MERRILLVILLE, Ind., Oct. 26, 2011-- White Lodging, Austin's largest hotel developer and operator of 20 hotels in the Austin market, broke ground today on a 296-room Hyatt Place hotel, which is slated to open in Spring 2013 and will be a joint venture with an affiliate of Hyatt Hotels Corporation. One of the fastest growing independent hospitality, development and management companies in the country, White Lodging recently celebrated the addition of its 157th hotel and has an ambitious growth plan to add an additional 60 properties -- including the 1,003 room Marriott Convention Hotel -- to their management portfolio by the end of 2015. Hyatt Place Austin/Downtown will add 250 construction jobs and 95 permanent jobs, totaling 1,030 White Lodging associates in Austin.

Hyatt Place Austin/Downtown will feature a warm and welcoming gallery, 296 spacious guestrooms with a Hyatt Grand Bed, a 42" HD flat screen television, and a Cozy Corner oversized sofa sleeper, free Wi-Fi, complimentary breakfast, and a 24/7 guest kitchen with made-to-order snacks and entrees.

"We are honored to work with Hyatt in this exciting development, and we're looking forward to adding this exciting new property to the vibrant downtown area," said Deno Yiankes, President & CEO of White Lodging's Investment & Development Division.

Hyatt Place Austin/Downtown is located in the heart of downtown and just steps to the convention center, Sixth Street and over 50 restaurants. It's also just 15 minutes from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and minutes away from major companies including Dell, IBM, Applied Materials, Apple, Samsung, Google and Motorola.

About Hyatt Place
Hyatt Place, a brand of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, offers more than 160 locations throughout the United States. Spacious guestrooms feature multiple areas to work and relax, and include the Cozy Corner, an eight-foot sectional sofa sleeper; plush Hyatt Grand Bed; and ergonomic work center. Every guestroom is also equipped with a state-of-the-art media center that allows electronic devices to plug directly into the 42-inch, high-definition television, giving guests instant access to the technological amenities they're accustomed to accessing at home or in the office. For Hyatt Place information or to make a reservation, call 1-888-HYATT-HP (888-492-8847) or visit www.HyattPlace.com.

White Lodging Services Corporation - was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Merrillville, Indiana. White Lodging is a fully integrated hotel ownership, development, and operations company – a recognized leader that has defined and cultivated the ability to achieve consistent, sustainable growth among mid- to large-scale hotels across the country. Their current portfolio consists of over 157 hotels in 19 states and encompasses representation of the following leading brands: Marriott International, Inc., Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, InterContinental Hotel Group, and Carlson Hotels Worldwide.

For more information about White Lodging, please visit www.whitelodging.com or call 219-472-2900.