Despite a global pandemic leading to rising construction costs and difficulty obtaining materials throughout the U.S., the Port of Benton has tried to make good use of 2021, focusing on its infrastructure to attract new business to the Mid-Columbia.Diahann Howard, executive director, said tourism is a big driver of its...
Triple-digit weather. Frigid temperatures. Notorious Tri-City winds. Smoke-filled summer skies.These will no longer be reasons to cancel tee time, thanks to the arrival of Divots Golf in Richland later this month.The Walla Walla-based Divots Golf specializes in the growing sport of virtual golf, offering competitive virtual games to casual and...
Visit Tri-Cities, the tax- and fee- funded agency responsible for putting heads in hotel beds, is dropping its paid membership model in favor of a storytelling approach that includes high-quality videos and images.The shift away from the $250 “basic” membership program ($185 for nonprofits) began before the Covid-19 pandemic knocked...
New grads can enter airline ticket giveawayAvelo Air, a new airline that serves the Tri-Cities, is giving away 21 sets of roundtrip airline tickets to 2021 graduates of area high schools, colleges, trade and technical schools.July 20 is the deadline to enter the contest. The winners will receive two roundtrip...
Corvettes on the Columbia, a long-running celebration of all things Corvette and a major fundraiser for Make-A-Wish Alaska & Washington, returns in September after organizers were forced to cancel the 2020 event because of the Covid-19 pandemic.The 3 Rivers Corvette Club will hold the 2021 edition – its 11th –...
Kirk WilliamsonImagine yourself facing a busload of people all wearing masks. You’re wearing one, too, of course.You were tested for Covid-19 on arrival. You’ve been introduced to the bus driver, and you’ve helped the first 45 guests from the American Empress cruise boat board the bus.You take a deep breath....
Washington’s 19th American Viticultural Area becomes official on Aug. 2.Goose Gap AVA, which lies within Benton County and two existing AVAs, offers winemakers the opportunity to identify it as the source of their grapes on labels under federal rules.The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau approved the newest AVA...
A third-generation rental store owner isn’t looking to the future with the fear she felt a year ago.Today, she’s planning with Covid-19 in mind. And it appears so are her customers.“Right now, customers are booking with the mandates in place, so they know what they’re dealing with. Last year, they...
Managing principal, A-1 Hospitality GroupNumber of employees you oversee: We have over 300 employees across our portfolio of nine hotels.Taran PatelBrief background of your business: A-1 Hospitality is a hotel development and management company headquartered in Kennewick. The company was founded my parents Vijay and Mita Patel in 1997, three...
Interestingly, while restaurants and airlines continue to be clobbered by coronavirus-related lockdowns, recreational vehicle sales and rentals took off. People have switched their travel preferences to minimize their Covid-19 exposure.Travel trailers and motorhomes are iconic symbols of campgrounds in our “Great Outdoors.” Meanwhile, outdoor recreation increased once the initial lockdowns...
