Business is brewing: Firestone Walker climbs in craft beer rankings
By Christine De La Cruz / Friday, February 21st, 2014 / Features, Restaurants, Top Stories, Tourism, Wine & Viticulture / Comments Off on Business is brewing: Firestone Walker climbs in craft beer rankings

Firestone Walker Brewing Co. has big plans on tap, including another expansion at its Paso Robles campus, a new beer and the opening of a pilot brewery in the Los Angeles area.

Sanford, free of debt, looks to future at Alma Rosa Winery
By Tom Bronzini / Friday, February 21st, 2014 / Central Coast, South Coast, Top Stories, Tourism, Tri-County Economy, Wine & Viticulture / Comments Off on Sanford, free of debt, looks to future at Alma Rosa Winery

Richard Sanford, free of a crushing debt burden, says he is excited about the future of Alma Rosa Winery and Vineyards and his role there, even though he has lost ownership.
Hotel developers embrace Paso Robles wine boom
By Christine De La Cruz / Friday, February 14th, 2014 / Central Coast, Real Estate, Top Stories, Tourism, Tri-County Economy, Wine & Viticulture / Comments Off on Hotel developers embrace Paso Robles wine boom
A hotel development frenzy in Paso Robles could double the number of rooms in town over the next 10 years, a figure that already has seen twofold growth since 2000 as wineries flourish.

Meet, greet and click: Firm connects event planners, conference centers
By Stephen Nellis / Friday, February 14th, 2014 / Special Sections, Technology, Tourism / Comments Off on Meet, greet and click: Firm connects event planners, conference centers

Elite Meetings International is a company that started out aiming to make it easier for corporate planners to find a good luxury hotel but ended up helping those same hotels do more business by creating better booking software.
Granada Theatre gets $1 million gift from local philanthropists
By Staff Report / Wednesday, February 5th, 2014 / Latest news, South Coast, Tourism / Comments Off on Granada Theatre gets $1 million gift from local philanthropists
The Granada Theatre and The Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts have received a $1 million commitment to the theater’s endowment fund from Sarah and Roger Chrisman.
Cruise control? Thirty ships slated to call on Santa Barbara in 2014
By Christine De La Cruz / Friday, January 31st, 2014 / South Coast, Top Stories, Tourism, Tri-County Economy / Comments Off on Cruise control? Thirty ships slated to call on Santa Barbara in 2014

When 30 cruise ships float into Santa Barbara’s harbor this year, several will have poor-to-failing environmental grades. And all the ships will carry passengers that, on average, spend about a quarter of what day-trippers and overnight tourists do.

Remodels abound as South Coast hotels focus on keeping up appearances
By Christine De La Cruz / Friday, January 24th, 2014 / South Coast, Tourism, Tri-County Economy / Comments Off on Remodels abound as South Coast hotels focus on keeping up appearances

The area has seen a boom in hotel remodels and renovations recently, with upgrades to Hotel Santa Barbara and Fess Parker’s DoubleTree Resort, among others.