Arizona hotel lauded for its sustainable programs at 2010 Governor’s Conference on Tourism

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (July 21, 2010) – Kimpton’s FireSky Resort & Spa was awarded a Governor’s Tourism Award for “Best Green Tourism” during the 2010 Governor’s Conference on Tourism, held July 12 to 14 at Loews Ventana Canyon resort in Tucson, Ariz.

The Governor’s Tourism Awards are given each year to honor individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the Arizona tourism industry. The awards program began in 1993, and award-winners are recognized at a special luncheon during the annual Governor’s Conference on Tourism. This, 2010, was the first year the awards program featured a category dedicated to “Best Green Tourism.” FireSky was recognized at the July 14 luncheon as the category’s inaugural winner for its EarthCare program.

“Over the last few years, our hotel and staff have demonstrated a serious commitment to the environment through our EarthCare program. While we feel good about our eco practices, to be recognized by our industry and peers is a privilege and especially rewarding,” said Jim Hollister, general manager of FireSky. “In short, we are truly honored to be the recipient of this new award.”

Hollister said FireSky’s journey to being earth-friendly started in 2007. Soon after the property joined the Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants family, it began adopting the more than 80 eco-friendly products and operational practices under the brand’s award-winning EarthCare program. The program’s initiatives date back to Kimpton’s inception in 1981 and include several industry firsts, such as in-room recycling bins and the use of non-toxic cleaners brand-wide.

FireSky employees, as well as those at Taggia Restaurant and the all-organic Jurlique Spa, were quick to embrace EarthCare initiatives – recycling paper and collecting unused soaps and gently used bedding and sheets for donation to local shelters.

Then in March 2010, FireSky became the first resort in Arizona to be Green Seal certified, a process that took nearly a year. Green Seal certification is an important third-party validation of Kimpton’s EarthCare program and allows Kimpton to more effectively measure its nationwide reductions in waste, energy and water consumption. FireSky achieved a Silver level of certification.

With regards to the hotel’s EarthCare and Green Seal practices, Hollister said the top priority was to make it simple for resort employees to incorporate additional green efforts into their work day. “To be effective and consistent in our sustainable practices for the long term, we had to make them efficient,” he said. “We worked really hard to make green practices systematic so that they would be second nature to the staff and part of the property’s culture.”

FireSky’s housekeeping staff has integrated sorting bins on the cleaning carts, with easy-to-reach recycling and donation bins conveniently placed behind the scenes throughout the grounds. The hotel also features a compost program, which diverted upwards of three tons of food from landfills in March alone. Food scraps are composted and repurposed as feed for pigs on a farm in Payson, Ariz. Hollister said the FireSky team continues to ensure green practices with various checks and balances, educating and rewarding the staff on an ongoing basis.

Not only are these environmentally-friendly processes important to FireSky employees, they matter to resort guests, too. According to guest surveys, Kimpton’s eco-consciousness is the reason why 18 percent of first-time guests select the brand’s hotels and restaurants. FireSky guest surveys rank the influence of green efforts even higher at upwards of 20 percent.

To learn more about FireSky or Kimpton’s environmental initiatives, visit www.fireskyresort.com or www.kimptonhotels.com.

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ABOUT FIRESKY RESORT & SPA

A member of the award-winning San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, FireSky Resort & Spa artfully blends the casual elegance of its downtown Scottsdale location with the stark appeal of its desert setting. The resort’s story is one of the elements - conveyed by seamless indoor/outdoor connections, lush landscaping, expansive water features and lounging spaces with hearths and fire pits. The property, which is the first Green Seal certified hotel in Arizona, features 204 guest rooms and suites stretching 400 to 800 square feet, each of which boasts a private patio or patio that overlooks the colorful grounds and swimming pools. Resort amenities include approximately 14,000 square feet of customizable multi-use space across 13 meeting rooms for social gatherings and business events. Additional highlights include Taggia, the on-site restaurant featuring authentic coastal Italian cuisine, and Jurlique Spa, a soothing and organic retreat in which to relax, refresh and rejuvenate. www.fireskyresort.com

ABOUT KIMPTON

San Francisco-based Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, a collection of boutique hotels and chef-driven restaurants in the US, is an acknowledged industry pioneer and was the first to bring the boutique hotel concept to America. Founded in 1981 by Bill Kimpton, the company is well-known for making travelers feel welcomed and comfortable while away from home through intuitive and unscripted customer care, stylish ambience and having a certain playfulness in its approach to programs and amenities. Each hotel provides a range of exciting culinary experiences through locally-loved, top-rated, destination, chef-driven restaurants. Kimpton leads the hospitality industry in ecological practices through its innovative EarthCare program that spans all hotels and restaurants. Market Metrix, a recognized authority and leader in feedback solutions, consistently ranks Kimpton above other hotel companies in luxury and upper upscale segments for customer satisfaction. Privately held Kimpton operates 50 hotels and 51 restaurants in 16 states. For more information visit www.KimptonHotels.com or call 1-800-KIMPTON.

Make Reservations, Browse Participating Restaurants & Menus, and Join the Conversation

PHOENIX (July 8, 2010) – Arizona Restaurant Week launched their complete web site for the 2010 event, www.ArizonaRestaurantWeek.com, making it the one-stop shop with a complete list of participating restaurants, pricing and detailed menus. Seats fill up fast, so take advantage of the reservation service on the site to claim a spot at a table from the seat of your couch!

Visit www.ArizonaRestaurantWeek.com for a complete list of all participating restaurants and an online reservation service.

From Sept. 18-26, more than 150 restaurants from both Phoenix and Tucson participate in the event celebrating some of state’s most noteworthy chefs.  The event provides attendees the opportunity to partake in Arizona’s finest fare at a special rate.  Each participating restaurant offers a three-course meal of signature dishes, and this year’s prices are $19 (Tucson only), $29 or $39 per person. Also new for 2010, is gluten-free menu options at select venues. Specific details for each restaurant can be found on the web site

Arizona Restaurant Week also is introducing a new feature to the web site to get mouths watering. A YouTube channel dedicated to the event will highlight a participating venue or chef each week to get a behind-the-scenes scoop about this season’s sizzling dishes. You’ll be able to virtually taste a few of the restaurants’ specialties ahead of time.

Restaurants will continue to be added through the month of July, and access to the growing list can be found on the web site and on Twitter @AZRestaurantWK. You also can join in on the conversation with a special Twitter hash tag, #ARW2010.

Arizona Restaurant Week is sponsored by a variety of local businesses, including Southern Wine & Spirits; Fox Restaurant Concepts; American Express; Crescent Crown Distributing; World Class Beverage; Scottsdale Convention and Visitor’s Bureau; Foodies Like Us; Olson Communications, Inc.; KTVK Channel 3; Tucson Lifestyle Magazine; Tucson Newspapers Inc.; KVOA Channel 4; Alphagraphics; Open Table; The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com; Clear Channel Communications; and Arizona Restaurant Association.

Phoenix and Tucson join 25 other cities throughout the nation already participating in restaurant weeks, including Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.  For more information, contact Sara Anderson, events manager, Arizona Restaurant Association, 602.307.9134 or visit www.ArizonaRestaurantWeek.com.

"Springtime at Balakai Mesa" by Randy Keedah

PRESCOTT, Ariz. (July 9, 2010) – The Prescott Indian Art Market (PIAM) returns July 10-11 to the Sharlot Hall Museum with both traditional and contemporary works of art including Native American jewelry, ceramics, hand-woven baskets, blankets and more. The event, known as one of the premier Native American art markets in the Southwest, continues to thrive with the support of the Prescott community. Talking Rock, a Prescott new homes community, is sponsoring the Native American art event for the sixth year in a row.

“We believe in giving back to our neighbors and are very proud to be a part of the Prescott community where history is just as important as future development,” said Jim Jones, director of sales at Talking Rock. “Sponsoring events like the Prescott Indian Art Market is just one way that Talking Rock gives back.”

An all-Indian artist jury chooses participants for the Prescott Indian Art Market on the basis of quality in both traditional and contemporary designs. This year’s featured artist is Randy Keedah, a self-taught artist specializing in Western, Southwestern and American Indian Fine Art. Entertainment is provided throughout the weekend by Native American dancers, singers and musicians.

About Talking Rock:
Located in a peaceful, rural setting, just minutes from Prescott, Talking Rock is a 3,600-acre private, new homes community with a casual western lifestyle and the amenities of an exclusive country club. The Jay Morrish-designed 7,350-yard championship golf course in Prescott intertwines through more than 1,000 acres of preserved open space, presenting residents with the spaciousness of Arizona’s high country. Talking Rock offers spacious custom homesites, as well as Ranch Cottages, Ranch Homes and Prescott custom homes designed in an authentic ranch style and built by the area’s finest craftsmen. Talking Rock is a development of Harvard Investments, a Scottsdale, Ariz. based real estate development company respected for its high quality, residential projects throughout the Southwest. The Talking Rock golf course and Ranch Compound are professionally managed by OB Sports. More information on Talking Rock and Harvard Investments, Inc. can be reached at 877-922-4440 or www.talkingrockranch.com.