| Orbitz Worldwide Announces Strategic Distribution Partnership with ...
CHICAGO, Feb. 15 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Orbitz Worldwide (NYSE: OWW) , a leading global online travel company, today announced a strategic long term partnership with Marriott International, Inc. for distribution of Marriott International guest rooms through its global portfolio of brands, including Orbitz (http://www.orbitz.com), CheapTickets (http://www.cheaptickets.com) and Orbitz for Business (http://www.orbitzforbusiness.com) in the Americas; ebookers (http://www.ebookers.com) in Europe and eventually in early 2008 through HotelClub (http://www.hotelclub.com), based in Asia Pacific with operations globally. The contract enables Orbitz Worldwide's customers more flexibility when planning stays at Marriott Hotels & Resorts, JW Marriott Hotels & Resorts, Renaissance Hotels & Resorts, Courtyard, Residence Inn, Fairfield Inn & Suites, TownePlace Suites and SpringHill Suites..
SAUNDERS: HBO's documentary on Louis a knockout
Die-hard boxing fans probably are aware of a televised heavyweight bout coming up Saturday night. Wladimir Klitschko battles Sultan Ibragimov. Household names both. While HBO is billing this as World Championship Boxing, it's not, as they say in the fight business, "the feature attraction." The bout is sandwiched between Joe Louis: America's Hero . . . Betrayed, a terrific documentary, premiering at 6 p.m. and repeated after the heavyweight battle. Younger sports fans might not be that familiar with the heroic - and tragic - career of Louis, a career that transcends both the boxing ring and the entire sports arena. The grandson of a slave, Louis became one the greatest heavyweights of all time and served as an iconic figure - for whites and blacks - during World War II.
Wilco pulls out all the stops in five-night residency
How special was Wilco's show Friday night at the Riviera Theatre? Special enough to bring back the banjo. The Chicago band's longtime listeners will recall a time when front man Jeff Tweedy wanted so badly to break with his roots-rock beginnings that he told fans to stash the twangy instrument in a rather uncomfortable part of their collective anatomy. .
Amtrak lowers estimate for Chicago-Q.C. line
An Amtrak report released this week gives casino operators hope that that a proposed passenger-train route between Chicago and the Quad Cities could carry 111,000 riders a year.
Many of those riders could be Chicago gamblers heading to casinos along the Mississippi River, said Renk, vice president for sales and marketing at the Jumer's Casino in Rock Island.
"We're very much delighted," Renk said Tuesday. "What this would do is put us in a good position to expose Chicagoland to what the Quad Cities have to offer."
There's also good news for longtime advocates of a Chicago-Quad Cities line who feared the project might be too pricey.
The upbeat study estimates costs of upgrading existing track for passenger-train use at between $14 million and $23 million lower than earlier estimates of around $30 million.
4-County rates to increase 7 percent
Beginning April 1, customers of the 4-County Electric Power Association may be paying as much as $7 more on their power bills.The Tennessee Valley Authority voted at it's Feb. 15 board of directors meeting to increase its rates by 7 percent, Allegra Brigham, CEO of 4-County, reported Tuesday at the monthly 4-County board of directors meeting.The increase is not as high as the 9 percent increase predicted at last month's 4-county meeting, but it will mean a $4-to-$7 increase per month on customers' power bills, said 4-County Chief Financial Officer Marcus Stone."We don't have actual numbers as far as exactly how much more each customer will be paying each month," said Stone. "But we are fairly certain most people will be in the $4-to-$7 increase range depending on kilowatt-hours used." .
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