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Internationally Renowned Design Firm WATG to Create Interiors
For The Regent Resort at La Punta Papagayo, Costa Rica
PAPAGAYO, Costa Rica (February 28, 2007) � Kirchert Pakonen Development and Regent Hotels & Resorts have announced that Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG) has been selected as the interior design firm for La Punta Papagayo, a new 60-acre, five-star resort development comprising a luxury Regent hotel, private villas, estate homes and a retail village. Recognized as one of the world�s leading design firms for the hospitality, leisure, and entertainment industries, WATG will marry traditional Costa Rican design with contemporary style to create Papagayo�s newest luxury resort. 
 
�It was an effortless decision to bring WATG on board to design the interiors for La Punta Papagayo,� said Blaine Kirchert, partner in the La Punta Papagayo project.  �They immediately understood our goals and vision to design an ultra-luxury resort that celebrates Costa Rica�s stunningly beautiful Guanacaste seacoast and the region�s rich cultural heritage.�
 
WATG will work in tandem with prominent local architect Ronald Zurcher to bring together dramatic architectural and design elements in order to craft an authentic, pastoral haven that charms guests with a blend of sophisticated elegance and relaxed comfort.  Set between verdant forests and pristine waters, the artful use of natural materials will create a seamless blend between the resort and its magnificent surroundings.  

�Inspired by the breathtaking beauty of the coastline and the diverse flora and fauna, it�s our foremost priority to express the authenticity of the region in every aspect of the property,� said Rhonda Rasmussen, associate vice president of WATG.  �Our goal is to create enchanting interiors that are rich in both indigenous tradition and world-class sophistication.  Regional and native materials will be used extensively to create an authentic environment that expresses a genuine sense of place.�
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Over its 60 years in practice WATG has continued to evolve to meet the changing needs of its valued clients, now found in 150 countries and territories around the world.  To complement its traditional strengths in architecture, planning and consulting, WATG offers interior design services in order to deliver to clients an integrated �one-stop-shopping� experience with a single point of accountability.  The result is a well-coordinated project development process and a seamlessly executed product.
 
La Punta Papagayo is located only 20 minutes from Liberia International Airport in the northwest region of Costa Rica�s dazzling Guanacaste province, overlooking the Gulf of Papagayo and the Bay of Colebra.   Regent Hotels & Resorts, a global leader in the luxury segment of the hotel industry, will manage La Punta Papagayo.
 
La Punta Papagayo is among the most anticipated developments in Costa Rica, offering exquisite accommodations and residences, unparalleled service and personalized amenities. Nestled in a lush tropical hillside that soars majestically above the ocean, the resort will deliver unrivaled sweeping ocean views and stunning sunset panoramas.  
 
La Punta Papagayo is scheduled to open in early 2009. 
 
About Regent Hotels & Resorts
            
Regent is a global leader in the luxury segment of the hospitality industry, encompassing hotels, resorts, residences and cruises worldwide.  Renowned for its dedication to customer service, Regent provides discerning guests with personalized and innovative hospitality through The Regent ExperienceSM designed continuously to exceed expectations.  Regent Hotels & Resorts properties are developed globally with Singapore-based Carlson Hotels Asia Pacific and Brussels-based Rezidor SAS Hospitality, which is developing Regent Hotels & Resorts in The Americas, Europe, and Africa.  Regent Hotels and Regent Seven Seas Cruises are both part of Carlson Companies, a world leader in the hotel, cruise, restaurant, travel and marketing industries.  For more information on Regent, visit www.TheRegentExperience.com.
 
About Kirchert Pakonen 
            
Kirchert Pakonen is a team of two Minnesota real estate veterans, Blaine Kirchert and Rich Pakonen. The developers have set their sights on the beautiful northwestern coast of Costa Rica for their new luxury condominiums, hotels and estate homes.  Their first project, Sombras (�The Shade� in Spanish), will soon be unveiled in Playa del Coco in the country�s North Guanacaste region.  A second project is currently under way just north of Playa del Coco on 60 acres of waterfront property between Playa Hermosa and Playa Panama, overlooking the Gulf of Papagayo.  The development, La Punta Papagayo, will open in 2009 and feature a five-star hotel, luxury villas, estate homes and a retail village.  La Punta Papagayo is expected to be one of Costa Rica�s most significant resort developments.
 
About WATG 

WATG is the number one hospitality design firm in the world, according to surveys by Hotel Design and Hotel & Motel Management magazines.  Hospitality Design magazine�s recent survey of architecture and interior design firms ranked WATG�s corporate culture among the top in the country:  best career advancement, best firm philosophy, best client list, best list of projects, and most innovative.  Since its founding in 1945, WATG has designed destinations in 150 countries from its offices in Honolulu, Seattle, Irvine, Orlando and London.  

The firm is best known for such internationally-acclaimed projects as The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino, Las Vegas; Atlantis Paradise Island, Paradise Island, Bahamas; The Ritz-Carlton, Bali; Four Seasons in Mexico City, Tokyo and Westlake Village, California;; Hyatt Regency Kauai Resort & Spa, Poipu Beach, Kauai; Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea; Hotel Bora Bora, French Polynesia; Disney�s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, Walt Disney World Resort, Lake Buena Vista; The Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel & Spa, Pasadena; and Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach.  For more information, visit www.watg.com.

Contact:

Alison Stout
Glodow Nead Communications, 
(415) 394-6500
[email protected]

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Also See: Construction Starts on the $90 Spa Resort Casino in Palm Springs; Designed by Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo / April 2003
Chao �Robert� Zheng Named by WATG as Director of Business Development, Greater China / March 2003

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