Boston, Massachusetts 2015

Our Director of Business Development, Katherine Smolko, traveled all the way to Cambridge, Massachusetts to take a family tour of Harvard. While she was there Smolko took some great photo's of the campus and got to visit Paul Revere's grave site. Check out the photo's below!

Smolko also shared that she got to stay at the InterContinental Boston and had a wonderful stay! She thanks them for their astounding hospitality.

Where's Kal? | The Village at Squaw Valley

The Village at Squaw Valley offers the best in lodging convenience. The Village features world-class amenities and services. This beautiful property consists of 5 unique buildings surrounded by charming cobblestone walkways. The first level, below the guest suites boasts diverse boutiques, a variety of dining options, lively bars and pubs an art gallery and a full service Spa. The Village at Squaw Valley is an all suite resort property. All Suites have a full size kitchen with granite counter tops and slate tile flooring, a hydronic floor heating system, a full size family room with automatic gas fireplace, private balcony with majestic mountain views.

• Year Built 2005
• Exhibit Space 6,000 Sq.Ft.
• Proximity from Airport 45 Miles 
• Number of Suites 285
• Number of Single Rooms 100 
• Number of Double Rooms 65

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This year-round resort is situated in beautiful Lake Tahoe where on average there are over 300 days of California sunshine. With endless options of activities there’s something for everyone. Check out the map below to discover how close The Village is to you.

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The Village is committed to maintaining the original Olympic House and Members Locker Rooms that have been in use since the 1960s. Squaw Valley was also named the Official Training Destination of IRONMAN for the Western United States.

"We are excited to enter into this sponsorship agreement with Squaw Valley as they will be able to offer our IRONMAN community a terrific training experience," said Andrew Messick, Chief Executive Officer for World Triathlon Corporation (d/b/a IRONMAN). "We are confident that Squaw Valley will continue to develop as a top notch training venue for triathletes." 

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Did you locate Kal?! Let us know where he is in the comment section! If you have ever been to The Village at Squaw Valley or plan on visiting, please let us know! Tweet us @Percipia1 if you want us to feature a specific property!

Croc's Casino & Resort

On February 12th, 2015 Croc’s Casino and Resort will have its grand opening.  The 152 hotel room/ 44 beachfront condo property is located on the beautiful blue beaches of Jaco, Costa Rica. The feature that makes Croc’s unique would be the full Las Vegas style casino.

“With the management of experts of the gaming industry in Las Vegas, our Casino will be a living experience every day, with top service and entertainment in a tropical setting with ocean views.”

Here is list of features at Croc’s Casino & Resort:

• Full casino
• 152 Beachfront Hotel Rooms
• Fitness center
• Salon
• Luxury spa
• Dance club
• 3 restaurants
• Oceanfront bars
• Retail stores

Whether you are there for vacation, business or weddings Croc’s has everything for everyone. The resort is family friendly and has a ton to offer the little ones like local adventures and water sports. Wedding packages are on their website and feature very reasonable prices for a destination wedding.

We were honored getting selected by Croc’s to install our Latitude and Parallax products at this stunning property. Click here to connect to our website to see the full list of our products.

The resort is now featuring special offers for the month of June 2015, if you are interested in visiting the new property.

TribalNet15

This year the team headed to Las Vegas for TribalNet15. TribalNet is an industry resource for technology professionals in the Native American industry and is the connection between tribal IT leaders and technology available for this unique and specific market.

The conference was held on November 10th – 13th. With speakers and trade show booked throughout. TribalNet is a very important event for Percipia, we see so many individuals in our industry and it is always a blast to network.

Here is a timelapse video we made at the resort!

2014 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

This Sunday, October 12, 2014, around 45,000 participants will run the streets of Chicago in the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Runners from all 50 states and more than 100 countries will set out to accomplish their personal dreams. The Chicago Marathon has been around since 1905. That first race was run on Saturday, September 23, 1905, which began in Evanston and finished in front of a standing-room-only paying crowd at Washington Park race track.

Some runners will finish the race in two hours. In order to do that, they will be running at the speeds of 12.5 mph for a constant two hours. Luckily there will be 200 students from the Chicago Cortiva Institute offing complimentary massage therapy. This will go on between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The massage tent will be located within the 27th Mile Post-Race Party (Southwest corner, adjacent to the Petrillo Band Shell).

This year's event times:
Marathon Wheelchair - 7:20 a.m.
Marathon Handcycle – 7:21 a.m.
Athletes with Disabilities – 7:22 a.m.
Wave 1 – 7:30 a.m.
Wave 2 – 8:00 a.m.

(Photo by David Banks/Getty Images)

After the race and 27th Mile party, Bank of America is offering runners and guests with free admission to the Art Institute of Chicago. This will continue until October 13, if participants show runners bib, finisher’s medals or registration confirmation.

Many celebrities have participated in the marathon. Some of them do it for publicity, others for the sake of blending in and being apart of the race. Here are some celebrity marathoners, with the races they ran and their times.

Sean Astin, Chicago, 2013: 4:31:05
Pamela Anderson, New York, 2013: 5:41:03
Gordon Ramsay, London, 2012: 4:26:21
Apolo Ohno, New York, 2011: 3:25:12
Mark Messier, New York, 2011: 4:14:27
Jared Fogle, New York, 2010: 5:13:28
Tammy Duckworth, Chicago, 2009: 2:34:52; 2011: 2:09:26
Edward Norton, New York, 2009: 3:48:01
Ryan Reynolds, New York, 2008: 3:50:22

Katie Holmes, New York, 2007: 5:29:58

Sean "Diddy" Combs, New York, 2003: 4:14:52

Will Ferrell, Boston, 2003: 3:56:12

Anthony Edwards, Chicago, 2003: 3:55:40; 2001: 4:04:55; 1999: 4:13:07
Bill Rancic, Chicago, 2001: 4:31:31
Al Gore, Marine Corps, 1997: 4:58:25
Oprah Winfrey, Marine Corps, 1994: 4:29:15
George W. Bush, Houston, 1993: 3:44:52

Since the terrible event that happened at the Boston Marathon, the Bank of America Chicago Marathon has put together an emergency alert system to keep everyone safe. This is taken form the website itself.

"A color-coded Event Alert System (EAS) will communicate the status of course conditions to participants leading up to and on race day. The levels range from Low (green) to Moderate (yellow) to High (red) to Extreme (black) based primarily on the weather, as well as other conditions.

• Email and website communication during race week will inform participants of the current Event Alert System status and provide preparation tips based on advance weather forecasts.
• Updates will be made at the Abbott Health & Fitness Expo via handouts at the participant packet pick-up area and public address announcements.
• On race day, the current Event Alert System status will be communicated via public address announcements and color-coded signs/flags at the start and finish areas, and along the course at each of the 20 aid station locations and via large digital traffic message boards.

All participants should familiarize themselves with the Event Alert System prior to the race, remain alert for directions from race officials and announcers and take precautions to prepare properly for varying weather conditions on race day."

Event Alert System table:

This year we hope for a safe and fun event. We wish all the participants good luck. If you are running or just spectating we would love to hear your story and experience.

Global Gaming Expo (G2E) 2014

Our CEO, Michael Velasquez, and Global Sales Director, Kevin Yarnell, have ventured their way to the 2014 Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, Nevada. This is an annually held convention that keeps you at the forefront of the latest trends and insight in the global casino-entertainment industry. 

This year G2E will be held from Monday, September 29th to Thursday, October 2nd, 2014. 

This year will feature the largest show floor in North America; G2E is expecting 450+ exhibitors. Hundreds of new products and show specials will be offered. There is a full line up of networking opportunities available:

• AGA Gaming Hall of Fame
• Tribal Gaming
• Global Gaming Women
• Latin American Gaming
• G2E Meet-Ups

"We have worked hard to create events and atmosphere that will truly allow for the types of introductions, interaction and discussions that at the end of the day will be meaningful for all types of casino executives," said Mike Johnson, industry vice president at Reed Exhibitions. "We are excited to bring these unmatched opportunities to network to the industry."

Here are some pictures from our Michael and Kevin:

Chicago Getaway's

We know life in the city can be exhausting and when you have toured every tourist attraction with every single visiting relative, it can get kind of boring. We took the pleasure of mapping out fun locations around Chicago that can make for a great weekend getaway!

Wisconsin’s Indoor Waterparks

Travel Time: Under 4 Hours

Kalahari Indoor Resort

Grab your suits and hit one of America’s largest indoor waterparks, the 125,000-square-foot park at Kalahari Resorts.

Great Wolf Lodge Wisconsin

Scale back a little at the 76,000-square-foot Great Wolf Lodge, where the “Fort Mackenzie” attraction is a don’t-miss, thanks to 12 levels of treehouse outfitted with suspension bridges and water games.

Wilderness Resort & Waterpark

With indoor-outdoor waterparks, golf, dining, and a spa to unwind in, this resort has it all in one facility—including groceries.

Grand Harbor Resort

The location provides views of the Mississippi, access to downtown Dubuque, and Iowa’s first themed indoor water park.

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula 

Travel Time: Under 6 Hours

Norway Mountain

Hit the slopes on one of 17 trails; trek the 1.8-mile mountaintop snowshoe trail or challenge yourself with jumps and a quarter-pipe.

Iron Mountain Iron Mine

Experience iron mining in an underground train tour of 2,600 feet of drifts and tunnels—400 feet below the surface.

Pine Mountain Golf & Ski Resort

The skier-friendly property offers quaint rooms and slope-side fireplace condos.

Exploring Mississippi in Dubuque

Travel Time: Under 4 Hours

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

Touch pools, gators, otters, and nature trails spotlight Mississippi River wildlife.

Celebration River Cruises

Take in America’s second-longest waterway on a deluxe 800-passenger riverboat—short and full-day excursions are narrated, and dinner cruises are available.

I will keep you'll posted on new travel destinations in the future. Please comment below if you have attended these places below, I would love to read your experiences. 

Labor Day Weekend 2014

Many of us will travel this Labor Day weekend; I know I will. So that’s why I am not going to drag this article on with statistical facts and statements about the holiday and the people traveling. I did find a great fact sheet from AAA that I wanted to share, just so you travelers know what you’re getting yourself into. 

Around 34.7 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more on Labor Day weekend. This is the highest volume for the holiday since 2008 and a 1.3 percent increase over 2013. Nearly 86 percent of travelers (29.7 million) will celebrate the holiday with a final road trip before summer comes to a close.

Statistics and Image from AAA

Have a safe and fun weekend from PERCIPIA!

Top Amenities

I recently traveled to Toledo, OH for a convention and I decided to stay at the same hotel that the convention was taking place at, the Ramada. Although my choices in hotels were limited, I wanted to stay at a place that offered great amenities. When I travel I always look for certain deal breakers for my stay. After a little digging I found I am not the only one that wants a mint on his pillow. Let’s break down the top amenities people are looking for when staying at a hotel.

*This survey was completed by Skift and American Express.

No. 4: Enrollment in Hotel’s Loyalty Programs

10.9% of survey’s say it is important to them to get rewarded. Many customers want to be reward for coming back to the same hotel chain. Whether that leads to a free gift, a free room upgrade, or a discount on their current or next stay.

No.3: Free Breakfast

Although this is one of my top deal breakers, 25.5% of surveys think that free continental breakfast is a must with their stay. I am a breakfast person; I think it is important for me to get a great meal before I start my day with meetings or workshops. It is nice when a breakfast is free when I stay at the hotel.

No.2: Close to Meeting/ Conference

When I traveled to Toledo, the last thing I wanted to do was travel to another hotel. 28.2% found it important for them to be either in the same location or relatively close. It was nice to be able to walk back to my room between workshops to freshen up. It makes for a more relaxing stay.

No.1: Free Wi-Fi

I think this is thee most important amenity that a hotel must have; it is an absolute a deal breaker. 35.2% of survey’s said this is the most important. If you are traveling whether it is for work or play, you will utilize the internet. With technology playing a huge role in our lives, having Wi-Fi is important for many to have a pleasant stay. I know I completed some work when I was out of town and that wouldn't have been possible without the Wi-Fi that was provided to me free from Ramada.

A special thank you goes to Ramada Toledo for making my stay smooth and comfortable.

Soho House Chicago

The London originated Soho House brand has revealed its newest venue, Chicago. This luxurious club is located in the Allis Building, a historic five-story industrial warehouse in Chicago’s West Loop.

The Chicago House features a Drawing Room, Club Bar, Library, Gymnasium, three restaurants and a Rooftop deck.

The Drawing Room is a comfortable space for members to meet, socialize, eat and drink. It also features a ping pong table that is used for meetings during the day and a gaming in the evening.

The Club Bar, which is located on the 5th floor, houses an oval shaped bar that is furnished with red velvet chairs. The Club Bar also has chesterfield sofas and a baby grand piano, for all you musically inclined members.

The Library has a multi-function use. Members can take advantage of panel discussions, workshops, master-classes, and various club events.

The Gymnasium seems to be the staple feature at the Chicago club. It is located on the 2nd floor with a 15,000 sq foot space, open to both members and hotel guests. What makes the gym most impressive would be the professional boxing ring! Of course it has the regular Technogym equipment, fitness studios, steam rooms, lounges and a laundry service. Having a gym with all the bells and whistles is simply an amenity that must be utilized.

Three restaurants: Chicken Shop, Pizza East and the Allis Lounge; will be open to the public. These exquisitely decorated restaurants have already opened and serve a Chicago inspired menu of rotisserie chicken, pizza, and cocktails.

The club also features a 30-seat cinema, spa and a roof top deck, that has a pool and panoramic views of the Chicago skyline.

This beautiful club isn't so easy to get into either. Check out the Soho House Chicago website for more information.

*Photos are owned by Soho House Chicago.