Dan Giordano, General Manager, Rosen Hotels & Resorts
Dan Giordano, General Manager of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, sits down with Invest: to discuss the state of tourism and convention travel in Orlando, sustainability initiatives underway, and the need for hospitality properties to constantly reimagine themselves. Giordano also highlighted that staff retention is incredibly valued at the organization. “Mr. Rosen’s benefits package stipulates that if you work for him for over three years, the company will pay for college tuition and other expenses for your children,” he said.
What impact has Rosen Hotels & Resorts had in Orlando?
Mr. Rosen has seven properties totaling some 6,500 guest rooms, all in Orlando, Florida. Rosen Hotels & Resorts will celebrate its 50th year of operation on June 24, 2024. In the early years of the company, the emphasis was on the leisure market and Mr. Rosen’s first four hotels welcomed this type of business exclusively. Beginning in 1991, interest in entering the convention segment prompted the development of what is now the Rosen Plaza, followed 4 years later by the Rosen Centre. These two properties bookend the west concourse of the Orange County Convention Center, and both maintain connectivity via independent sky bridges. In 2003, Rosen Shingle Creek Golf Club opened for business in advance of the 2006 launch of the Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel. While the Rosen Centre and Rosen Plaza play host to a significant quantity of citywide activity, Rosen Shingle Creek is virtually dedicated to all in-house business. The entire Rosen portfolio maintains a very significant footprint in the Orlando marketplace in both the convention and leisure markets. We pride ourselves in being one of the largest independent operators in the country. Seasonality plays a big role in the leisure and convention segments, each enjoying high season in addition to value periods. From a convention perspective, the first half of the year is generally very robust, while the summer becomes more value driven, and normal activity resumes in the dall through years’ end. The leisure properties maintain a steady state year-round with their peak season being in the summer.
What industry trends are you monitoring?
Your product needs to be consistently maintained at a high level. Amenities along the lines of golf, a full-service spa, tennis, pickleball, volleyball, expansive swimming pools and creative dining options are increasingly sought after. Guests often select a destination based upon a diverse product and service menu.
In addition, technology has put this industry into an entirely new stratosphere. Visitors can check in and get their keys on their phone without even stopping at the front desk. Exciting and innovative food and beverage concepts are also of paramount importance. We recently launched a new initiative at Rosen Shingle Creek. Emma’s Creekside Farm, a 10,000-square-foot garden with a wide variety of organic fruits, herbs and vegetables that we harvest and utilize in our two AAA Four Diamond restaurants, for special events and our other specialty food and beverage outlets.
What sustainability initiatives have you implemented?
We have taken sustainability seriously for years and maintain a Three Palm designation through Florida Green Lodging. Our farm plays a big role as sustainability is an important topic for our conventioneers. We incorporate sustainability best practices in our guest rooms, from supplies to limiting plastic use and more. We also limit the amount of chemicals used to water our golf course. We also recently added a solar-powered shuttle to get our guests to and from their vehicles. Everything here is focused on sustainability, and we have to honor that with just about every convention agreement that we enter into. It is a big deal in this market.
What changes are being implemented as hotels navigate the current economic landscape?
You have to constantly reinvent yourself. By that, I mean we have probably reimagined half a dozen restaurants over the last couple of years because it was time. Different aspects of operations must be continuously enhanced or modified. We follow what the customer is looking for, and that has always been our lens. You also have to balance pricing to understand what it looks like to customers on third-party channels alongside other lodging options. Hotels have to be well-positioned here. Other than that, it’s about making sure your efforts in the local marketplace and reputation with clientele are healthy. We prioritize repeat business.
What is your outlook for Rosen Hotels & Resorts over the next three years?
The outlook is certainly positive. We are going to carry on and continue to provide our services. The new Universal Epic Universe theme park will be a game changer, with the three convention hotels and other properties in Orlando benefiting from this new addition. As we continue, our priority will be our family of associates and working hard in an effort to maintain a high level of genuine affiliation within the ranks. Mr. Rosen’s benefits package stipulates that if you work for him for three years, the company will provide college tuition and other expenses for your children. I don’t know if there is a better benefit in North America. People really value that and take advantage of it. Our wages are certainly competitive and our healthcare program is extraordinary. Zero cost medications, very low co-pays and hospital costs of $750 per visit, maximum of two per year and all other medical expenses are covered. Our aggressive benefits package is a key element for attracting and retaining a viable workforce. Once again, our family of associates are priority one, followed closely by our valued guests. We continue to remain laser-like focused on the provision of high quality product and service offerings.
