Electronic cigarette that is geared to travelers comes to Nashville

Ruyan America, Inc., Minneapolis, announced that it will introduce its newest E-cigarette smoking substitute/cigarette alternative, the Ruyan Jazz, at the 2009 National Association for Truck Stop Operators (NATSO) to be held January 24th to 28th in Nashville, TN, at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center. The Company and its distributor, Nashville-based Nathan & James Group, will be at Booth 822 during the exhibit hours.

The Jazz is Ruyan's latest addition to its line and was developed specifically for the convenience store/travel center market. Like the Company's award-winning Vegas E-cigar, the Jazz is a completely disposable product that does not require that its battery be charged or that its cartridges be changed. The Jazz resembles a slightly larger traditional cigarette, 134 mm in length and 11mm in diameter and has the equivalent mouthfuls of vapor found in four to five packs of conventional cigarettes. It carries a MSRP of $24.99. Like other Ruyan cigarette alternatives, the Jazz does not contain tobacco and is not subject to smoking restrictions or tobacco taxes.

William P. Bartkowski, President of Ruyan America, Inc., stated, "The Jazz certainly raises the bar with respect to the product category in terms of convenience, aesthetics and value. It was designed and manufactured specifically to be sold in those venues where smokers most often purchase traditional tobacco products -- retail environments such as tobacco outlets, convenience stores, truck stops and travel centers and hospitality venues like casinos and hotels."

The Jazz is available in four styles -- the Classic, which contains 16 mg of nicotine; the Classic menthol, also with 16 mg of nicotine and menthol flavoring; the Freestyle, with 0 mg of nicotine, but all the flavor of the Classic; and the Freestyle Menthol, another nicotine free product.

Gaylord Hotels go to Arizona

Gaylord Texan Hotel

The announcement Sept. 3 that Gaylord Hotels would build its next major venue near Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport. The buzz went national, in fact, as hotel-industry publications and Web sites pulsed with news of Gaylord's planned expansion.

In the month-plus since Gaylord first announced its Mesa venture, the company and DMB Associates, from whom Gaylord is buying the resort site, have been ironing out a development agreement with the city.

An early draft showed Mesa allowing Gaylord to retain bed taxes to be collected at its resort, as long as the money is used to promote its Valley venue and Arizona tourism.

Under an economic-development provision in state law, Mesa also will take ownership of the land and lease it back to Gaylord, giving the company a break on property taxes.

No drawings nor site plans for the Mesa site have been drafted. Mesa is annexing and rezoning the site.

Read the entire story HERE.

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