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October 29, 2003
Over 20 Companies Recognized for Hospitality Excellence
WASHINGTON — October 29, 2003 - Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE:MAR) honored top owners and franchisees for
2003 at its annual full-service hotel conference held this week at the JW
Marriott Las Vegas Resort, Spa & Golf. Six companies, including CNL
Hospitality Corp., Concord Hospitality Enterprises Corp., Kimberly Clark Corp.,
Larco Hospitality Management, Inc., White Lodging Services Corp. and Winegardner
& Hammons, Inc., were awarded Marriott's highest honor, the Partnership
Circle Award, presented to owner and franchise companies for their hospitality
excellence. Over 70 representatives from companies that own or franchise
Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Renaissance Hotels & Resorts properties
attended the three-day meeting.
"I'd like to congratulate this year's winners for their outstanding efforts
and thank them for helping to make both Marriott and Renaissance the most
preferred full-service brands among travelers," said Steve Joyce, executive vice
president, owner and franchise services, Marriott International. "We recognize
that our owners and franchisees invest billions of dollars in Marriott brand
hotels worldwide, and we value the strong partnerships we have developed and
continue to develop."
Since acquiring their first Marriott hotel in 1998, CNL Hospitality of
Orlando, Fla., has grown their portfolio to 69 Marriott lodging products. The
company will open Tampa's first Renaissance hotel in mid-2004, and earlier this
year opened downtown's Seattle's first full-service Marriott, the Seattle
Marriott Waterfront Hotel.
Concord Hospitality Enterprises of Mentor, Ohio has partnered with Marriott
since 1980 with the opening of the West Des Moines Marriott. Today the company
owns and operates over 30 Marriott branded hotels, including the Renaissance
Meadowlands Hotel in New Jersey and the Renaissance Quail Hollow Resort in
Painseville, Ohio.
In the past year, Kimberly Clark of Irving, Texas, has grown their
portfolio of Marriott properties from two to six. Recent openings include the
Renaissance Grande Hotel, St. Louis, the Renaissance St. Louis Suites and the
Renaissance Arts Hotel, New Orleans.
Larco Hospitality Management of Vancouver, Canada, is Marriott's largest
full-service franchisee in Canada. The company owns and operates 14 Marriott
branded hotels, including the JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort, Spa & Golf and
the Renaissance Toronto Skydome. The company is scheduled to open the Toronto
Airport Renaissance in 2004.
White Lodging Services of Merrillville, Ind., first partnered with Marriott
in 1990. Today the company owns and operates more than 70 Marriott lodging
products, including the recently opened Denver Marriott South and the
Renaissance Denver Broomfield Suites.
Winegardner & Hammons, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, has received
Marriott's Partnership Circle Award for six consecutive years. The company owns
and operates over 30 properties, including the Pittsburgh Marriott North, the
Chicago Marriott Northwest and the Hartford/Windsor Marriott Airport.
In addition to awarding the Partnership Circle Awards, Marriott also
recognized 20 companies for their exceptional guest satisfaction scores and
honored other owners and franchisees for their achievements in the following
categories: Best New Product, Opening of the Year, and Developer of the Year. A
full list of winners is attached.
MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC. (NYSE:MAR) is a leading worldwide
hospitality company with nearly 2,600 lodging properties in the United States
and 66 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and
franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton,
Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn,
SpringHill Suites and Ramada International brand names; develops and operates
vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International,
Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Marriott Grand Residence Club brands;
operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing
through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The
company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., has approximately 129,000
employees, and was ranked as the lodging industry's most admired company and one
of the best places to work for by FORTUNE®. For more information or
reservations, please visit the web site at www.marriott.com.
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