PHOENIX - December 5, 2001 - The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa placed a one-piece roof - that spans the size of a tennis court - atop its 120-foot tower as part of a commemorative topping off ceremony at 9 a.m. today. This unique roof placement marks the structural completion of the building, a significant milestone in the resort�s construction process.

Construction of The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa launched in December 2000 within the 262-acre development near Scottsdale Road and Greenway Parkway in northeast Phoenix. With 750 guest rooms, suites and casitas and 60,000 square feet of indoor function space, the $180-million resort is now taking reservations for January 2003.

The construction tower crane suspended the 20,000-pound, 42-by-80-foot roof and lifted it into place atop the center tower of the resort. The roof was placed on top of the building�s commemorative steel beam signed by the project�s partners and construction workers. This is the first time the project�s construction company, Sundt Construction, Inc., of Phoenix, has placed a prefabricated roof of this size. 

Representatives from the resort�s development partners attended the ceremony. �The placement of this enormous roof characterizes how elaborate and unique this project truly is,� said John Field Scovell, president and chief executive officer of Woodbine Development Corporation, development partner for the resort. �From its conception, we�ve strived to perfect every detail of the resort�s design, resulting in an incredibly distinct project.�

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa will be operated by Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.  under The Westin brand. It is being developed by Woodbine Development Corporation, a Dallas-based diversified real estate company and parent of Woodbine Southwest Corporation in Phoenix.

The design of The Westin Kierland is based on the theme: The Essence of Arizona. The hotel�s interior and venues will paint a colorful portrait of Arizona's ancestors-Native Americans, pioneers, artisans, rogues, explorers, history makers-and of the land they tried to tame. Under The Essence of Arizona theme, the resort will pay tribute to the people, landscape and events that shaped the state's cultural heritage.

�The Essence of Arizona theme has been the cornerstone of the resort�s construction and design, and we are the only hotel in the state to offer such a comprehensive theme. We wanted to highlight what makes this destination unique and incorporate those elements throughout the hotel,� Scovell said. �Visitors come to Arizona for a variety of reasons - the desert, the mountains, the Grand Canyon and golf, but it is really the combination of these that provides the allure.�

The Westin Kierland Resort & Spa serves as the centerpiece of the 730-acre Kierland community and is surrounded by the existing 27-hole Kierland Golf Club that will be integrated into the resort operation. The hotel, designed by Hill Glazier Architects, Inc., of Palo Alto, Calif., and interior designer Barry Design Associates of Los Angeles, will feature elegant accommodations, more than 60 suites and a 40-unit casita village; approximately 60,000 square feet of indoor function space and extensive outdoor function space in distinctive courtyards with fountains, pools and lush landscape; eight food and beverage venues; and a full-service spa and fitness facility.

Balconies on the main hotel building will offer views of the Audubon-recognized golf course in the foreground, rugged mountains and desert landscape in the distance, and sparkling city lights at night. The casitas, or low-rise bungalows, will be surrounded by the golf course and lush gardens. Three pools will accommodate swimmers of all abilities: adults, athletes and children, and are accented by a water slide and flowing river.

The resort is within walking distance of the Kierland Commons Main Street retail/office development that opened last year with an impressive list of tenants ready to serve resort guests, as well as area residents. The 450,000-square-foot urban village incorporates upscale specialty retail, entertainment, restaurant and office components into a main-street environment.

Woodbine Development Corporation (developer and investment partner) is a 28-year-old, Dallas-based real estate company specializing in development of master-planned communities, hotels, resorts and golf courses. In addition to development of its own real estate investment projects, Woodbine provides real estate development services to corporations, non-profit institutions and individuals.

Woodbine�s multimillion-dollar project portfolio includes: Hyatt Regency Lake Las Vegas Resort, a 496-room Mediterranean themed deluxe hotel, which opened in December 1999; the 508-room Westin La Cantera Resort in San Antonio; the 1,122-room Hyatt Regency Dallas hotel and adjoining landmark Reunion Tower; the 514-room Hyatt Regency Fort Worth (now Radisson Plaza Hotel); the 1,367-room Hyatt Regency DFW and Bear Creek Golf Club, with two 18-hole championship golf courses on 335 acres within the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport boundaries; The Golf Club at Fossil Creek in Forth Worth, an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Arnold Palmer; and the 500-room Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and adjoining 18-hole championship Hill Country Golf Club in San Antonio.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world, with 750 properties in more than 80 countries and 110,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.