Omni Hotels & Resorts names corporate executive chef. July 13, 2026 DALLAS - Joshua Hasho has been named corporate executive chef at Omni Hotels & Resorts. In this role, Hasho will oversee culinary strategy and operations across the company's portfolio, supporting property-level teams and collaborating with on-property chefs and corporate teams. His responsibilities include driving innovation, consistency, and operational standards across all dining concepts and programs. Hasho joined Omni Hotels & Resorts in 2012 as executive sous chef in Chicago. During his tenure, he has held senior leadership positions at several properties. At Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, he was involved in the property's renovation and re-opening. At Omni Interlocken Hotel, he directed a food-and-beverage program that included multiple dining venues, in-room dining, and golf course operations. Most recently, Hasho served as resort executive chef at Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa. In this position, he led menu development and execution and oversaw culinary operations across 13 outlets, as well as banquet and catering programs, during the property's debut. Hasho brings more than 20 years of culinary experience to his new role. The company operates more than 50 properties. Receive these articles in your inbox: "*" indicates required fields

Omni launches first-of-its-kind Omni Kids program across 50-plus properties. Jun 16, 2026 (C) Omni Hotels & Resorts Omni Hotels & Resorts just expanded with its all-new kids programming across its more than 50 properties. Omni Kids is a first-of-its-kind, brand-wide children's program transforming the entire guest experience for family travelers. Featuring exclusive amenities, a dedicated kid-friendly arrival experience and interactive programming, Omni Kids puts young travelers first. Omni Kids' newly introduced mascot is Ollie, a golden retriever who guides children through a stay designed to spark curiosity; encourage exploration; and create lasting family memories through custom room keys and welcome gifts, activity kits, dining menus and collectible keepsakes. The program, designed for kids ages 10 and under, invites young guests to explore each destination through activities like outdoor adventure tours, waterparks, regionally inspired cooking and creative workshops. Omni also brought back its signature Kids Eat Free program, where kids 10 and under receive complimentary breakfast and lunch from the Omni Kids menu. On top of that, Omni has a Stay Together offer, which guarantees connecting rooms, giving kids space to spread out. Get insider information and deals in your inbox! Read this next. Jun 15, 2026 All reads on this topic. Jun 16, 2026 Jun 15, 2026 Jun 12, 2026 Jun 11, 2026 Myrtle Beach already has plenty of ways to entertain families, from 60 miles of beaches to the Carolina Opry and absolutely everything in between. But one spot families love to visit, Family Kingdom, is about to get a brand-new attraction, and Whereverfamily hope it will be unveiled before the kiddos head back to school. Sponsored content. Enjoy the best of both worlds when you fly with TAP Air Portugal thanks to the Portugal Stopover program. With the program, TAP passengers, whether traveling for business, leisure or both, can stop in Portugal for up to 10 days at no additional airfare on the way to their final destination. What does this mean for travelers wishing to explore by both land and sea? It means after flying to Portugal with TAP and experiencing the country in an entirely new way, travelers can then embark on scenic river and ocean cruises from Portugal's port cities, or fly with TAP to another European destination. Jun 11, 2026 It's time to start dreaming of your next family trip. Here's some destination inspiration for you. Take a visual journey through Raleigh, North Carolina, with Whereverfamily. Jun 10, 2026 The Connecticut River flows through the heart of Hartford, and its shoreline provides the city with some of its favorite summer pastimes for families. Four public parks are connected by riverwalks. Mortensen Riverfront Plaza is at the center, with a riverfront stage and a hillside of grassy terraces where as many as 2,500 people gather to watch the dragon boats during the annual Riverfront Asian Festival in August. Jun 9, 2026 School's out and summer is here... and airline prices are way up, which makes it a perfect time for a family road trip. Planning the perfect one can be tough though - there are a lot of moving parts, even if you aren't planning for a whole family. To help alleviate some of the stress, Whereverfamily has compiled a list of some helpful tips to make the whole experience fun for everyone. Jun 8, 2026 Family travelers, LEGOOOAL! With the United States hosting FIFA World Cup 2026 this month, LEGOLAND Resorts join in on the fun and bring the excitement to families with a limited-time FIFA World Cup 2026 Experience, a high-energy fan zone rolling out at LEGOLAND California, LEGOLAND New York and LEGOLAND Florida.

Carlsbad organizers ready to bid on NCAA Golf Championships extension. NCAA golf championships organizers are ready to take the next steps in creating a permanent home for the sport's premier college showcase. Jun 09, 2026 | 02:30 pm UPDATED Jun 10, 2026 | 10:35 am After three years of playing the NCAA golf championships at the North Course at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad, Calif., organizers are ready to take the next steps in creating a permanent home for the sport's premier college showcase. "Omaha is the gold standard," Texas men's golf coach John Fields, the unlikely figurehead behind this ambitious movement, tells Front Office Sports. "And if you watched Oklahoma City with the women - those stands are full, they're doing great - that's become a gold standard, as well. That's the same thing we're trying to do with men's and women's golf." Of course, Fields is referring to the long-term contracts the men's and women's College World Series have in their respective host cities - unique deals because most NCAA championships rotate between host cities on an annual basis. Fields, 67, has become the de facto spokesperson for the NCAA golf championship's new era since Texas took over official host university duties in 2024, despite the 1,100-plus miles between Austin and Carlsbad. No Southern California schools ultimately wanted to become hosts during that bid cycle in 2020, so the Longhorns stepped up with a bold vision alongside some powerful partners. Omni Hotels & Resorts, the Dallas-based luxury lodging chain, greenlit a $200 million renovation of its La Costa property, including a $20 million project upgrading its North Course that saw renowned golf architect Gil Hanse hired for the re-design. Like the College World Series model, an independent non-profit was set up so the NCAA golf championships could operate as a true neutral site and build long-term stability. "We've created the College World Golf Championships Foundation so that we can - at some point, similar to Omaha, similar to Oklahoma - be self-sufficient and really start to raise money to where the NCAA can back out a little bit with their funding and that we can create this self-sustaining championship," Omni chief sales officer Dan Surette tells FOS. The cost of conducting the NCAA men's and women's golf championships is in the "seven-figures," Fields says. "It's a heck of an undertaking, to say the least." Up for grabs. Next up is bidding for another cycle of championships after the current five-year deal in Carlsbad finishes in 2028. The NCAA's bidding process opens this summer, with bids due in the fall. "We'll put in a bid," Fields says. "There'll be some other programs that will put in bids, most likely, maybe. They're getting fewer and farther between because it is a substantial number to run these two championships back to back." The confidence among the current operators about retaining the championships is high. "Our goal would be for another four years and maybe sort of a permanent status," Surette says. "But we don't want to put the cart before the horse there. I think the feedback has been really strong from a lot of fronts." A four-year extension would take the NCAA golf championships' run in Carlsbad to nine years - through 2032. NCAA managing director of championships John Baldwin expects a "competitive process" once bidding opens. "We've had a really good experience the last three years," Baldwin tells FOS. "There's a lot of value in being able to build on something from one year to the next. I know there's also a faction of our membership, and the general public for that matter, that would love to see a national championship bounce around from site to site - and there's pros and cons to each of those approaches." Attendance for this year has not been released, but the golf championships drew crowds of 13,958 in 2024 and 7,884 in 2025. Golf Channel has been the event's longtime TV partner. The NCAA would entertain proposals for a longer-term golf contract like baseball and softball have in Omaha and Oklahoma City. "That's certainly a conversation that we're open to," Baldwin says. "But up to this point, it's been status quo with the bid cycles." Long-Term vision. Carlsbad is one of the biggest golf hubs in the world for golf equipment manufactures, with top brands like Callaway and TaylorMade headquartered in town, and Titleist also having a major office. That presents an ideal scenario for giving the NCAA golf championships a premium environment, as the top players competing transition from amateurs to professionals. Surette sees more opportunity for on-site growth like increased hospitality, player and team experiences, sponsorships, and even golf industry expos that could bring more attendees to town. Fields has a dream of one day seeing 10,000 fans per-day at the NCAA golf championships. "I do think over time, if we do a great job, we can position ourselves in a much stronger way in the hierarchy of collegiate sports," he says.