Ribbon Cutting of new Omni Barton Creek Resort a study in self-congratulatory, anti-environmental celebration

As a member of the media, I was invited to the ribbon cutting and grand re-opening of the completely overhauled Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin, Texas. As a journalist who frequently covers tourism & hospitality, including hotel openings and news, events like this are pretty much straightforward, non-controversial, even fun events.

Today’s ceremony at the Omni, however, made my blood boil.

Why? Because from the outset, the men involved not only flaunted their anti-environmentalist viewpoints and practices in rebuilding this resort, they actually complained heartily about being challenged on ecological concerns at any step in the process, and openly mocked the City of Austin, its progressive attitude, and basically anyone who has an interest in being environmentally responsible.

It began when Robert Rowling, the chairman of TRT Holdings, Inc. which is the owner of Omni Hotels & Resorts, took the podium. After a few brief, innocuous remarks about being a native Texan and the beauty of the Hill Country and features of the new Omni Barton Creek Resort, he launched into a wholly unexpected diatribe about the tree-huggers of Austin.

Complaining about how every time the Omni team wanted to cut down a tree for their golf course, the City of Austin would have to send someone out to check things over and okay it (for “every single tree,” he emphasized)…