Jesse Cole will speak at the Hunter Conference on March 19th

JESSE COLE, OWNER and founder of the Savannah Bananas baseball team, will give a special address at the 36th Hunter Hotel Investment Conference on March 19. Hosted by Hunter Hotel Advisors, the event will take place March 18-20 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, Georgia.

Cole’s main stage session, “Elevate Your Game: Fans First,” will focus on strategies to improve guest engagement, redefine service standards and strengthen brand storytelling, Hunter said in a statement.

“Jesse brings a unique perspective on customer engagement and brand development that resonates with hotel investors, operators and industry leaders,” said Lee Hunter, Chairman of the Hunter Conference. “This is an opportunity to learn from a true innovator.”

Cole, known for his yellow tuxedo and his work in sports entertainment, made the Savannah Bananas a widely recognized team, the statement said. The Bananas, which has appeared on The Today Show, CBS Sunday Morning and Access Hollywood, has sold out every season and, under his leadership, has built a waiting list of more than 2 million fans. He is also the founder of Fans First Entertainment, which combines baseball and entertainment with a focus on the show.

“Fans first. It is the name of our company. It is our goal. That’s what we do – we focus on the fans,” Cole said.

His philosophy has transformed the sports experience and sparked discussions about reimagining guest engagement in the hospitality industry, the statement said. By adopting a fans first approach, the industry can rethink guest prioritization.

The conference will also feature industry leaders, panel discussions and networking opportunities on hotel investment challenges and trends.

Hunter said more than 2,100 attendees registered for the 35th conference, including 40 percent hotel owners and 25 percent first-time attendees. Speakers included Cassie Kozyrkov, Google’s first chief decision scientist; mentalist Oz Pearlman; Delta CEO Ed Bastian; and Marriott CEO Anthony Capuano.