Reports: Georgia Music Hall of Fame to close in June

The Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon, Ga., is closing June 12, The (Macon) Telegraph newspaper reported Tuesday.

The hall's authority voted 4-3 in favor of shuttering the financially strapped museum, the newspaper reported. Most of the museum's collections will move to the University of Georgia Special Collections Library, the Athens Banner-Herald reported.

Macon and three other cities -- Athens, Dunwoody, Woodstock -- have been vying to host the museum, but state officials have rejected bids from all cities.

AAA: Slight increase expected for Memorial Day

ATLANTA -- The number of Americans planning to travel this Memorial Day is expected to increase, but only slightly, according to AAA.

The auto club is predicting a 0.2 percent increase in the number of Americans planning to travel at least 50 miles during Memorial Day weekend (Thursday through Monday). A total of 34.9 million Americans are projected to hit the road despite higher gas prices than last Memorial Day.

“The rising fuel costs this year have had a more significant affect on those with lower household discretionary spends since filling up their tank takes a bigger cut of their overall budget,” Brent Hubele, vice president, Travel, AAA Auto Club South, said in a news release. “Compared to last year, we have seen a shift in traveler demographics as a result of increased gas prices.”

Travel among people who make more than $100,000 is expected to increase by 5 percent while travel among people making between $50,000 and $100,000 looks to increase by 6 percent.

Interestingly, the number of Americans planning to fly this year increased 11.5 percent while the number of people driving is projected to decrease by 0.3 percent. Travel by other modes -- such as buses and rail -- looks to decrease by 12 percent, AAA is predicting.

“The change in travelers' profile and party size and composition is the main reason we are seeing an increase in airline travel this year, despite increased airfares and associated fees,” said Hubele. “The increase in air travel is also why we there is an increase in total distance traveled from last year.”

Florida sees a rise in the number of visitors

Walt Disney World

The number of people who visited "The Sunshine State" during the first quarter increased by 3.3 percent over a year ago, according to a new estimate.

“Tourism is a pillar of the Florida economy and I’m greatly encouraged by the increased number of visitors to the Sunshine State,” Florida Gov. Rick Scott said in a news release. “We all know visitors create jobs and I’m especially gratified to see that we now have over a million Florida residents employed in the tourism industry.”

The numbers show a 2 percent increase in the number of domestic visitors and a 14.4 percent increase in the number of visitors from overseas. Also, the number of Canadians who visited the state increased by 8.1 percent.

“Florida’s tourism industry is rebounding well after several challenging years,” said Ed Fouche, chairman of the Visit Florida Board of Directors and Senior Vice President-Travel Industry Sales for Disney Destinations, said in a news release.

Airlines cut trans-Atlantic flights

ATLANTA -- Citing an "increase in jet fuel prices" and "fluctuating seasonal demand, a trio of airlines, including Delta, are planning to cut trans-Atlantic capacity by 7 to 9 percent.

The three airlines -- Delta Air Lines, Air France-KLM and Alitalia -- operate more than 260 trans-Atlantic flights every day. The airlines did not say on which routes they will reduce frequency on select.

"Our alliance allows us to make strategic decisions about our network and operate as a single airline on trans-Atlantic flights," Bruno Matheu, executive vice president – Marketing, Revenue Management and Network for Air France KLM, said in a news release. "Combining our efforts, we are able to leverage the benefits of the joint venture to respond to economic and external cost pressures."

The airlines operate under a government exemption from anti-trust laws.

"With the most established joint venture across the Atlantic, we are in a unique position to collaborate with our JV partners to make full use of our combined fleet and networks to generate healthy returns and consistently serve our customers," Perry Cantarutti, Delta's senior vice president – Europe, Middle East and Africa, said in a news release.

Reworked Star Tours reopens at Hollywood Studios

The ever-popular Star Tours re-opened Friday at Disney's Hollywood Studios in Florida.

"Star Tours immerses guests into the Star Wars universe like never before," Disney President and CEO Bob Iger said in a news release. "The innovative technology and storytelling take guests on thrilling new adventures, bringing George Lucas' iconic characters and locations to life in a completely new way."

The attraction, which debuted in Florida in 1989, closed last year as part of a "reimagining." It has become a guest favorite in the two decades since it first launched.

The new attraction, dubbed Star Tours 2.0, features "new droids, a new Starspeeder, new destinations and even a new pilot," according to a recent post to the Disney Parks Blog.

Previously, park guests joined REX, a pilot in training, on a journey aboard a Starspeeder 3000 to the moon of Endor, which was featured in "Return of the Jedi."

The new version, which is in 3-D, "puts a whole new twist on virtual space travel with Starspeeder 1000 craft – predating the Starspeeder 3000 because the new show depicts an earlier chapter of the Star Wars saga than the original Star Tours did," according to a Walt Disney World news release. The Starspeeder in the new version will be piloted by C-3PO.

Officials announced the update in 2009 at the same time they announced an expansion to Fantasyland in the Magic Kingdom, which is slated to open in 2012. A version of the updated Star Tours attraction will re-open in Disneyland next month.

Florida's Legoland slated to open this fall

Central Florida's newest theme park -- Legoland -- is on track to open Oct. 15, The Orlando Sentinel reported.

Merlin Entertainment is building the theme park on a 140-plus-acre tract of land formerly occupied by Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven.

"I think Legoland has its place in the theme-park community," The Associated Press quoted park general manager Adrian Jones as saying in a recent report. "We focus primarily and always on families with children aged 2 to 12. And we're good at that. We don't try to be all things to all people."

The Florida location will be the second Legoland in North America -- a California location opened in 1999. There are also Legoland parks in Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom.

Cypress Gardens opened in 1936 and closed in 2009, according to The Orlando Sentinel.

Airline passenger revenue increases

Passenger revenue on U.S. airlines increased 12 percent in April 2011 compared to the same month in 2010, marking the 16th consecutive month of revenue growth, according to the Air Transport Association of America (ATA).

The revenue data is based on a sample group of U.S. carriers.

"Growth in air travel spending at the start of the second quarter bodes well for U.S. economic recovery. ATA forecasts 1.5 percent more passengers will fly during the summer months and is optimistic that strong international demand will help offset volatile fuel costs," ATA Vice President and Chief Economist John Heimlich said in a news release.

Systemwide passenger traffic, as measured by miles flown by paying passengers,(3) rose 3 percent while the average price to fly one mile, also known as yield, rose 9 percent for the month.

Study: No suitable site for second ATL airport

ATLANTA -- There is no sport suitable for a second airport in Atlanta.

That's the upshot of a new study release Wednesday by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

The $1 million Atlanta Metropolitan Aviation Capacity Study, Phase II, study, sponsored and 75 percent funded by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), looked at 29 sites that could potentially serve as a second commercial-service airport for the area. None would work, the study found. The sites were identified in a 1991 regional aviation study and a Georgia DOT study.

"The study's findings place even more emphasis on maximizing Hartsfield-Jackson's capacity into the foreseeable future to accommodate aviation growth," Louis Miller, the airport's general manager, said in a news release. "To this end, we will begin a master plan update this fall to examine all possible ways to expand the Airport's capacity within its current geographical footprint."

Sites examined included a number in metro Atlanta, including Forsyth/Dawson, Jackson and Paulding counties in addition to a number of locations outside of the metro region, including Athens and Macon. The site also included Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta.

Vegas landmark closes after 59 years

A true Las Vegas landmark closed this week after 59 years.

In its day, the Sahara hosted Vegas icons such as the Rat Pack and Elvis Presley. It also played host to the filming of the original "Ocean's Eleven" movie.

"Obviously, this is a sad day," the Las Vegas Sun quoted Sam Nazarian, chief executive officer of SBE Entertainment Group, the Sahara's owner, as saying. "But this is the day that will mark the ultimate rebirth of the north end of the Strip."

Added Nazarian, according to the newspaper: "The bones and history of the Sahara are worth preserving. What we want to create is a resort that is as charming as it is elegant, that reflects the new era of Las Vegas while honoring its history."

The hotel opened in 1952.

The North Coast of Curacao

Taken May 5, 2011, in Curacao

Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival lineup announced

WILLEMSTAD, Curaçao – Sting and Stevie Wonder will be headlining this year’s Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival.

The two-day festival, scheduled for Sept. 2-3, will also feature Dionne Warwick, Ruben Blades and Earth, Wind & Fire.

“Our incredible line-up of iconic Grammy Award-winning artists, including Stevie Wonder and Sting, will be a huge draw for this year’s Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival,” Curaçao Tourist Board Marketing Manager North America André Rojer said in a news release. “Building on the success of last year’s festival, this year’s event is sure to heighten awareness of Curaçao as the hottest island in the Caribbean.”

This year’s festival will be held at the island’s World Trade Center in Piscadera Bay. Upwards of 18,000 people attended last year’s festival. In the week leading up to the festival, a number of Curaçaoän artists are expected to perform in various “pop up” concerts around the island.

For more information about the festival, visit www.curacaonorthseajazz.com.

IF YOU GO: American Airlines and Insel Air offer service to Curaçao from Miami. Continental Airlines offers service from Newark, and next month, Insel Air is launching service to the island from Charlotte. Charlotte, Miami and Newark are easily accessible from Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

TripAdvisor names Travelers’ Choice Destinations awards

TripAdvisor recently announced the Travelers’ Choice Destinations awards:

1. New York City
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
3. San Francisco, Calif.
4. Las Vegas, Nev.
5. Lahaina, Hawaii
6. Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
7. New Orleans, La.
8. San Diego, Calif.
9. Sedona, Ariz.
10. Seattle

Award winners were determined based on a combination of travelers’ favorite places and overall destination popularity.

Boeing rolls out first 777 in latest seven-per-month rate

Courtesy Boeing

Boeing worker rolled out the first Boeing 777 jetliner at the seven-per-month rate.

The airplane, a freighter, will deliver to FedEx Express in June.

This is the fourth time that the program has built the 777 at the seven-per-month rate. The program also built at this rate from July 1997 to February 1998, August 1998 to October 1999 and from November 2006 to May 2010.

"This rate increase reflects the strong demand for the 777. It continues to be the clear leader in the 300-400 passenger seat market," Larry Loftis, 777 vice president and general manager, said in a news release. "We were prepared, thorough and disciplined as we have increased our production rate from five to seven."

As production rate increased, the program reduced production flow from 52 to 49 days from start to finish. Days of flow were removed in wing spar, service-ready wing and final body join areas. The flow reduction is attributed to increased productivity in those areas.

"We incorporated lessons learned from previous rate increases to ensure we'd have the smoothest transition," said Loftis. "Fortunately, we entered the rate break when the program is very healthy, and we are experiencing some of the all-time-best metrics," he added.

"Our customers are eager to buy more 777s and the airplane has rightly earned the reputation as the market leader. Now, our job is to deliver," said Loftis.

The 777 program received 48 new orders through April 2011, and has a backlog of more than 280 airplanes.

In first quarter 2013 the program will again increase rate from seven to 8.3 airplanes per month –100 airplanes per year – an all-time high.

Court partially sides with Atlanta in tax dispute with online travel companies

ATLANTA -- The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday partially sided with the city of Atlanta on Monday in a long-standing dispute with online travel companies over taxes.

The Supreme Court upheld a lower court's ruling that online travel companies (OTC), such as Hotels.com, must pay tax on the "the retail amount paid for occupancy by someone who will occupy the room."

For example, "if the OTC agrees to pay $60 to the hotel for the right to market a hotel room, but charges the consumer $100 as the room rate, then the taxable amount is $100 under the City's ordinance," the court noted.

"This is judicial activism at its worst, and we hope the legislature will review the policy implications of such a court-created tax," The Associated Press quoted Interactive Travel Services Association Andrew Weinstein as saying.

In its ruling, the state's Supreme Court agreed with the lower court's decision that the city is not entitled to collecting back taxes.

Monday's decision stems from a 2006 lawsuit the city filed against a number of online travel companies, including Hotels.com and Travelocity.

Take a road trip for baseball this spring

ATLANTA – Springtime can mean only one thing: Baseball.

But don’t think that the only game around is the big league one downtown. Take the opportunity this spring to hit the road and see a minor league baseball game – and another part of the state.

Here’s a quick rundown of the minor league baseball teams in Georgia:

• Augusta GreenJackets, the A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants. Augusta is located about two hours east of Atlanta.
• Gwinnett Braves, the AAA affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Located on the outskirts of Metro Atlanta, the Gwinnett Braves are the newest minor league team in Georgia.
• Savannah Sand Gnats, the A affiliate of the New York Mets. Just in case one needs another excuse to visit “The Hostess City of the South.”
• Rome Braves, the A affiliate of the Atlanta Braves. Situated in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is an hour-and-a-half from Atlanta.

Of course, there are a number of other minor league teams in nearby out-of-state cities, including Birmingham, Chattanooga, Jacksonville and Greenville.

Airline launching new Charlotte-Curaçao service

WILLEMSTAD, Curacao – New air service starting this summer will make traveling to the Dutch Caribbean island of Curaçao even easier.

Starting June 22, InselAir will twice a week – on Wednesday and Saturdays – fly between Charlotte, N.C., and Curaçao. With the new service, there will be 191,000 total combined seats per year on airlines traveling between the United States and Curaçao, according to the Curaçao Tourist Board.

“We are thrilled to announce InselAir’s nonstop, twice weekly flights to Curaçao from Charlotte, increasing the seat capacity for U.S. travelers to visit Curaçao,” Curaçao Tourist Board Chief Executive Officer Ghatim Kabbara said in a news release.

“The new service brings huge potential for growth in arrivals to Curaçao from Charlotte, North Carolina, the surrounding area and feeder markets,” Kabbara said. “With twice weekly flights from Charlotte, we hope to introduce Curaçao to more American travelers, making the destination more accessible from the Middle Atlantic States, North Carolina and South Carolina.”

InselAir also offers service between Curaçao and Miami, as does American Airlines.

There are more than 20 flights between Atlanta and Charlotte on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Sunset in paradise

Taken May 4, 2011, in Curacao

Isakson: 'We must remain steadfast' against terrorism

The death of terrorist Osama bin Laden is an "historic moment," but "we must remain steadfast in our mission to eradicate" terrorism worldwide, a U.S. Senator from Georgia said.

"This is an historic moment that brings to a close an unfortunate chapter in American history," U.S. Sen. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., said in a statement. "This day comes as a result of the hard work by the Central Intelligence Agency, the national security agencies and especially our military.

"We have hunted down and killed the mastermind of the 9/11 attacks, but we must not stop here," Isakson added. "The threat of terrorism still exists and we must remain steadfast in our mission to eradicate it around the globe."

Bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy Seals after a firefight at a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, outside of Islamabad, Fox News reported. He was buried at sea.

Leaders welcome news of bin Laden's death

ATLANTA -- The death of Osama bin Laden was welcomed by political leaders.

"Confirmation of the death of Osama bin Laden is welcome news to freedom loving people around the globe," U.S. Rep. Tom Price, R-Ga., said in a statement. "Evil has met justice. The brave men and women of our military forces and intelligence services are to be commended for their defense of our liberty and freedom. May God Bless America."

Bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy Seals after a firefight at a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, outside of Islamabad, Fox News reported. He was buried at sea.

"We all remember where we were on September 11th when Al Qaeda attacked our country, but today we have finally brought the mastermind of those terrorist attacks to justice," U.S. Rep. Sanford Bishop, D-Ga., said in a statement. "I congratulate President Obama, our military and the intelligence community for conducting a successful mission to kill Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan. While this is a great moment in the war on terror, the threat from those who wish to harm our country will continue, and we must remain vigilant."

Said U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., in a statement: "This is a historic moment for the U.S. special operations and intelligence communities. I highly commend the special operations units who undertook this mission and carried it out with no injuries to women or children inside the compound. The CIA and others in the U.S. intelligence community did a phenomenal job over several months in carrying out this assignment."

Finding the real Casey Jones

JACKSON, Tenn. – When Casey Jones crashed his locomotive near Vaughn, Miss., on April 30, 1900, he vaulted into American folklore.

The subject of songs and books, Jones has become a larger than life figure in American history since his death 111 years ago Saturday. But, finding the real Casey Jones is as simple as driving to Jackson, Tenn.
There, visitors can see the humble home where Jones lived at the time of his death.

Although it has been moved from its original location, the house, today a museum, is open to the public and features a wide array of exhibits, including railroad memorabilia and Jones' personal effects.

A life-sized replica of Illinois Central engine No. 382 – the locomotive Jones was engineering on his last trip – sits behind Jones' house. The actual locomotive was repaired after the wreck and ran for 35 years before being scrapped.

The museum's replica formerly ran on the Clinchfield Railroad as engine No. 99 before it restored and moved to the museum in its retirement.

IF YOU GO: From Atlanta, take Interstate 75 north to Chattanooga. Then, take Interstate 24 north to Nashville. Finally, take Interstate 40 west to Jackson.