/ / /

AIG Execs Think Nobody Will Find Them at Posh Resorts in the Desert

Go To The Hotel's Web Site Where: 7677 N 16th St [map], Phoenix, AZ, United States, 85020
November 11, 2008 at 1:26 PM | by | Comments (5)

Remember those AIG execs throwing around the dolla dolla bills (y'all) at the St. Regis like nobody's business? Well, apparently understanding that they can no longer take excessively lavish, ridiculous vacays on the company dime because of the economy and, uh, cause everyone is watching them now, they seem to fancy themselves quite the tricksters and have somehow found a way to go on another one of their "retreats" with very little media attention.

Down in Phoenix, AIG folks hit up Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort in Phoenix for something called an Asset Management Conference. Shady, though: according to info WalletPop got from an ABC News report, hotel staffers were ordered to not mention AIG either verbally or on signage.

Walletpop also reports:

There were 150 independent financial planners present at the conference, in addition to several top AIG executives. Yet hidden cameras caught top executives not attending sessions, and also captured images of limousines, fancy cocktail parties, and expensive dinners out.

Probably the biggest financial faux pas was booking former NFL quarterback Terry Bradshaw to speak at the event, at a fee of $40,000. AIG says that a sponsor was paying the fee, but they canceled his appearance. In total, AIG has said that the conference was to cost $343,000, with $320,000 of that covered by sponsor fees.

Well, to their credit, at least it was Terry Bradshaw, who, we believe, was last seen in commercials for something involving a car's transmission. We'll start getting really upset when they upgrade their celeb speakers to reality TV stars or Carrot Top.

Related Stories:
· AIG Execs Show Us How to Blow 500K at The St. Regis [HotelChatter]

Hotels mentioned in this story

Comments (5)

Post a Comment

Return to » AIG Execs Think Nobody Will Find Them at Posh Resorts in the Desert


Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort

The Pointe is a really unpleasant hotel but they do have a lazy river, which was probably a draw for Terry Bradshaw.
noaharizona on November 11, 2008 at 4:03 PM #Permalink

Point Not Luxury...

Hopefully the press will come to the realization that the Point Squaw Peak is far from "luxury".  The property routinely runs sub-$100 rates and a recent check on Expedia a few weeks ago showed rates of around $69-89/night for the peak season month of January.  It's a property that hasn't been renovated in a very long time...  it features Gosnell's famous-in-the-early-80s "Ameriterranean" architecture - hastily built chicken wire and stucco, flower shaped windows, and an extremely confusing layout.
bbphx on November 11, 2008 at 8:05 PM #Permalink

so should we be happy...

that at least AIG is bargain-hunting?
juliana on November 12, 2008 at 11:29 AM #Permalink
Parent

Clarendon lie??

I agree, media was off by calling the Pointe "Posh" and "luxury" but you are just wrong Ben.  The resort finished renovating every suite in 2008 and your claim of a $69-$89 rate in January was a flat out lie.  The resort doesn't even go that low during the Summer.

Your $93 dollar Expedia rate during the busiest week of the year (end of March) sure screams Luxury...

dbsf on March 18, 2009 at 10:01 PM #Permalink

Clarendon lie??

I agree, media was off by calling the Pointe "Posh" and "luxury" but you are just wrong Ben.  The resort finished renovating every suite in 2008 and your claim of a $69-$89 rate in January was a flat out lie.  The resort doesn't even go that low during the Summer.

Your $93 dollar Expedia rate during the busiest week of the year (end of March) sure screams Luxury...

dbsf on March 18, 2009 at 10:06 PM #Permalink
Parent

Return to » AIG Execs Think Nobody Will Find Them at Posh Resorts in the Desert

Join the conversation!

Not a member? .
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy (Revised 08/01/2011). © Condé Nast Digital. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast Digital.
Ad Choices