NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: November 30, 2007

ALBANY, N.Y. (November 30, 2007)  – The Albany Convention Center Authority’s (ACCA) Hotel/Convention Center Selection Focus Group today received approval from the authority’s board of directors to enter into negotiations with Starwood Hotels, as hotel operator, and SMG as the Convention Center operator for the yet-to-be developed Albany facility.

The recommendation was made during the board’s monthly meeting at the Harold L. Joyce Albany County Office Building.

“The impressive group of candidates made for a challenging decision”, said Focus Group Chair Brad Rosenstein of Jack’s Oyster House, “the Sheraton brand under the leadership of Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, coupled with the convention center expertise of SMG, offers an outstanding choice for the group, business and leisure traveler.”

Other candidates interviewed by the Focus Group were BBL Development Group of Albany teaming up with Ocean Hospitalities, Inc. of Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and the Waterford Group of Waterford, Connecticut.

“We are very pleased with the prospect of working with Starwood and SMG”, stated George Leveille, Chair of the authority’s board, “both have demonstrated experience managing first class facilities and a company philosophy that will assist us in achieving our financial and civic goals.”

SMG currently manages Albany’s Times Union Center, as well as arenas, stadiums, convention centers and theaters. Headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, SMG operates 209 facilities in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, England, Northern Ireland, Norway and Germany.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. is headquartered in White Plains. They own or manages 890 properties in more than 100 countries.  Sheraton is Starwood North America’s  largest brand.

Albany’s proposed convention center and 400-room hotel would be built in the are bounded by S. Pearl, Broadway, Hudson and Madison.
    

ABOUT THE ACCA
The nine-member Albany Convention Center Authority was organized in 2006 as a public benefit corporation under the New York State Public Authorities Act. The authority was created to meet an immediate need to institute a comprehensive, coordinated program of convention activities in the City of Albany. The ACCA is to provide the City of Albany with the ability to develop, renovate and undertake economic development projects in the historic downtown area to optimize the economic and social activities of city and its environs.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Duncan Stewart, Executive Director
Albany Convention Center Authority
The R.B. Wing Building
386 Broadway, Albany, New York 12207
518.275.4920
518.275.4921 fax
dstewart@accany.com
www.accany.com

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