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Colony Capital Announces the Sale of Hospitality Portfolios

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LOS ANGELES–()–Colony Capital, Inc. (NYSE: CLNY) (“Colony Capital” or the “Company”) today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell six of its hospitality portfolios to Highgate, a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company, in a transaction valued at $2.8 billion, including $67.5 million of gross proceeds on a consolidated basis and the assumption of $2.7 billion in consolidated investment-level debt. The six portfolios consist of 22,676 rooms across 197 hotel properties.

As part of the transaction with Highgate, Colony will transfer (i) five of the six portfolios held in the Hospitality segment and (ii) an approximately 55% interest in the THL Portfolio held in the Other Equity and Debt segment. The sixth portfolio in the Hospitality segment, the Inland portfolio, is under receivership and is excluded from the transaction. This transaction will reduce the Company’s consolidated debt outstanding by $2.7 billion, including Colony Capital’s $2.3 billion pro-rata share.

The transaction is consistent with Colony’s stated intention of simplifying its business profile to focus exclusively on digital infrastructure assets. In addition to the strategic benefits of exiting the hospitality business, Colony Capital expects to generate segment and corporate-level G&A savings post-closing.

“We are thrilled to be delivering on our commitment to dispose of non-core assets and harvest positive value for our hospitality business. With its strong track record, unique insights into the hospitality market and creative approach to hotel management, we are confident that Highgate is ideally suited to own and operate these properties,” said Marc Ganzi, CEO of Colony Capital. “The sale of our legacy hospitality assets is a significant milestone in Colony’s digital transformation as we pivot to focus exclusively on our fast-growing digital businesses that generate superior returns for Colony shareholders.”

“We are excited to continue working with the Colony team in executing on this unique transaction,” said Mahmood Khimji, Co-Founder and Managing Principal of Highgate. “Despite the unprecedented disruption in hospitality over the past six months, we remain bullish on the long-term secular trends in our industry, and look forward to partnering with the many employees, franchisors, lenders, and other important stakeholders across these portfolios as we work towards a successful recovery.”

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions and third-party approvals.

Moelis & Company served as financial advisor to Colony Capital in connection with the transaction and Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP served as legal counsel. Latham & Watkins LLP served as legal counsel to Highgate.

About Colony Capital

Colony Capital, Inc. (NYSE: CLNY) is a leading global investment firm with a heritage of identifying and capitalizing on key secular trends in real estate. The Company manages a $46 billion portfolio of real assets on behalf of its shareholders and limited partners, including over $20 billion in digital real estate investments through Digital Colony, its digital infrastructure platform. Colony Capital, structured as a REIT, is headquartered in Los Angeles with key offices in Boca Raton, New York, and London, and has over 350 employees across 20 locations in 11 countries.

About Highgate

Highgate is a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company with over $10 billion of hospitality assets under management, Highgate has a longstanding track record of operating assets for the industry’s largest REITs, private equity firms, institutional funds and private investors. Highgate is a dominant hotel player in key gateway markets throughout the United States and across the Caribbean and Latin America, and operates more than 160 hotels and approximately 45,000 rooms around the world.

Cautionary Statement regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans and strategies, anticipated events or trends and similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” or “potential” or the negative of these words and phrases or similar words or phrases which are predictions of or indicate future events or trends and which do not relate solely to historical matters. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control, and may cause actual results to differ significantly from those expressed in any forward-looking statement. Factors that might cause such a difference include, without limitation, whether the Company will complete the sale of its hospitality portfolios within the timeframe anticipated or at all, including the Company’s ability to obtain any necessary third-party approvals to consummate the transaction, whether the Company will realize any of the anticipated benefits from the transaction, including generating segment and corporate-level G&A savings post-closing and simplifying the Company’s business profile to focus exclusively on digital infrastructure assets, in the time anticipated or at all, the Company’s ability to divest of non-core assets and the timing of such divestiture, the pace of growth of the Company’s digital businesses, the Company’s ability to achieve superior returns from its digital businesses for the Company’s shareholders and other risks and uncertainties, including those detailed in Colony Capital’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020, Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2020 and its other reports filed from time to time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). All forward-looking statements reflect the Company’s good faith beliefs, assumptions and expectations, but they are not guarantees of future performance. Colony Capital cautions investors not to unduly rely on any forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release. Colony Capital is under no duty to update any of these forward-looking statements after the date of this press release, nor to conform prior statements to actual results or revised expectations, and Colony Capital does not intend to do so.

GBAC STAR™ Cleaning Accreditation Lands at Montreal-Trudeau International Airport, Professional Sports Stadiums, Hotels & More

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NORTHBROOK, Ill.–()–The Global Biorisk Advisory Council® (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, has awarded GBAC STAR™ accreditation to 57 new facilities this week. Montreal-Trudeau International Airport in Montreal, CenturyLink Field, home to the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks, in Seattle, Lincoln Financial Field, home to the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles, in Philadelphia, additional Hyatt properties and more are recognized for their thorough approach to cleaning, disinfection, and infection prevention.

“Each week, we see more organizations achieve GBAC STAR accreditation and others commit to completing this process because they are dedicated to protecting their patrons and employees,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “While it’s unclear when the COVID-19 pandemic will end, we are certain that accredited facilities have the highest regards for health and safety in this new normal along with a commitment to continuous improvement going forward.”

GBAC STAR is an important indicator of a facility’s ability to prepare, respond, and recover from infectious disease and biohazard threats. The accreditation is renewed annually to encourage organizations to document their progress and continually strive for improvement.

The following facilities are now GBAC STAR accredited:

Airport

  • Montreal-Trudeau International Airport in Montreal

Convention Centers

  • America’s Center in St. Louis
  • ASM Global – Antiguo Casino de Puerto Rico in San Juan, Puerto Rico
  • Buffalo Niagara Convention Center in Buffalo, N.Y.
  • Calgary TELUS Convention Center in Calgary, Alberta
  • Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, N.C.
  • Edmonton Convention Center in Edmonton, Alberta
  • Edmonton EXPO Centre in Edmonton, Alberta
  • Gatlinburg Convention Center in Gatlinburg, Tenn.
  • Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, Wisc.
  • Oakland Convention Center in Oakland, Calif.
  • Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia
  • Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex in Raleigh, N.C.
  • Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Fla.
  • Visalia Convention Center in Visalia, Calif.

Hotels

  • Adare Manor, a Leading Hotels of the World member property, in Adare, County Limerick, Ireland
  • Andaz Singapore in Singapore
  • Due Torri Hotel in Verona, Italy
  • Grand Hyatt Jeju in Jeju-do, South Korea
  • Grand Hotel Majestic gia Baglioni in Bologna, Italy
  • Grand Hyatt at SFO in San Francisco
  • Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco
  • Hôtel Martinez in Cannes, France
  • Hyatt Centric Las Condes Santiago in Santiago, Chile
  • Hyatt Centric Waikiki Beach in Honolulu
  • Hyatt House Augusta/Downtown in Augusta, Georgia
  • Hyatt House San Jose Airport in San Jose, Calif.
  • Hyatt House San Ramon in San Ramon, Calif.
  • Hyatt Place Fort Lauderdale/Plantation in Plantation, Fla.
  • Hyatt Place Nashville/Franklin/Cool Springs in Franklin, Tenn.
  • Hyatt Place Zurich Airport The Circle in Zurich
  • Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay Golf Resort, Spa & Marina in Cambridge, Md.
  • Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa in Danang, Vietnam
  • Hyatt Regency Denver Tech Center in Denver
  • Hyatt Regency Hengqin in Hengqin, China
  • Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill in London
  • Hyatt Regency Sacramento in Sacramento, Calif.
  • Hyatt Regency San Antonio Riverwalk in San Antonio
  • LEVEL Furnished Living – Chicago Old Town in Chicago
  • LEVEL Furnished Living – Chicago River North in Chicago
  • LEVEL Furnished Living – Los Angeles Downtown – Flower in Los Angeles
  • LEVEL Furnished Living – Los Angeles Downtown – South Hill in Los Angeles
  • LEVEL Furnished Living – Los Angeles Downtown – South Olive in Los Angeles
  • Llao Llao Resort, Golf & Spa in Bariloche, Argentina
  • Motif Seattle in Seattle
  • Okura Prestige Bangkok, a Leading Hotels of the World member property, in Bangkok
  • Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa in the Maldives
  • Park Hyatt Vienna in Vienna

Industrial/Commercial

  • Abington Reldan Metals in Fairless Hills, Penn.
  • Allied Restoration Services, Inc. in West Covina, Calif.

Retail

  • Japan House Los Angeles in Los Angeles
  • The Avenue Viera in Viera, Fla.

Stadiums/Performance Venues

  • BC Place, home to the MLS’s Vancouver Whitecaps and the CFL’s BC Lions, in Vancouver, B.C.
  • Blumenthal Performing Arts in Charlotte, N.C.
  • CenturyLink Field in Seattle
  • Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia
  • Mizner Park Amphitheater in Boca Raton, Fla.

“The GBAC STAR program is the gold standard of prepared facilities and will help the public gauge an organization’s commitment to the elevated standard of cleanliness that is now essential,” said ISSA Executive Director John Barrett. “We are thrilled to welcome additional facilities in North America, Europe and Asia this week.”

Apply for GBAC STAR facility accreditation at gbac.org/star. To view the list of accredited facilities, committed facilities, and industry supporters, visit https://gbac.issa.com/gbac-star-facilities-and-supporters/.

About GBAC, a Division of ISSA

Composed of international leaders in the field of microbial-pathogenic threat analysis, mitigation, response and recovery, the Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, provides training, guidance, accreditation, certification, crisis management assistance and leadership to government, commercial and private entities looking to mitigate, quickly address and/or recover from biological threats and real-time crises. The organization’s services include biorisk management program assessment and training, Forensic Restoration® response and remediation, the GBAC STAR™ facility accreditation program, training and certification of individuals and consulting for building owners and facility managers. For more information, visit www.gbac.org.

About ISSA

With more than 9,300 members—including distributors, manufacturers, manufacturer representatives, wholesalers, building service contractors, in-house service providers, residential cleaners and associated service members—ISSA is the world’s leading trade association for the cleaning industry. The association is committed to changing the way the world views cleaning by providing its members with the business tools they need to promote cleaning as an investment in human health, the environment and an improved bottom line. Headquartered in Northbrook, Ill., USA, the association has regional offices in Mainz, Germany; Whitby, Canada; Parramatta, Australia; Seoul, South Korea; and Shanghai, China. For more information about ISSA, visit www.issa.com or call 800-225-4772 (North America) or 847-982-0800.

The Automotive Edge Computing Consortium Joins 3GPP as a Market Representation Partner

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WAKEFIELD, Mass.–()–The Automotive Edge Computing Consortium (AECC), the organization working to explore the data and communications needs of the rapidly evolving connected car ecosystem, announced that it has joined the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) as a Market Representation Partner (MRP). 3GPP produces technical specifications, which are translated by relevant standards bodies into appropriate deliverables, such as standards. MRPs offer market advice to 3GPP about their specific sectors for consideration in the 3GPP’s specification planning and development.

Specifically, AECC plans to bring into 3GPP a consensus view of market requirements such as services, features and functionality that fall within the 3GPP’s scope of work. The AECC Liaison Committee worked with 3GPP to establish the AECC’s MRP.

“We look forward to collaborating with 3GPP, confirming the importance of engaging with other industry organizations that can benefit from the AECC’s ecosystem approach,” said AECC President and Chairperson and Toyota Motor Corporation’s General Manager for Connected Strategy Ken-ichi Murata. “We are confident that our technical knowledge and expertise will prove valuable to 3GPP efforts.”

Connected vehicle areas in which the AECC will collaborate with 3GPP include high-speed mobile networks, edge computing; wireless technology; distributed computing; management of high data volumes; and artificial intelligence.

“We are pleased to have the Automotive Edge Computing Consortium join 3GPP as a Market Representation Partner. There is a great need in the project for expertise on specialist areas such as intelligent driving, high-definition maps, driver assistance systems and mobility services. These use cases bring requirements that will feed proposals for solutions to help 3GPP networks support automotive needs for data at the mobile edge,” said Luis Jorge Romero, Chair of the 3GPP Project Coordination Group (PCG).

About the AECC Liaison Committee

The AECC Liaison Committee focuses on advancing cooperation with technology associations and SDOs to share connected vehicle ecosystem insights and collaborate on best practices. To learn more, visit https://aecc.org/.

About the AECC

The Automotive Edge Computing Consortium (AECC) is an association of cross-industry, global leaders working to explore the rapidly evolving and significant data and communications needs involved in instrumenting billions of vehicles worldwide. The AECC’s goal is to find more efficient ways to support the high-volume data and intelligent services needed for distributed computing and network architecture and infrastructure. The AECC’s members are key players in the automotive, high-speed mobile network, edge computing, wireless technology, distributed computing, and artificial intelligence markets. For more information about the AECC and its membership benefits, please visit https://aecc.org/.

Canadian Municipalities Join Forces With Operation Lifesaver to Raise Awareness About Rail-Crossing Safety

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OTTAWA, Ontario–()–Every year, dozens of Canadians are killed or seriously injured in collisions at railway crossings. In fact, there were 174 such incidents in Canada in 2019, which killed 28 people and seriously injured another 29. Sadly, virtually all these tragedies are preventable.

Today, as part of Rail Safety Week (September 21-27, 2020), Operation Lifesaver Canada is pleased to announce that 125 rail-safety decals are being unveiled in 30 communities across the country as part of OL’s “Look. Listen. Live.” Community Safety Partnership Program.

Through the program, OL works with municipalities to identify locations where bright yellow and black rail-safety decals can be installed near railway crossings. Each decal features a black silhouette of a train, as well as the words “Look. Listen. Live.”—OL’s important rail-safety message. The goal of the decals is simple: to prevent tragic crossing incidents by making pedestrians, cyclists and drivers more aware of the need to be extra vigilant around railway crossings.

“Incidents at railway crossings are tragically common across this country, and each one affects the victim’s family and friends, as well as railway employees, first responders and broader communities,” said Sarah Mayes, National Director of Operation Lifesaver Canada. “This program aims to make the public more aware of the hazards around rail crossings, which will hopefully save lives. We want people to slow down, look in both directions, listen for approaching trains, and obey all railway warning signs and signals.”

Vancouver, B.C., and London, Ont., became the first Canadian cities to sign onto the Community Safety Partnership Program in 2018, and were swiftly followed by seven more municipalities in 2019. OL is delighted that more than two dozen additional municipalities ― from Chilliwack to Fredericton Junction and Saskatoon to Kingston ― have now joined the program by installing decals in their communities.

“Rail safety is a shared responsibility, and we’re pleased that so many communities have recognized that and chosen to join forces with us through the Community Safety Partnership Program,” said Mayes. “We hope to build on the program’s momentum, and work with even more municipalities to spread the rail-safety message and save lives.”

Municipalities can obtain more information about the Community Safety Partnership Program by visiting OL’s website. OL also recently unveiled a free toolkit for communities to use in promoting rail safety to their residents; it’s available at operationlifesaver.ca.

About Operation Lifesaver Canada

Operation Lifesaver Canada is a national public rail-safety program sponsored by Transport Canada, the Railway Association of Canada and its members, including CN, CP, VIA Rail, Metrolinx, exo, West Coast Express and Genesee & Wyoming, among others. Through its national network of Rail Safety Ambassadors, partnerships with safety councils, police, the trucking industry and community groups, and innovative tools such as its virtual-reality Look. Listen. Live. campaign, Operation Lifesaver Canada works to save lives by educating Canadians about the hazards of rail crossings and trespassing on railway property. Canadians can keep up-to-date on the latest rail safety news by visiting operationlifesaver.ca.

Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company Announces Official Coaches Roster for NFL Alumni Academy Development Program

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CANTON, Ohio–()–Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (“HOFV” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: HOFV, HOFVW), the only resort, entertainment and media company centered around the power of professional football and owner of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, Ohio, today announced the coaches roster for the inaugural NFL Alumni Academy (the “Academy”), the NFL Alumni Association’s player development program that kicks off at the Hall of Fame Village Powered by Johnson Controls this week. Eight former NFL coaches and players – Mike Tice, Jay Hayes, Steve Smith, Anthony Munoz, Chuck Smith, Moe Williams, Jermon Bushrod and Dean Dalton – are committing their time and talents toward building the next generation of professional football players.

The Academy is an unprecedented, invitation-only in-season training program designed to prepare the top available free agent player-prospects for opportunities at the next level. Participants, which include the top-graded players that were released from NFL training camps, will have the opportunity to work on improving their strength and conditioning under the tutelage of elite former NFL personnel, with the end goal of being promoted to an NFL roster and enjoying a career at the game’s highest level of competition.

“We are honored to have some of the greatest minds and coaches in professional football join us for this program at the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls,” said Michael Crawford, President and CEO of HOFV. “The Academy is truly innovative and there’s nothing like it anywhere else in the world, providing us with the unique opportunity to create original media programing. We plan to produce content that will give fans and younger players a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look of what it takes to make it to the NFL.”

The eight coaches for the Academy staff were deliberately chosen given their extensive and successful careers in professional football as coaches or players. These coaches have either been involved in or devoted large portions of their lives to the game of football and understand what it takes to not only make it to the NFL, but also become an integral part of an NFL franchise for the long term.

“The NFL Alumni Academy is designed to develop NFL-ready talent to become complete professionals, giving them exposure to all 32 NFL teams to generate the best opportunities to successfully sign with an NFL franchise,” said NFL Alumni Academy Executive Director Dean Dalton. “Players will have the ultimate opportunity to improve on the field and compete on NFL rosters because they will work every day with some of the best in the business. It goes without saying that all the coaches engaged with the Academy bring tremendous knowledge based off of their past NFL successes.”

The credentials of the coaches leading the Academy can be found below:

  • Mike Tice – A former tight end for the Seattle Seahawks, Washington Redskins and Minnesota Vikings, Mr. Tice followed his 11-year playing career with 17 years as an offensive line coach and offensive coordinator along with four years as the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings, leading them to the playoffs.
  • Jay Hayes – An NFL coach for over 20 years for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Minnesota Vikings, Cincinnati Bengals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Mr. Hayes recently joined his NFL-veteran brother Jonathon as an XFL defensive coordinator. Additionally, Coach Hayes spent 11 seasons at top NCAA Division football programs including Cal and Notre Dame.
  • Steve Smith – As an NFL coach with the Kansas City Chiefs plus a two-year tenure in NFL Europe, Smith also participated in training camp coaching fellowship programs with five NFL teams. Throughout his career, he has also been a collegiate head coach and has had stints in the Arena League and the XFL.
  • Anthony Munoz – Coach Munoz is a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee celebrating his enshrinement as a member of the Class of 1998. He is one of the absolute best ever to play offensive tackle in the NFL and was the first-round draft pick of the Cincinnati Bengals as the third player selected overall in the 1980 NFL Draft. During his 13 seasons of play, Mr. Munoz was elected to 11 Pro Bowls, named All-Pro 11 consecutive times, and was named the NFL Offensive Lineman of the Year in 1981, 1987, and 1988.
  • Chuck Smith – A pass rush specialist, Coach Smith played eight seasons for the Atlanta Falcons, leading them to the Super Bowl and also playing a season with the Carolina Panthers. Mr. Smith was a standout at the University of Tennessee where he played in both the Sugar and Fiesta Bowls, and earned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) honor at the Senior Bowl.
  • Moe Williams – The University of Kentucky running back was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1996. A team leader with the Vikings, Mr. Williams spent over nine years in Minnesota on some of the top offenses in NFL history. Mr. Williams went on to play for the Baltimore Ravens before spending time coaching at his alma mater, in the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and with the Oakland Raiders in its training camp fellowship program.
  • Jermon Bushrod – The Towson University product was drafted in the 4th round by the New Orleans Saints and played seven of his 12 NFL seasons there. Overcoming the odds as a small-school product, Bushrod’s 12-year NFL career also included starting for the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins. Mr. Bushrod was a two-time Pro Bowl player and a Super Bowl Champion.
  • Dean Dalton – The Executive Director of the NFL Alumni Academy also enjoyed a long and successful NFL coaching career with the Minnesota Vikings. As an offensive coach with one of the highest-powered offensive teams in NFL history, and one with record setting successes, Dalton also was the running backs coach for the number one rushing team in the National Football League. Additionally, Dalton coached collegiately at Western Illinois, Purdue, Texas Southern University and Wisconsin.

Diversity will always be a key component of the Academy program, and its composition will directly reflect the wide range of individuals that it serves. The Academy includes a Football Diversity Development program which works to advance minority former NFL players that are transitioning to coaching and other professional football positions. This initiative will create a variety of professional opportunities for many NFL Alumni Association members.

The Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium at the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls will initially serve as the NFL Alumni Association and NFL Alumni Academy’s headquarters and training facility. The Academy will then move to the Center for Performance, which will be located on the Village’s campus and is anticipated to be completed in 2022. The Center for Performance will feature an 80,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art indoor field house and training facility, among other amenities.

More details about the players who will be involved in the Academy and opportunities for fans to engage with Academy players and coaches will be announced in the near future.

About the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company

The Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company (NASDAQ: HOFV, HOFVW) is a resort and entertainment company leveraging the power and popularity of professional football and its legendary players in partnership with the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Headquartered in Canton, Ohio, the Hall of Fame Resort & Entertainment Company is the owner of the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls, a multi-use sports, entertainment and media destination centered around the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s campus. Additional information on the Company can be found at www.HOFREco.com.

About the NFL Alumni Association

The NFL Alumni Association is a nationwide group of former National Football League players, coaches and other employees whose mission is to serve, assist and inform former players and their families. The association offers a variety of medical, financial and social programs to help members lead healthy, productive and connected lives, as well as community initiatives under the NFL Alumni’s “Caring for Kids” programs. The NFL Alumni Association hosts the NFL Alumni Academy Player Development Program each football season at the Hall of Fame Village powered by Johnson Controls in Canton, Ohio. The NFL Alumni Academy provides a pathway for the top graded players that were released from NFL training camps to return to the NFL by giving them the opportunity to further develop their skills and realize their potential by training under the tutelage of elite former NFL coaches, players and performance coaches.

Aggressor Adventures Honored With 79 Reader’s Choice Awards from Scuba Diving Magazine

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AUGUSTA, Ga.–()–Aggressor Adventures, leading adventure travel company, has been awarded 79 Scuba Diving Magazine 2021 Reader’s Choice Awards with an impressive 34 award lead over the runner up. The publication’s annual Reader’s Choice survey gives thousands of Scuba Diver Magazine subscribers and online users the chance to voice their opinion on their favorite dive destinations operators, liveaboards, sites and more.

“We made a commitment to our customers and our team members during the pandemic; to be recognized by the scuba diving community like this with so many awards validates all the hard work we put in these past six months,” says Aggressor Chairman and CEO Wayne Brown. “I can’t wait to celebrate these awards with our team and honor them for their commitment to exceptional service and providing an adventure of a lifetime to our guests.”

The liveaboards selected for awards include the Belize Aggressor III, Belize Aggressor IV, Bahamas Aggressor, Cayman Aggressor V, Roatan Aggressor, Turks & Caicos Aggressor, Galapagos Aggressor III, Kona Aggressor II, Maldives Aggressor II, Palau Aggressor II and the Red Sea Aggressor II. A small sampling of award categories includes Best Overall, Attention to Safety, Level of Luxury, Level of Value, Quality of Staff, Quality of Rental Gear and Quality of Food. The full list of awards can be found here.

Since 1984, Aggressor Adventures® has offered travelers liveaboard scuba and snorkeling charters, luxury river cruises and exotic wildlife safaris. Worldwide locations the company explores include Bahamas, Belize, Cayman Islands, Cocos Island, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Galapagos, Hawaii, Indonesia, Maldives, Mexico, Oman, Palau, Red Sea, Roatan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Turks and Caicos. For reservations, visit www.aggressor.com or call (800) 348-2628 or +1 (706) 993-2531.

New Rapid COVID-19 Test Taking off at EIA

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EDMONTON, Alberta–()–Edmonton International Airport has been chosen as the exclusive location to trial a new COVID-19 test that can produce results in seconds.

In partnership with GLC Medical (GLCM) Inc., a subsidiary of Graphene Leaders Canada (GLC) Inc., an Edmonton-based company, EIA will host clinical trials of this new technology that has the potential to have global implications for COVID-19 testing. This test is conducted with a handheld unit that takes a saliva sample from a person and is expected to tell if someone has COVID-19 in under 1-minute, compared to other tests with longer laboratory-based waiting periods for results. This test promises many advantages from its ease of use to the elimination of the nasal swab to direct virus detection. This kind of test will help address the need for a 14-day quarantine period in Canada and potentially other international quarantine restrictions. By removing or reducing this barrier, it can help travellers feel safer in returning to travel.

GLC Medical (GLCM) Inc. is headquartered in the Edmonton Research Park and has garnered international attention for the development of this test, which is still undergoing clinical testing as part of the regulatory approval process with health authorities. As an airport, EIA understands working with governments and within a regulated structure. With secure and safe facilities and a consistent flow of passengers, it’s one reason an airport is an ideal place to start testing the trial phase of this new COVID-19 rapid test.

“We all want travel to get back to normal and a rapid COVID-19 test will accelerate this return while enhancing passenger confidence in the safety of our industry. While we have seen some growth in recent months, our passenger numbers during COVID-19 continue to remain low and a test like this is crucial to our future. All airlines, airports and the whole travel and hospitality sector are looking for this solution. If EIA can play a role in bringing new technology and science forward by partnering with experts like GLC that’s exactly what we’re going to do. This is an exciting opportunity for all of us.”

-Tom Ruth, President and CEO, Edmonton International Airport

“We are very excited to offer the world a graphene-enhanced rapid solution in COVID-19 virus detection. The opportunity to collaborate with EIA, a world-respected airport authority, to enable travel and to bring families back together is very rewarding for us. This graphene-enhanced rapid test demonstrates the power of graphene innovation to overcome the challenges of COVID-19. GLC is proud to be a part of EIA’s initiative in setting the global standard in safety and reliability for their travellers.”

-Donna Mandau, President & CEO, Graphene Leaders Canada (GLC) Inc. / GLC Medical (GLCM) Inc.

How the test works

  • The person being tested provides a saliva sample into the testing unit;
  • The graphene surface inside the testing unit is designed to bond to the spike protein in the virus;
  • This binding event changes the electronic characteristics of the graphene, and this measurable change is what is used to determine if a person is infected or not;
  • The device will show a red or green light in under 1-minute to indicate if a person is virus free or not;
  • The test is not required to be administered by a medical professional and with training can be administered by anyone, similar to how basic first aid training is done.

The next step is to bring this test and GLC to EIA and establish a safe and secure test site. Details about the testing and the process will be shared in the coming weeks. A start date has not been determined, but once it begins, the clinical trial will last several weeks over this fall. This trial phase will help GLC Medical secure regulatory approval and certification for its test from Health Canada and other regulatory bodies, including in the United States and other areas of the world.

As a not-for-profit corporation, EIA works to attract investment and jobs to the Edmonton Metro Region and support local innovation. Airports connect global communities and create opportunities for people and business. The partnership with GLC Medical has tremendous opportunities to impact many industries beyond just the travel industry. EIA is focused on safety and security as its number one core value and creating a safe passenger experience at the airport is a priority. The EIA Ready program focuses not only on enhanced cleaning but also seeking out and adopting new innovations and technologies to help passengers feel comfortable in the airport and with travel overall. The recent announcement of EIA being accredited by Airports Council International (ACI) with the airport health certification is yet another example of how EIA is putting safety and security as a top priority in creating a safe airport. Visit flyeia.com/ready for more information.

About Edmonton International Airport

Edmonton International Airport is a self-funded, not-for-profit corporation whose mandate is to drive economic prosperity for the Edmonton Region. EIA is Canada’s fifth-busiest airport by passenger traffic and the largest major Canadian airport by land area. EIA offers non-stop connections to destinations across Canada, the US, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe. EIA is a major economic driver, with an economic output of over $3.2 billion, supporting over 26000 jobs. For more information, please visit: flyeia.com, follow @flyeia on Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin or Facebook.

About GLC

Graphene Leaders Canada (GLC) Inc. is a Canadian technology company producing high quality, high purity graphene nanomaterials which functions as a platform technology with the ability to add value across numerous applications. Graphene Leaders Canada Inc. is focused to work with industry to develop solutions by integrating the graphene to develop new innovative products. GLC’s tag line is “Making Great Products Even Greater”.
GLC Medical (GLCM) Inc. is a subsidiary of GLC Inc. and offers graphene solutions in the medical industry leveraging our material science expertise in working with high quality graphene and developing products and solutions to serve the betterment of People and Planet.

TravelWifi Acquires Jakarta-based Wifi Republic to Extend Global Footprint

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HOUSTON–()–TravelWifi CEO Wallace Davis announced today the recent acquisition of Jakarta-based Wifi Republic, a leading provider of mobile Wi-Fi solutions in Indonesia.

Founded in 2016, Wifi Republic has a strong presence throughout this country comprised of more than 17,000 islands straddling the Indian and Pacific Oceans. The company maintains strategic alliances with travel-related businesses and has a network of nearly 10,000 drop points for rented mobile hotspots using the Alfamart and Indomaret convenience store franchises.

“It just makes sense for Wifi Republic to join the growing family of TravelWifi companies,” said Davis. “The acquisition further strengthens our goal to become a global leader of mobile Wi-Fi solutions.” Wifi Republic operates physical locations in major cities throughout Indonesia such as Jakarta, Bekasi, Tangerang Selatan, Surabaya, Bali, Depok, Batam, Medan, Semarang, Bogor, and Depok.

Wifi Republic joins TravelWifi in offering rentable portable Wi-Fi hotspots and SIM card solutions that provide unlimited data at affordable prices, allowing people to stay connected as they travel, work remotely, or even attend virtual classes for school. In addition to these personal mobile connectivity products, TravelWifi also offers a router for businesses looking for reliable backups to primary physical internet connectivity. Wifi Republic is the company’s sixth acquisition, joining:

  • TEP – Focused on U.S. travelers
  • Trinus – Unique SIM card offerings for Latin American B2B
  • Yogofi – Hospitality-centric B2C rentals and B2B2C capacity throughout Asia
  • Bienvenue – Service-oriented B2B2C offerings for the travel and hospitality industries
  • Travel Wifi – Paris-based B2C offerings with highly visible airport and event partnerships

Previously known as DHI Telecom, the Houston-based parent company recently rebranded itself as TravelWifi. “We examined how we want the world to know us,” explained Davis. “The TravelWifi name encapsulates our mission and resonates with our audiences. It is defined by freedom, adventure, courage, and achievement. TravelWifi offers the ability to travel simply, with innovative solutions and connection to what matters. It is the next dimension of travel. Today.”

The company uses innovative virtual SIM technology to offer a suite of products focused on Wi-Fi connectivity and managed network solutions in more than 130 countries. Customers include business and leisure travelers, organizations dependent on mobile connectivity, as well as tens of thousands of members of the U.S. military and Department of Defense overseas. Its pocket-sized flagship product – the award-winning Sapphire Wi-Fi device – use CloudSIM technology to create a hotspot with up to 4G LTE speeds. Recent recognition includes:

  • Best Military Telecommunications Providers and Most Innovative Travel Gadget by Corporate Vision Telecom Awards, 2019
  • Gold in Telecommunications for Sapphire by the Golden Bridge Awards, 2019
  • Named Next-Gen Wi-Fi Solution of the Year by Mobile Breakthrough Awards, 2019

Global Travel Industry Embracing Autonomous UVD Robots

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ODENSE, Denmark–()–With the latest forecast by the U.S. Travel Association by Tourism Economics predicting $505 billion in losses globally through the end of 2020, UVD Robots announced its autonomous disinfecting robot is being increasingly deployed within hotels, railways, and airports across the globe. UVD Robots’ mobile, fully autonomous robot integrates UVC light and a large number of disinfection-specialized apps to disinfect against viruses and bacteria not only on surfaces, but the air as well, providing a fully comprehensive infection control and prevention solution.

“As the travel and hospitality industry looks to bring travelers back, they are working to meet new and heightened expectations for safety and cleanliness in order to build trust,” said Per Juul Nielsen, CEO of UVD Robots. “Because our UVD Robots are simple, safe and effective, we are working with an increasing number of hotels, airports, railways and others to bring hospital-grade disinfection solutions to these facilities. We couldn’t be more thrilled than to play a role in the recovery of this industry.”

Hotels

In early September, YOTEL Boston, a hotel featuring 326 cabins located in Boston’s Seaport District, announced it would implement the UVD Robots technology. Beginning September 15, 2020, select cabins within YOTEL are being cleaned by the UVD Robots when vacant, while all high-touch public spaces are also being disinfected upon closing.

“YOTEL Boston is honored to implement the UVD Robot technology, offering guests an even deeper level of disinfection throughout public spaces and selected cabins,” said Trish Berry, General Manager, YOTEL Boston. “Right now it’s critical for the hospitality industry to not only enhance how we protect travelers, but also provide them with reassurance that we’re taking every possible step from check-in to check-out. Our partnership with UVD Robots is an extension of the YOTEL signature hi-tech, lo-touch customer experience and the operation #SmartStay protocols we’ve established to deliver every type of guest with exactly what they need to feel safe throughout their travels.”

The autonomous disinfection robots are also in use in Europe’s hotel industry, e.g. at the Clarion Hotel & Congress Copenhagen Airport applying UVD Robots to disinfect conference rooms and public areas.

“It’s a very exciting opportunity for us to explore the use of UVD Robots. I’m amazed to see robots now move from mowing your lawn and vacuuming your house to handling disinfection,” explained the General Manager Jesper Olesen, who also highlights this as a competitive differentiator. “We see hospital-grade disinfection as an important part of our new value proposition when communicating to guests why they should choose our hotel.”

Airports and train stations

Last week, The Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GRR) became one of the first airports in the U.S. to use a UVD Robot. UVD Robots were used to disinfect bathrooms, baggage claim areas, passenger checkpoints, TSA areas, and more after hours.

“Grand Rapids airport chose to use UVD Robots due to the autonomous ability of the product allowing GRR to be on the forefront of UVC Technology,” explained Timothy Haizlip, C.M., Maintenance Director of Gerald R. Ford International Airport Authority. “UVC technology creates a safer environment for our travelers and is in alignment with our ‘Fly Safe, Fly Ford’ Campaign.”

Additionally, as part of its “Fly Safe” campaign addressing Covid-19, UVD Robots has been operational at Heathrow Airport in London for more than two months. “We’ve received an excellent response on the robots’ performance there,” says Heath Williams, CEO and Founder of Nordic Eye Sales Accelerator, UVD Robots’ sales partner in the UK, who is also working with St. Pancras International railway station in London, which will be receiving UVD Robots in the coming days, and planning to deploy them to disinfect washrooms at the stations.

Several additional projects are also currently being carried out in the travel industry within the Middle East, including the Hamad International Airport in Qatar.

About UVD Robots & Blue Ocean Robotics

UVD Robots is a subsidiary of one of the world’s leading groups in the development of professional service robots, Blue Ocean Robotics, that also includes subsidiaries like GoBe Robots, PTR Robots and Mink Robots. Blue Ocean Robotics is headquartered in Europe’s “robot capital” Odense in Denmark, where the group develops, produces and sells professional service robots primarily in healthcare, hospitality, construction, and agriculture. The robots are developed from problem, idea and design over development, commercialization and all the way to scale up. Each robot is organized in its own subsidiary-venture company, making Blue Ocean Robotics the world’s first Robot Venture Factory.

Link to Press Kit

Travel Insurance Market Procurement Intelligence Report with COVID-19 Impact Analysis | Global Forecasts, 2020-2024

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LONDON–()–The Travel Insurance market will register an incremental spend of about $9 billion, growing at a CAGR of 8.06% during the five-year forecast period. A targeted strategic approach to Travel Insurance sourcing can unlock several opportunities for buyers. This report also offers market impact and new opportunities created due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Request free sample pages

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  • What are the procurement best practices in this market?

Information on Latest Trends and Supply Chain Market Information Knowledge centre on COVID-19 impact assessment

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Insights into buyer strategies and tactical negotiation levers:

Several strategic and tactical negotiation levers are explained in the report to help buyers achieve the best prices for Travel Insurance market. The report also aids buyers with relevant Travel Insurance pricing levels, pros and cons of prevalent pricing models such as volume-based pricing, spot pricing, and cost-plus pricing and category management strategies and best practices to fulfil their category objectives.

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Some of the top Travel Insurance suppliers listed in this report:

This Travel Insurance procurement intelligence report has enlisted the top suppliers and their cost structures, SLA terms, best selection criteria, and negotiation strategies.

  • Allianz SE
  • Aviva Plc
  • AXA Group
  • Assicurazioni Generali Spa
  • Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
  • American International Group Inc.
  • UnitedHealth Group Inc.
  • Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd.
  • USI Insurance Services
  • Seven Corners Inc.

This procurement report helps buyers identify and shortlist the most suitable suppliers for their Travel Insurance requirements by answering the following questions:

  • Am I engaging with the right suppliers?
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Table of Content

  • Executive Summary
  • Market Insights
  • Category Pricing Insights
  • Cost-saving Opportunities
  • Best Practices
  • Category Ecosystem
  • Category Management Strategy
  • Category Management Enablers
  • Suppliers Selection
  • Suppliers under Coverage
  • US Market Insights
  • Category scope

Appendix

About SpendEdge:

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