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NEW YORK, April 7, 1999 - With seven existing hotels
and another four under development -- representing more than 6,100 rooms
-- Starwood will soon be Manhattan's dominant hotel player.
In a press conference today, Juergen Bartels, Chief Executive Officer- Hotel Group, Starwood Hotels Resorts Worldwide, Inc., announced that the company will manage the new Planet Hollywood Hotel in Times Square, representing Starwood's fourth Manhattan hotel project under development. Sheraton Hotels Resorts, Starwood's largest brand, will operate the 562-room hotel. Currently under construction, the Planet Hollywood hotel will feature a Planet Hollywood Restaurant and Bar and retail store. Intell Management and Planet Hollywood own the hotel. "Starwood's Manhattan hotels are flourishing and the Manhattan hotel market looks strong through 2000," said Bartels. "Our agreement with Planet Hollywood coupled with our other new hotel projects prove that Starwood is quite bullish on Manhattan. Manhattan is one of the hotel capitals of the world and it is important for Starwood to have so many showcase properties here." Four of Starwood's six hotel brands fly flags in Manhattan including Sheraton, Westin Hotels Resorts; St. Regis Luxury Collection; and W Hotels. New Manhattan Developments In addition to The Planet Hollywood deal, Starwood is in the midst of a Manhattan hotel development boom. In less than six months, Starwood has added two new hotels to its Manhattan portfolio. In December 1998 the company launched its newest brand, W Hotels, with the opening of the 722-room W New York, the brand's worldwide flagship. Chic, warm and hip, The W New York epitomizes the W brand, and has attracted New York's fashionable crowd and celebrities with its acclaimed Heartbeat Restaurant from restaurateur Drew Nieporent and Whiskey Blue, a nightclub created by Rande Gerber. Last month, Starwood assumed management of the 597-room Essex House, a legendary New York hotel. Operating as the Essex House, a Westin Hotel, the property becomes Westin's second hotel in Manhattan. Originally opened in 1931, the hotel recently completed a $75 million renovation, orchestrated by world-renowned designer Pierre Yves Rochon, restoring it to its 1930's Art- Deco splendor. Details include custom-made Louis XVI and Chippendale reproductions, priceless antiques and imported carpets, fabrics and marble. This summer, Starwood will open two new W Hotels in Manhattan, W The Court and W The Tuscany. Adjacent to each other in the heart of midtown Manhattan (130 East 39th Street), W The Court and W The Tuscany will share a Drew Nierporent restaurant and Rande Gerber nightclub. In addition, both hotels will feature signature W services, products and amenities including a luxurious bed with a pillow top mattress, goose down comforters and pillows; Aveda bath products; in-room CD players and state-of-the-art business services. The Court offers 198 guestrooms and The Tuscany features 122 guestrooms. Both hotels are Starwood-owned. Ground will soon break on a new $300 million, 860-room Starwood hotel in one of New York City's most celebrated locales. Scheduled to open in 2002, The Westin New York at Times Square will be located adjacent to E Walk, a 200,000 square-foot entertainment, retail and restaurant complex being developed, and owned, by affiliates of Tishman Realty Construction Co., Inc., one of the world's premier developers. Starwood's Manhattan Hotels Existing Starwood hotels in New York City include The St. Regis, one of the worlds most renown and luxurious hotels and a Manhattan classic since 1904. A Mobil-fixe star rated hotel, The St. Regis is home to Lespinasse, one of New York City's only five star restaurants. The Sheraton flag flies on three Manhattan hotels, the 1,743-room Sheraton New York; the 650-room Sheraton Manhattan and the 146-room Sheraton Russell. In addition, New York's former Ritz Carlton became The Westin Central Park South last year after Starwood acquired the property. Starwood is the world's largest hotel and gaming company which, through its subsidiaries, operates the Sheraton, Westin, St. Regis/Luxury Collection, Ciga, Four Points by Sheraton, W and Caesars brands. Starwood's portfolio of owned, managed and franchised hotels and casinos include approximately 690 hotels and casinos in 72 countries with over 223,000 rooms. Starwood Hotels in Manhattan, # Rooms
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