Latest news with #Five-Star
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Five programs that are punching above their weight in recruiting
© Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Commitment season is here and there will be massive changes to the 2026 team rankings over the next month and a half. Taking a look at the team rankings as they stand right now, there are programs near the top of the list that haven't been associated with elite recruiting classes in recent years. Advertisement Here are five programs that are currently punching above their weight in the team rankings. RECRUITING RUMOR MILL: Latest buzz on nearly three dozen prospects | June kicks off with a bang | Baltimore | Detroit NEW RIVALS250 RELEASED: Ranking | Top storylines | Ten prospects who could rise with a big June CLASS OF 2026 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State CLASS OF 2027 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | Position | State TRANSFER PORTAL: Full coverage | Player ranking | Team ranking | Transfer search | Transfer Tracker RIVALS CAMP SERIES: Rivals Five-Star heading back to Indy | Rivals Five-Star roster | Schedule/info ARIZONA STATE Marshall Levenson/ Advertisement RELATED: Arizona State 2026 commit list Head coach Kenny Dillingham has certainly "activated the valley" with this recruiting class, which currently sits at No. 15 in the team rankings. It's been more than 10 years since the Sun Devils have finished with a top-20 recruiting class and it's not out of the question to think Arizona State could reach that threshold this year. Just one season after its unlikely run to the College Football Playoff, Arizona State currently holds commitments from three four-star prospects, which is more than in any Arizona State class since the 2021 recruiting cycle. The Sun Devils may not be known as a recruiting power but the arrow is certainly pointing up. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ARIZONA STATE FANS AT ILLINOIS Nick Lucero/ RELATED: Illinois 2026 commit list Head coach Bret Bielema has been making waves in the media this offseason but don't let that distract you from the success the Illini have been experiencing on the recruiting trail. Illinois currently has a top-10 recruiting class, something the program has never had at the end of a recruiting cycle. In fact, Illinois' highest-ranked recruiting class was in 2007 when it finished at No. 20 in the team rankings. With five four-star prospects onboard, Illinois is set up to finish with one of the best recruiting classes in program history. If they crash the College Football Playoff this season, who knows how high the Illini could finish. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH ILLINOIS FANS AT LOUISVILLE Nick Lucero/ RELATED: Louisville 2026 commit list The Cardinals were fully engaged with recruiting the transfer portal earlier than the majority of college football teams and have been aggressive there over the last few years, signing just 15 or 16 high school prospects in each of the last four years. In this cycle though, head coach Jeff Brohm and company already have 17 commitments and find themselves just outside the top 10 and the team rankings. With two Rivals250 commitments and an additional four-star commitment, the Cardinals are in position for their highest-ranked recruiting class since the 2023 cycle. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH LOUISVILLE FANS AT RUTGERS RELATED: Rutgers 2026 commit list Rutgers and head coach Greg Schiano have had highly ranked recruiting classes early in the recruiting process in previous years only to see teams surpass them by the time National Signing Day rolls around. Still, the Scarlet Knights have put together a strong recruiting class with five four-star prospects and currently sit inside the top 10 of the team rankings. Rutgers has never finished with a top-25 recruiting class, but there is still time for the Scarlet Knights to pick up momentum with key prospects and reel them in before the end of the recruiting cycle. Advertisement SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH RUTGERS FANS AT USC RELATED: USC 2026 commit list The Trojans are a far cry from the Pete Carroll years when they were consistently signing top-five recruiting classes, but head coach Lincoln Riley and general manager Chad Bowden have seemingly reversed that trend. USC currently sits at No. 1 in the team rankings with a total of 27 commitments, including two five-stars and three other top-100 prospects. The Trojans will need to continue to add elite prospects to this class if they hope to hold onto that top spot, but they've already positioned themselves to finish well inside the top 10. In the last seven recruiting classes, USC has finished in the top-10 just twice. SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS WITH USC FANS AT
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wilmington airport to get four new routes in the fall
Another airline is bumping up routes out of Wilmington International Airport. Breeze Airways announced on Wednesday, May 7, four new routes from Wilmington International Airport to Akron-Canton, Ohio; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Tampa, Florida; and Long Island-Islip, New York, starting this fall, according to a news release. Fares will start from $39 one-way. Breeze also announced it will double its weekly service from Wilmington to Orlando, Florida, starting in September. Beginning Wednesday, travelers can book flights on Breeze from Wilmington to: Akron-Canton, Ohio (Mondays and Fridays, starting Nov. 7, from $49 one-way) Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Mondays and Fridays, starting Nov. 7, from $39 one-way) Long Island-Islip, New York (Thursdays and Sundays, starting Oct. 2, from $49 one-way) Orlando, Fla. (Existing route doubling to four times weekly service on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays starting in September) Tampa, Florida (Thursdays and Sundays, starting Oct. 2, from $39 one-way). 'It's wonderful to see Breeze growing at ILM and doubling the routes they offer from our airport,' said Jeff Bourk, director at Wilmington International Airport. 'We're excited to offer our first nonstop to Ohio and to offer even more affordable options for travelers. Thank you, Breeze, for your investment in ILM!' Breeze was recently named Startup Airline of the year by the Centre for Aviation and recognized as a Four-Star Low-Cost Carrier at the 2025 Airline Passenger Experience Association Five-Star and Four-Star Airline Awards. Breeze was also ranked in the top five of Travel + Leisure's 'Best Domestic Airlines' for the third consecutive year. 'Breeze only began flying from Wilmington in February,' said David Neeleman, Breeze Airways' founder and CEO, 'so it's great to be doubling service to Orlando and adding four new routes already. We're confident travelers in Wilmington will enjoy these new destinations and look forward to welcoming them on an upcoming flight.' Cheryl M. Whitaker covers community news for the StarNews. Reach her at This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Breeze Airways: Four new routes coming to Wilmington, NC, in fall
Forbes
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
11 Hotels Fans Want To See In ‘The White Lotus' Season 4
Fairmont Mayakoba's bright sands would be the perfect setting for the dark comedy. The White Lotus just checked out of Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui in Thailand, but fans of the hit HBO show are already speculating on which luxury hotel it should check into for season four. Each installment of the dark comedy/drama features a different fictional White Lotus resort, which has been played by Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea and Four-Star San Domenico Palace, Taormina, a Four Seasons Hotel. 'For the fourth season, I want to get a little bit out of the 'crashing waves against rocks' vernacular,' said series creator Mike White in a Max video. 'But there's always room for more murders at The White Lotus Hotels.' We asked our Instagram followers to share which stunning property should star as the next ill-fated White Lotus hotel, and here's their top picks: Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, Mexico is another great option. Mexico was the most popular country suggestion among our followers, and this Five-Star hotel in the Riviera Nayarit is a prime contender. Red-tiled-roofed casitas reside in a 52-acre nature preserve along two beaches. Though, a lot of action likely would happen at the three pools. The Four Seasons' 'amphibious pool waiters,' who wade into the water to deliver cocktails, alone could inspire the show's intertwining stories of the hotel staff and wealthy guests. A Mexico alternative could be this sprawling 401-room beach resort in the private luxury community of Mayakoba. The Four-Star hotel's 595-acre jungle crisscrossed by canals, the area's rich Mayan culture and the hidden cenotes in and near the property all have potential for intrigue. We also could envision Laurie, Kate and Jaclyn dining on the floating decks at La Laguna, sipping sundowners around Cielo's sunken fire pits or arguing in the temazcal (an indigenous sweat lodge). Take the spectacle to the high seas. One follower proposed an original idea: take the murder mystery to the high seas with Four Seasons. What better way to publicize the brand's first yacht, Four Seasons I, when it launches in 2026? The intimate 95-suite vessel would create a pressure cooker environment. And if White needs character inspiration, we suggest Four Seasons I's dynamic captain Kate McCue, the first American female captain of a mega-ton cruise ship and a social media star. This triple Five-Star winner knows how to treat its guests. This coastal retreat would even earn Victoria Ratliff's approval. It's a triple Five-Star winner, earning FTG's top accolade for the hotel, restaurant and spa, a distinction only achieved by 14 properties worldwide. Another rarity: Rosewood is one of California's only luxury oceanfront resorts with rooms directly on the sand. When Ratliff said, 'I just don't think at this age I'm meant to live an uncomfortable life,' she was looking to stay at a place like this. An adventure getaway would be an interesting plot twist. The show's partnership with Four Seasons makes it likely that the brand will continue to provide White Lotus hotel stand-ins. But this Five-Star gem makes a compelling case for a deviation if the season focused on an adventure getaway. The only hotel inside Brazil's Iguacu National Park, the pink-hued property provides a front-row seat to the world's largest waterfalls — and guests receive exclusive access to the natural wonder before the park opens and after it closes. A ski resort backdrop could also be fun. If the show seeks a break from beachy locales, a stateside ski resort would be a great change of pace. At this Five-Star hotel, the stories would unfold from Wyoming's picturesque peaks. Days are spent skiing, embarking on wildlife safaris and exploring the nearby Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, while evenings get cozy in front of the stone fireplace in wood-accented rooms or on the popular Handle Bar's terrace, which faces the towering Tetons. Take the drama to new heights at Four Seasons' first European mountain property. For an international ski destination, the show could relocate to the brand's first European mountain property and Megève's first hotel with direct access to the Mont d'Arbois slopes. Four Seasons Hotel Megève feels like a contemporary alpine chalet with just 55 rooms, but it also offers Idéal 1850, an après-ski spot with a tiered terrace that's at 1,850 meters (or more than 6,000 feet) on the Mont d'Arbois summit, and Suite Idéal, an inviting wooden chalet above the restaurant. There's no better place to stage a Greek tragedy. Show creator White layers symbolism throughout the series, borrowing from art, books and other cultural references. He'd have rich source material in the land of gods and philosophers. After all, there's no better place to stage a Greek tragedy. This Five-Star modernist Athens Riviera hotel proves up for the role with a roster of high-profile past guests like Frank Sinatra, Brigitte Bardot and Jackie Onassis; luxurious bungalows and suites; seaside pools; and Five-Star service. Striking architecture and stunning palm trees would be the setting in Morocco. This Four-Star hotel would serve as an excellent entrée into Africa for the show. The lush and photogenic 40-acre grounds have gardens teeming with bougainvillea, palms and olive trees; two pools along with reflection pools and floating pavilions; and the Atlas Mountains hovering in the distance. The striking architecture recalls a Moorish palace, and rooms resemble riads with courtyards and have local touches inside, from Moroccan lamps to zellige tiles. Monkeys were a dominant symbol in season 3, and tigers could be the animal icon for the fourth installment. The safari edition of White Lotus could take place at this resort within Ranthambhore National Park, a sanctuary for about 80 of India's majestic Bengal tigers. Of course, guests like Piper wouldn't have to rough it at The Oberoi — it's a luxury tented camp inspired by the grand caravans of the royal families. The stylish '50s- and '60s-influenced hotel would spark romance. The Forbes Travel Guide Recommended boutique property offers a chance to bring The White Lotus to a major city, while still having a beach backdrop. The stylish '50s- and '60s-influenced hotel designed by Philippe Starck would make a romantic setting for Belinda and Pornchai's reunion, especially the rooftop white marble infinity pool that overlooks the Dois Irmãos mountains, the Corcovado and the ocean. Timing it to Rio's Carnival would make for colorful, vibrant chaos — and drama.
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NEW RELEASE: Rivals Five-Star event returns to Indianapolis
The 2025 Rivals Five-Star elite event will return to Indianapolis for the first time since 2017, with 104 of the best high school football players converging at the Colts' practice facility to compete. Media Day will be held June 23 with the on-field competition taking place June 24. The Rivals Five-Star event held in Indianapolis in 2017 featured one of the best groups of high school talent at a single event ever. It was loaded with future NFL stars, including Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Amon-Ra St. Brown, James Cook, Ja'Marr Chase, Penei Sewell and Aidan Hutchinson. And now we are heading back to Indy. June's event will spotlight top prospects in the 2026 and 2027 classes. The on-field showcase will feature competitions such as the Fastest Man, Bench Press Challenge, individual one-on-ones, 7-on-7 and linemen competition. The players will be coached at the event by former NFL standouts, including Brandon Jacobs, Marcus Price, Julian Jenkins and Joe Kelly. Today, more than 500 Rivals Camp Series alums can be found on NFL rosters, including 135 first-round NFL Draft picks. Five of the last nine Heisman Trophy winners attended a Rivals Camp Series event during their high school career. "NFL rosters are filled with Rivals Camp alums and while I was excited about the first-ever Five-Star many years ago, I'm even more excited now as we continue to build out this franchise as the best experience a top high school football player can have on and off the field," said Adam Gorney, director of recruiting. Rivals is the original network media outlet covering college football recruiting and has been doing so for nearly 25 years. The Rivals Camp Series began with the first Five-Star event held in Atlanta back in 2012 and it also features regional events held throughout the country during the spring. Coverage of the 2025 Rivals Five-Star will be found exclusively on and its various media channels. Stay tuned to Rivals over the next two months for the unveiling of the roster of players who will be participating in this year's Rivals Five-Star. RIVALS FIVE-STAR EVENT YEAR CITY LOCATION 2025 Indianapolis Colts' Practice Facility 2024 Jacksonville Jaguars' Miller Electric Center 2021 Atlanta Lakewood Stadium 2019 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium 2018 Atlanta Mercedes-Benz Stadium 2017 Indianapolis Colts' Practice Facility 2016 Atlanta Georgia Dome 2015 Baltimore M&T Bank Stadium 2014 Baltimore M&T Bank Stadium 2013 Chicago Soldier Field 2012 Atlanta Lakewood Stadium
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
MGM China Reports 2024 Annual Results
Record-High Revenue and EBITDA Market Share Continued to Grow HONG KONG, Feb. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- MGM China Holdings Limited ("MGM China" or the "Company"; SEHK Stock Code: 2282) today announced the selected unaudited financial data of the Company and its subsidiaries (the "Group") for the three and 12 months ended December 31, 2024. The Group is pleased to see Macau continuing to grow in 2024. The city welcomed 34.9 million visitors in 2024, up by 24% from a year ago. Daily visitation reached 95,433, represents a recovery of 88% of 2019 pre-COVID levels. Gross gaming revenue (GGR) also grew in 2024. Industry GGR was up 24% year-on-year to MOP620 million per day in 2024, recovered to 77% of 2019. MGM China continued to outperform industry recovery in 2024. Property visitation grew 54% year-on-year, reached 163% of 2019. Daily GGR was up 29% to 129% of 2019. Mass GGR (including slot) was up 33% to reach 179% of pre-COVID levels. Net revenue of the Group grew by 27% to HK$31.4 billion in 2024, or 138% of 2019. Adjusted EBITDA also reached historical high of HK$9.1 billion in 2024, up by 25% from a year ago, represented 147% of 2019. MGM China saw market share at all-time high of 15.8% in 2024, up from 15.2% in 2023 and compared to 9.5% in 2019. MGM COTAI market share was 9.3% and MGM MACAU was 6.5%. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 28.9% in 2024, 170 basis points higher than 2019, with a mass-focused business and continuous improvement in operational efficiency. Hotel occupancy reached 94% in 2024, up from 92.5% in 2023. The Group maintained a healthy financial position. As of December 31, 2024, the Group had a total liquidity of approximately HK$17.2 billion, comprised of cash, cash equivalents and undrawn revolver. With a guest-centric focus, MGM is awarded during the Period seven Five-Star awards by Forbes Travel Guide 2024. It demonstrates our leading position in the hospitality industry and its commitment to providing the finest service and resort amenities. During 2024, MGM China has proudly delivered a series of non-gaming events and excitements to Macau. We have hosted in January an outdoor concert with Bruno Mars, the 15-time Grammy Awards-winner. We had also presented with world-renowned musician Tan Dun his symphonic masterpiece Buddha Passion at the MGM Theater at MGM COTAI. In October to December, we celebrated the German beer festival with our annual mega event Oktoberfest Macau at MGM 2024; we also hosted MGM Chef Nic Gastronomusic Fest for the third year at MGM COTAI. The multi-sensorial cultural IP extravaganzas fully leverage on Macau as an interactive platform for diverse cultural exchange, which brings international gastronomy and musical culture to the city. These events also reinforce Macau's golden calling cards as a "Creative City of Gastronomy" and "City of Performing Arts". As an advocate of cultural tourism, Poly MGM Museum opened at MGM MACAU in November 2024 in a collaboration with the Poly Culture Group. Spanning across nearly 2,000 square meters, the museum has been meticulously designed to meet national standards for exhibiting Grade-One cultural relics, blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technology to create an immersive experience for visitors. The inaugural exhibition, entitled The Maritime Silk Road – Discover the Mystical Seas and Encounter the Treasures of the Ancient Trade Route, features an array of 228 artifacts and artworks tracing the route's rich history. In the seemingly exciting December, MGM has joined hands with the renowned Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou to present a groundbreaking residency show - Macau 2049 at the MGM Theater. The unparallel show transcends time and space while bridging culture of the east and the west, through the celebration of Chinese performance arts. Kenneth Feng, President and Executive Director of MGM China said: "We are exhilarated to have nearly 500,000 visitors to date to our Poly MGM Museum, and a ticket sale of over 42,000 for Macau 2049. Through the offering of these one-of-the-kind IP experiences, we are dedicated to drive non-gaming revenues and visitation to Macau, promoting cultural tourism and economic diversification." Outside our properties, MGM China goes beyond leveraging our cultural tourism strengths and joins effort to revitalize local district in Macau. The Group has introduced a series of art exhibitions, workshops, retails and leisure activities in the world heritage A-Ma Temple area to enhance community engagement efforts in the Barra district, driving the area's future development. Kenneth Feng said: "We are delighted to see the recovery in Macau, along with the diversification development of the city. We are committed to developing Macau into a global and diversified tourist destination through our concession commitments." About MGM China Holdings Limited MGM China Holdings Limited (HKEx: 2282) is a leading developer, owner and operator of gaming and lodging resorts in the Greater China region. We are the holding company of MGM Grand Paradise, SA which holds one of the six gaming concessions to run casino games in Macau. MGM Grand Paradise, SA owns and operates MGM MACAU, the award-winning premium integrated resort located on the Macau Peninsula and MGM COTAI, a contemporary luxury integrated resort in Cotai, which opened in 2018 and more than doubles our presence in Macau. MGM China is majority owned by MGM Resorts International (NYSE: MGM) one of the world's leading global hospitality companies, operating a portfolio of destination resort brands including Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and Park MGM. For more information about MGM Resorts International, visit the Company's website at View original content: SOURCE MGM China Sign in to access your portfolio
