The $125 million project is owned by the Gila River Indian Community, who has selected Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) to manage the resort under the Sheraton brand. The resort is scheduled to open fourth quarter of 2002.

�We are pleased to grow our resort collection with this new property that when open will provide travelers with a unique experience that blends natural desert beauty, Gila River culture and a multitude of recreational activities,� remarked Norman MacLeod, executive vice president of operations for Starwood.  �At the same time, we are very honored to become a part of the Gila River community.�

The resort will be situated on the banks of a two and a half mile river feature, as the centerpiece of a 2,400-acre master planned development. The master plan currently includes the Whirlwind Golf Club, an 18-hole championship golf course, a 350-acre business park and the Wild Horse Pass Casino. When fully completed, the project will also include a second 18-hole championship golf course, an equestrian facility and additional commercial development.

The resort�s 17,000-square foot spa facility will open in concert with the resort and include 17 treatment rooms, salon, juice bar, fitness center, watsu pools, grottos and a labyrinth constructed of stone and grass. Additional hotel features will include a 100,000-square foot conference center, three outdoor swimming pools with one offering a waterslide for children, two outdoor whirlpools and two restaurants.

World-renowned architect, Wimberly, Allison, Tong & Goo of Newport Beach, California has designed the hotel to showcase the unique culture, history and designs of the Gila River Indian Community. The open-air lobby will incorporate cacti and other plants, and the river feature will seamlessly meander in and out of the resort�s public space, both emphasising the importance of water and indigenous vegetation to the community. Cultural components will also be apparent in the hotel�s interior design finishes.

The resort�s two 18-hole championship courses, Devil�s Claw and Cattail, were designed by Gary Panks and are managed by Troon Golf of Scottsdale, Arizona. The Whirlwind Golf Club and the Devil�s Claw course opened in November 2000 and the Cattail course will open for play at the same time as the resort.  Community history will also be central to the resort�s golf experience, in that �Whirlwind� is a traditional basket pattern developed many years ago by community basket weavers, and both �Devil�s Claw� and �Cattail� plant materials are used to make the unique patterns on the traditional basketry. Also, holes of the golf courses have been named by the community members to reflect their unique stories and songs.

Starwood�s resort collection in Arizona currently includes The Phoenician in Scottsdale; The Wigwam Resort in Phoenix; the Sheraton San Marcos Golf Resort & Convention Center in Chandler; and The Westin La Paloma Resort & Spa and the Sheraton El Conquistador Resort & Country Club in Tucson. In addition, The Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale is scheduled to open in 2002.

The Gila River Indian Community is located on a 372,000-acre reservation adjacent to the Phoenix Metropolitan Area in south central Arizona. The reservation was established by an Act of Congress in 1859 and is comprised of two distinct peoples, the Akimel O�odham (Pima) and the Pee Posh (Maricopa), each with its own history, language and culture. A strong tradition in agriculture led to the development of the Gila River Farms, which has approximately 12,000 acres of land in production growing cotton, wheat, olives, citrus, alfalfa and melons. In addition to farming, the community also operates its own electric utility, telephone service and several industrial parks.

Starwood is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with more than 725 properties in 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.