining the like-kind exchange (section 1031), which allows hoteliers to defer capital gains taxes when they sell one property if they roll the proceeds into the purchase of a larger one, thereby helping create new jobs and contributing to economic growth.
  • Protect the franchise business model by opposing any efforts at the federal level to weaken the franchisee-franchisor relationship—a cornerstone of the hotel industry.
  • Protect consumers and establish parity for the lodging industry by passing the bipartisan Hotel Fees Transparency Act (S. 2498) and the No Hidden FEES Act (H.R. 6543)which would establish a single and transparent standard for mandatory lodging fee display and an even competitive playing field for hotels, short-term rentals, online travel agencies, and metasearch sites.
Hotel Lobby Newsletter

Fiscal Year 2025 Government Per Diem Rates


We are excited to announce that the GSA has released the fiscal year 2025 government per diem rates, with a notable increase for the entire Kansas City metro area—from $126 to $135.


Each year, the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City prioritizes advocacy efforts, asking legislators to encourage GSA to raise per diem rates, which directly impacts our industry.


We are thrilled with this year’s outcome and are committed to continuing our advocacy to ensure positive results for the hospitality community in the years ahead.


To learn more visit the GSA Website.

Requirements for KCMO Liquor Control


KCMO liquor control is doing random inspections of all businesses that have a liquor license, from package liquor stores to by-the-drink establishments.  

The director or their authorized agents, in order to enforce the regulations, have the right to inspect the licensed premises as provided in Sec. 10-34 and examine the books, records, and papers of each licensee as provided in Sec. 10-331.

 

It’s important you have all the required items on site should your business have an unexpected inspection.  

  1. All current liquor licenses must be on your licensing wall and visible to anyone that walks into your establishment – not in a back room.  
  2. Employee records which must include the following:

a.     Name

b.     Address

c.     Phone

d.     Job Title or Classification

e.     Date of hire

f.      Color copy of valid (not expired) photo ID

g.     Background/Sex Offender Search


Before hiring any individual to directly participate in the retail sale, delivery, serving or mixing of alcoholic beverages, each licensee shall verify that such individual is not an individual convicted of a sex crime. 


A background check from all three of the following agencies must be done. If the search comes up with no results, print the page as proof the search was done and keep it in the employee’s file. 



Links to Registries:

1.      Missouri Sex Offender Registry

2.      Kansas Registered Offender Registry

3.      National Sex Offender Registry


The HLAKC office will continued to update you on this matter as things progress. If you have any questions, please email our office.


Annual Awards Celebration


There's only a few weeks left to register for the Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City's Annual Awards Celebration. Don’t miss the chance to celebrate excellence in the hotel industry on Saturday, November 2nd at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown.


This year, we’re excited to recognize hourly employees, middle-level management, and executive leaders for their outstanding contributions. It’s a special evening you won’t want to miss!


Make sure to nominate your peers and register for the event today—nominations close on October 11. Join us in honoring the best in our industry!

Nominate and Register

2025 Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City Board of Directors Accepting Applications


We are excited to announce that the application period for our 2025 Board of Directors is now open!


If you’re interested in taking on a leadership role within the Hotel and Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City, or know someone who would be a great fit, we encourage you to fill out an application today.


All applications will be reviewed by our nominating committee, and the final slate of candidates will be posted on December 1st. Members will approve the 2025 board of directors during our Annual Meeting on December 15th at the Crowne Plaza Downtown.


Get involved and help shape the future of our association!

Visit our Website

Did you Know HLAKC Has a Job Board?


Looking to find great employees for your properties? HLAKC is here to help! Our job board is designed to connect employers with job seekers in the hospitality industry.


If you’re looking to fill positions, reach out to our office today to access the job board and create your listing.


Let us help you attract the right talent to support your team! Email us at andrea@kansascitylodging.org.

New Members


International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 3

WEBSITE


Ronco Construction

WEBSITE


Days Inn by Wyndham Independence

WEBSITE


Quality Inn & Suites Independence

WEBSITE


wwwThe Hotel & Lodging Association of Greater Kansas City represents the interests of the area hotel and lodging establishments and the related businesses involved in the hospitality industry. We are the legislative advocacy voice, as well as the source of information and education for the hospitality industry in Greater Kansas City. 


Our Mission: To be an invaluable resource serving, supporting and advocating on behalf of the Greater Kansas City hospitality industry.


Our Vision: To create a relevant, energetic and united hospitality industry recognized for playing an integral role in powering the Kansas City economy.