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the $110 million Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn® Opens in Orlando |
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| Orlando, Fla., (May 31, 2005) � This weekend (May 27 - 30) more than
1,800 people had the �slime of their lives� at the grand opening celebration
of the first-ever Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn®.
The official opening of this $110 million complex, designed especially
for traveling families, took place just in time to kick off the summer.
�After a 14-month transformation, we are thrilled to welcome guests to the first-ever Nickelodeon hotel, and to provide families with the ultimate kid-friendly vacation experience,� said Terry Whaples, operating partner and president of the hotel. �The success of this weekend demonstrated that this is the best hotel in Orlando to meet families� unique lodging needs.� The Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn offers kids and families two interactive water parks, a 3,000-square-foot arcade, a Kid�s Spa, 2- and 3-Bedroom KidSuites® units featuring separate kids� bedrooms and a TV in every room, and a Nick @ Nite Lounge for adults, among other amenities. Two of the resort�s biggest attractions are the Character Breakfast in Nicktoons Café where families can meet some of their favorite Nickelodeon characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants, Dora the Explorer and Cosmo and Wanda from The Fairly OddParents; and Studio Nick, a $1 million state-of-the-art theater where kids � and parents � may get pied or even slimed. �It�s been amazing watching kids� and families� faces as they enter the resort and begin the Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn experience,� said Howard Smith, senior vice president Nickelodeon and Paramount Recreation. �This hotel is a destination and a vacation unto itself. Guests were having such a great time that they ended up staying at the resort rather than leaving to go to the theme parks! These reactions prove that the vacation experience we are extending to families is a success.� The grand opening celebration � in true Nickelodeon style � was much
like the resort, a kid-friendly experience from beginning to end.
Events included Nickelodeon�s �Let�s Just Play� activities such as a 5K
run and 1K walk, performances by Drake Bell of Nickelodeon�s Drake and
Josh, readings from the Thinking Chair by Joe (Donovan Patton) of Blue�s
Clues, a taping of TEENick with performances by Good Charlotte, and one
of the biggest slimings ever. Deejay J. Boogie gathered guests at
the Lagoon pool area, and as they chanted �Slime! Slime! Slime!,� a 400-gallon
dump tank unloaded the green slime in mass proportions on the crowd below.
The weekend concluded with a �dive-in� movie and pool �slumber� party with
the hotel�s resident entertainment group, Team Nick.
The Lagoon is a first-of-its-kind courtyard featuring a zero-depth entry pool anchored by a four-story interactive water tower featuring multiple slides, climbing nets, water jets, and a 400- gallon dump tank that splashes down unexpectedly. �This weekend was a true testament of the power of two brands � Nickelodeon, the world�s leading entertainment brand for kids, and Holiday Inn, the most family friendly hotels in the nation,� said Mark Snyder, senior vice president, brand management, Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts, The Americas. �This is one powerful brand alignment that makes this resort an unforgettable family vacation.� About the Family Suites Resort Team Family Suites Resort is a joint venture of two of America�s most experienced hospitality companies: Family Suites Hotel Holdings of Orlando (FSHH) and Miller Global Properties of Denver. FSHH�s Terry Whaples is operating partner and president of Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn and has developed, owned and operated numerous Holiday Inn properties for more than 30 years. She co-founded the Family Suites property with her longtime business partners Henri Landwirth (who is also founder of Give Kids the World, a Central Florida charity that provides comprehensive free resort stays for terminally ill children and their families), U.S. Senator and Astronaut John Glenn, and Ed Rudman, co-founder and chairman of Pell Rudman, a Boston wealth management firm. Miller Global is a real estate company that develops, acquires, operates and owns hotels, office buildings and mixed use properties throughout the United States and Europe. Headed by President Jim Miller, the company has been involved in 68 properties representing more than $2 billion of asset value comprising 8.25-million-square-feet of office space and 1,500 hotel rooms. Prior to forming Miller Global, various principals were involved in the development, management and/or ownership of such prestigious hotels as The Lodge at Pebble Beach, The Inn at Spanish Bay, Aspen�s Little Nell Hotel, and The Beverly Hills Hotel. About Nickelodeon Nickelodeon, now in its 26th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines, and feature films. Nickelodeon�s U.S. television network is seen in more than 89 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than nine consecutive years. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc. About Holiday Inn Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts is part of the InterContinental Hotels Group family of brands with global headquarters in the U.K. and American headquarters in Atlanta. |
| Contact:
Nickelodeon
Holiday Inn
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| Also See: | Nickelodeon Partnering with Holiday Inn® to Develop the First Nick-themed Hotel, the Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn - Orlando / October 2003 |