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1. US partial government shutdown ends with DHS funding still at risk
President Donald Trump signed legislation that ended a partial government shutdown on Tuesday, but the bill included only a two-week extension for funding for the Department of Homeland Security, CBS News reports.
According to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Senate Democrats are working on a "very serious, detailed proposal" for DHS, which includes agencies like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Transportation Security Administration and more.
Legislators have until Feb. 14 before DHS funding will expire.
2. Inflation in Europe cools in January
As economists polled by Reuters expected, Euro zone inflation in January cooled to 1.7%, CNBC reported, which is down from 2% in December. Excluding the more volatile energy, food, alcohol and tobacco prices, core inflation was reportedly 2.2% in January, only down slightly from the 2.3% reported in December.
Now that the inflation rate has now fallen below the European Central Bank’s 2% target, CNBC reports "it’s likely to steer clear of any more rate cuts for the foreseeable future." The bank meets Thursday, and economists expect no changes in the coming months as well.
3. Super Bowl set to score widespread performance for Bay Area
Sunday's Super Bowl LX will be a boon to hotel performance in the Bay Area, reports CoStar News' Trevor Simpson. In an episode of the CoStar News Hotels podcast, Colin Sherman, director of hospitality analytics for Texas and the U.S. South for CoStar Group, shared what hoteliers in the Santa Clara and San Francisco markets can expect from the weekend — including the role public transit will play.
"Transit was such a huge influence and a huge factor, because in 2016, there were 15,000 plus Caltrain riders on Saturday, close to 10,000 on the VTA into the stadium and the BART was pushing, at the time, one of its highest ridership dates ever," Sherman said. "That same setup is in place for 2026 and it absolutely supports San Francisco's pricing power when fans can stay there for the night life ... and hop on a train to the game and then go back that same night."
4. Louisville tower to be repositioned as hotel
The Humana Tower in Louisville, Kentucky, will be transformed into a 1,000-room hotel, according to reporting from Louisville Business First. Local real estate company Poe Cos. signed a letter of intent to purchase the 26-floor building at W. Main St. Hank Hillebrand, president of Poe Cos., told Business First that the project is expected to cost between $600 million to $700 million.
Along with the existing tower, an adjacent space that currently has office space and a restaurant is included in the deal. A second tower will be built on that land. Together, the two towers will have 1,000 rooms. When completed, the hotel will be the second largest in Louisville, according to Business First.
5. Marriott loyalty exec to retire
Marriott International announced the retirement of David Flueck, global officer of loyalty, cards & new businesses. He's been with Marriott for 22 years and is credited with playing a central role in the evolution and global success of Marriott Bonvoy. According to the release, Flueck will retire at the end of March in order "to pursue a new opportunity aligned with his passion for the outdoors," according to the press release.
“David’s contributions to Marriott Bonvoy and our loyalty team have been significant and far‑reaching,” said Peggy Roe, executive vice president and chief customer officer. “His strategic vision, deep customer insight, and commitment to innovation have shaped a program that is beloved by millions of travelers around the world. We are grateful for his leadership and the legacy he leaves, and we wish him every success as he pursues his next chapter.”
Marriott has began its search for Flueck's successor.