Convene Hospitality Group has secured $230 million to fuel its global expansion. Meanwhile, Legends Global is using venue operations to drive environmental impact through its new water fund. Together, these moves signal that events are shaping up to make an even bigger splash, both economically and sustainably.
Hotels in Seattle and Arizona are making their own waves, refreshing event spaces and adding soundproof work pods to cater to business travelers—and yes, the nonstop trade-show attendees many TSNN readers know all too well.
Keep scrolling to dive deeper.
Convene Hospitality Group Secures $230M to Fuel Global Expansion
Convene Hospitality Group (CHG), the parent company of etc.venues and NeueHouse and operator of 40 event spaces across the U.S. and U.K., has raised $230 million in strategic growth capital to accelerate its global expansion. The funding comes from asset management firm TPG, which has a strong real estate footprint.
“This capital allows our house of brands to expand through strategic market growth and thoughtful mergers and acquisitions,” said CHG President and CEO Ryan Simonetti. “The way the world works, meets and gathers has significantly evolved since we debuted in 2009, and we’re blurring the lines between hospitality and traditional events to meet that shift.”
Convene operates 17 locations throughout New York City alone (555 Broadway location pictured). Additional venues are in Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and in the U.K., among other major cities. (Photo: Courtesy of Convene Hospitality Group)
The capital arrives just two months after CHG acquired NeueHouse, the luxury workspace and social club for entrepreneurs and creatives.
NeueHouse, which filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in September, is an eight-floor property at 110 East 25th Street in New York featuring a penthouse with 360-degree skyline views, an 80-seat screening room, private offices, a podcast studio, and a members-only restaurant and bar. CHG has said it has plans to reopen the venue but will not take over NeueHouse’s Los Angeles locations.
Meanwhile, several openings are on the horizon for CHG through the rest of 2026 in New York specifically, including a Convene location in SoHo’s Scholastic Building. The Aperture and The Mallory will also debut as immersive event venues complete with advanced projection mapping.
CHG has yet to reveal which other global markets are on its expansion radar.
CHG will be launching The Aperture in NYC’s Flatiron neighborhood this fall. It will feature 270-degree projection-mapping capabilities and enough space to host up to 1,000 guests. (Photo: Courtesy of Convene Hospitality Group)
Hyatt Regency Lake Washington Adds Private Pods to Complement Corporate Event Offerings
The Hyatt Regency Lake Washington in Seattle is dialing up its workspace game with two ALCOVE Pods situated across the waterfront property. These sleek, soundproof pods are designed for distraction-free calls, email marathons, or a few hours of uninterrupted focus.
Boasted as the perfect retreat for a corporate group or solo business traveler, the ALCOVE Pods are complemented by 60,000 square feet of event space elsewhere around the 347-key resort. The largest space on offer is the 14,122-square-foot Grand Ballroom. And the newest is Lakeside, a 1,722-square-foot meeting room that was a wine lounge up until last summer. Here, find floor-to-ceiling windows, room for 100 guests, and direct access to an adjacent boardroom and lounge.
Each ALCOVE Pod, roughly four by seven feet, comes fully equipped with an ergonomic chair, sit-stand desk, monitor, customizable lighting, and ventilation fans. Reservations can be made via the ALCOVE app, which also manages pods in Brooklyn, N.Y., and California’s Berkeley and Nob Hill neighborhoods.
Each ALCOVE Pod is sound-proof and equipped with an ergonomic chair, sit-stand desk, monitor, customizable lighting, and ventilation fans. (Photo: Courtesy of Hyatt Regency Lake Washington)
JW Marriott Starr Pass Gives Event Spaces a Desert-Chic Makeover
The JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa in Tucson, Ariz., gave its 115,000 square feet of meeting and event space a desert-modern redesign. Unveiled last week, biophilic touches now complement a palette of sand, stone, and saguaro-inspired greens, creating a setting that’s both sophisticated and rooted in the Sonoran landscape.
The property now boasts 38 dedicated venues, including Tucson’s largest ballroom—the 20,000-square-foot Arizona Ballroom—and 26 breakout rooms that can accommodate up to 3,300 attendees in all.
The event-space renovation was part of a larger overhaul to the 50-acre property that updated all 575 guest rooms and suites, as well as the 27-hole Arnold Palmer-designed golf course.
The JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa renovated all of its 115,000 square feet of meeting and event space, which consists of 38 rooms, the largest of which is a 20,000-square-foot ballroom. (Photo: Courtesy of JW Marriott Starr Pass)
For groups needing even more space, the Tucson Convention Center is just six miles away, offering an additional 100,000 square feet for a total of 205,000 square feet of flexible event space.
The redesign was led by hospitality design firm Ellis Adams Group, six years after the JW Marriott Starr Pass unveiled a $3.5 million refresh that added spa space, lobby upgrades, and an expanded on-site Starbucks.
Legends Global’s New Water Fund Ties Venue Operations to Long-Term Environmental Resilience
On World Water Day on March 22, the Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) and global hospitality giant Legends Global unveiled the Legends Global Acts Water Fund, a new initiative supporting water restoration projects across the U.S.
While Legends Global did not disclose the size of its initial investment, the company— which operates major venues including L.A.’s SoFi Stadium, Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, and Yankee Stadium in New York—said the funding will back efforts expected to restore 7.5 million gallons of water in drought-prone regions. The first three projects include the San Saba River Restoration in Texas, irrigation efficiency upgrades for the Colorado River Indian Tribes along the Arizona-California border, and seasonal wetland habitat improvements in California’s Merced County.
The Legends Global Acts Water Fund will back efforts expected to restore 7.5 million gallons of water in drought-prone regions, including in Texas, California, and on the Arizona-California border. (Photo: Courtesy of Change The Course)
By embedding water stewardship directly into its venue operations, Legends is positioning the fund as a long-term resilience tool. “The new Legends Global Acts Water Fund helps align our operations with watershed restoration and conservation, with plans to expand projects across North America in the years ahead,” said Chief Sustainability Officer Lindsay Arrell. “Water is one of the most critical resources for the communities where our venues operate, particularly across the Western United States where water scarcity continues to intensify.”
For the events industry, the move signals an accelerating shift towards resource stability, measurable sustainability performance, and community impact becoming increasingly central to producing successful shows. For organizers planning at Legends Global venues, this kind of watershed investment reduces operational risk, enhances venue resilience and reputation, and helps meet tightening sustainability expectations from attendees, exhibitors, and local governments alike.
