AUGUSTA, Ga./CHARLOTTE, N.C./MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., March 1, 2012—Strand Development Co., LLC, a major third-party hotel operator, today announced it has opened and will operate under a long-term contract the 49-suite Affordable Suites of America, Augusta.  Located at 2633 Perimeter Parkway just eight minutes from Augusta National Golf Club, it is the 71st hotel in Strand’s management portfolio and the 17^th property of the growing brand.  The hotel is owned by Suite Dev of AGA, LLC whose sister companies own three other Affordable Suites of America in North and South Carolina. 

“Affordable Suites are the perfect alternative to a long-term apartment lease or a smaller, more expensive hotel room,” said John Pharr, president of Strand Development Co., LLC, which operates 12 of the brand’s hotels.  “With its proximity to Fort Gordon and the new, under construction Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant, as well as the massive infrastructure improvements in Augusta, we are confident that this hotel will fill a long-standing gap in the local hotel supply.  Its location just off Bobby Jones Highway is particularly convenient for business people who are working away from home.”

Pharr noted that the addition of this property is consistent with Strand’s recently announced plan to expand the company’s portfolio.  “We have considerable expertise in the extended-stay segment and have enjoyed playing a key role in the expansion of this new brand.  We look forward to building on our relationship with the brand and its franchisees.”

Affordable Suites of America is an all-suite, adults-only hotel brand designed for the business traveler, transferred professional, temporary employee or people with short-to-intermediate housing needs.  The brand debuted in 1999 and offers two-room suites with kitchens featuring full-sized appliances, priced in the middle of the extended-stay spectrum.  Additional suite amenities include central air conditioning, two televisions in each unit, (32-inch flat screens at the Augusta location) complimentary WiFi, on-site laundry and barbecue facilities.  On-site resident managers lend a secure, neighborly feel to the hotels. 

Pharr added that Affordable Suites’ 49 rooms and a manager’s apartment make it a strategic addition to many underserved, small markets. 

“We find that this business model works especially well near military bases, manufacturing plants, hospitals and other locations where people are transferring in or are working on extended projects,” said Tony Free, managing member of Suite Dev of AGA, LLC, which will begin construction on an Affordable Suites of America in Fayetteville, N.C. this spring.  “Typical extended-stay hotels offer mini-refrigerators and two burner stoves.  We provide a 480 square-foot, apartment-like suite that is a great value for weekly and monthly stays and competitively priced on a nightly basis.  It’s a spacious, well-appointed accommodation for the budget-minded traveler.” 

About Strand Development Co. LLC
With headquarters shared between Charlotte and Myrtle Beach, Strand also has operations in Atlanta.  Founded more than 40 years ago, the company began as a developer/owner of full-service Holiday Inns, gradually moving into third-party management.  Today, with more than 70 hotels in its management portfolio, the company is one of the few major operators that focuses entirely on third-party management.  The company specializes in the two- to four-star hotel segments and is approved to operate hotels under all the leading hotel brand families, including Marriott, Hilton, Starwood, Wyndham, Choice and InterContinental Hotel Group.  For more information, please visit the website at www.stranddevelopment.com.