White Lodging Announces Austin Convention Hotel Will Be a JW Marriott

MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Dec. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — White Lodging Services
Corporation announced today the 1,003-room, 30-story luxurious convention hotel
they are building in Austin downtown will be upgraded to a JW Marriott. With the
project’s required equity commitment already secured through internal sources,
construction is on track and set to begin June 1, 2012 and the JW Marriott is
scheduled to open in January 2015. Located in the heart of downtown on Congress
Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets, the JW Marriott is two blocks from the
Austin Convention Center and poised to take the City of Austin to a new level in
the national convention and meeting market. Plans for the hotel include
oversized guestrooms and suites, upscale interior design finishes throughout, in
excess of 110,000 square feet of flexible meeting, banquet and exhibition space,
multiple food and beverage venues, underground parking, and a signature 4,500
square foot fitness center.

“We believe this project will make a very positive statement for the City in the
eyes of national meeting planners and, in turn, will induce more incremental
group and convention business to downtown Austin,” said Deno Yiankes, White
Lodging’s President and CEO of Investments & Development.

A boost to Austin’s economy, construction of the hotel over the next three years
will generate over 2,500 construction jobs. Once completed, it is estimated that
the property will employ over 750 permanent employees pushing White Lodging’s
total number of employees in greater Austin to over 1,700. Additionally, the JW
Marriott Austin will be LEED Certified and achieve a 2-Star rating from the
Austin Energy Green Building Program and will also offer “EcoEvents by Marriott”
which incorporates a number of environmentally friendly components to an event.

Already the largest hotelier in the City, White Lodging’s managed portfolio in
Austin will grow to 22 properties with over 4,200 guestrooms with the opening of
the JW Marriott. Most recently, White Lodging opened the 340-unit Westin Hotel
at the Domain in March, 2010 and broke ground on the 296-unit Hyatt Place hotel
located at 3rd Street and San Jacinto in October of this year.

About JW Marriott – JW Marriott is part of Marriott International’s luxury
portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive
resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today’s
sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek
in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere lacking in pretense. JW Marriott
properties artfully provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that are
reflective of their locale so that their guests have the time to focus on what
is most important to them. Currently, there are 51 JW Marriott hotels in 21
countries; by 2014 the portfolio will encompass 77 properties in 28 countries.

About White Lodging – White Lodging Services Corporation was established in 1985
and is headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana. White Lodging is a fully
integrated hotel ownership, development, and operations company – a recognized
leader that has defined and cultivated the ability to achieve consistent,
sustainable growth among mid- to large-scale hotels across the country. Their
current portfolio consists of over 157 hotels in 19 states and encompasses
representation of the following leading brands: Marriott International, Inc.,
Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Global, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, InterContinental
Hotel Group, Preferred Hotel Group and Carlson Hotels Worldwide.

SOURCE White Lodging Services Corporation