MERRILLVILLE, Ind., July 31, 2012  -- White Lodging and Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of the new 255-room Hyatt Place hotel in downtown Nashville, slated to open in late 2013. The hotel will be owned by affiliates of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. and White Lodging and is the first new construction, select service venture for Host.

"The City leaders continue to do an outstanding job in positioning downtown Nashville for future success, and we are thrilled today to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Hyatt Place hotel," said Deno Yiankes, White Lodging president and CEO, investments and developments.

The ceremony was held in the parking lot of Sole Mio, 311 3rd Avenue South, a restaurant adjacent to the construction site, and was attended by representatives from the city, including the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Convention Center Authority, Nashville Downtown Partnership and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

"White Lodging has proven themselves to be excellent developers and successful operators and we are pleased to be partnering with them on this exciting new project," said Timothy Marvin, managing director, Americas acquisitions, Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. "We are also confident in the Hyatt Place brand and believe it will be a very successful project."

Hyatt Place Nashville/Downtown located at 301 3rd Ave. South in downtown Nashville, will be constructed on the former site of Rock City Machine Co, and will be developed and managed by White Lodging. The 13-story hotel is designed by PFVS Architects, and will include 3,600 square feet of meeting space and a 175-space parking garage. The hotel's lobby will include the Hyatt Place brand's signature food and beverage options, including The Gallery, a full bar serving wine, beer, spirits and coffee open 24 hours and a new complimentary hot breakfast, known as the a.m. Kitchen Skillet, featuring signature breakfast sandwiches and other offerings.

Hyatt Place Nashville/Downtown is White Lodging's second hotel in Nashville and will complement the construction of the Music City Center, Nashville's new convention center scheduled to open in 2013 on 19 acres in Nashville's downtown area, just one block from the hotel. Along with the convention center, Hyatt Place Nashville/Downtown guests will be a block away from the newly expanded Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, a short walk from the city's business district and around the corner from one of the countless live music venues just two blocks away on Broadway, the street where many of today's top musical artists got their start.

"With all of the current growth in downtown Nashville, the Hyatt Place is the perfect brand to meet the needs of both business and leisure travelers in this market," said Brett Lasher, vice president of real estate and development for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. "We're excited this project involves two of the most well-respected developers and investors in the hospitality industry as we continue to expand our relationship with the top names in lodging across both Hyatt select service brands."

For sports fans, Hyatt Place Nashville/Downtown will be a short walk from the Bridgestone Arena, home of Nashville's professional hockey team, the Predators, and one of the closest hotels to the LP Field, where the Tennessee Titans gain the home field advantage. The hotel is also less than two miles from Vanderbilt University and the restaurant-filled West End District.

All 255 suites are 20 percent larger than the average hotel room, and decorated in Hyatt's signature, upscale decor. Guests can relax in separate sitting and sleeping areas equipped with a mini fridge while watching their room's 42-inch flat screen TV and enjoying free Wi-Fi.

About Hyatt Place - Launched in 2006, Hyatt Place brings to the upscale select-service hotel category the authentic hospitality for which Hyatt is known. Inspired by multitasking travelers' 24/7 lifestyle, Hyatt Place combines stylish design and practical amenities with forward-thinking technology and purposeful service. Hyatt Place hotels feature complimentary Wi-Fi access and remote printing, a 24-hour StayFit@Hyatt fitness center, a coffee and wine bar serving specialty coffees and premium wine, beer and spirits, complimentary a.m. Kitchen Skillet(TM), featuring freshly prepared breakfast sandwiches, and a Grab 'n Go case stocked with sandwiches and hand tossed salads. The Guest Kitchens offers lunch and dinner entrees around the clock 24/7. Specially trained Gallery Hosts offer assistance with everything from directions to check-in to a freshly made meal. Spacious guestrooms are designed to help guests perfectly blend their lifestyle of work and play, featuring the Hyatt Grand Bed®, Cozy Corner sofa sleeper, work center, 42 inch HDTV and the Hyatt Plug Panel media center.

Hyatt Place, a brand of Hyatt Hotels Corporation, offers more than 160 locations throughout the United States and has locations under development throughout the U.S., China, Europe, India, Latin America, and the Middle East. For Hyatt Place information or to make a reservation, call 1-888-HYATT-HP (888-492-8847) or visit www.HyattPlace.com.

Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. - is an S&P 500 and Fortune 500 company and is the largest lodging real estate investment trust and one of the largest owners of luxury and upper-upscale hotels. The Company currently owns 104 105 properties in the United States and 16 properties internationally totaling approximately 6465,000 rooms. The Company also holds non-controlling interests in a joint venture in Europe that owns 13 hotels with approximately 4,200 rooms, a joint venture in Asia that owns one hotel with approximately 300 rooms in Australia and a joint ventureminority interest in India that is investing in seven hotels with approximately 1,750 rooms, two of which recently opened in Bangalore and five that are in various stages of development in two cities. Guided by a disciplined approach to capital allocation and aggressive asset management, the Company partners with premium brands such as Marriott®, Ritz-Carlton®, Westin®, Sheraton®, W®, St. Regis®, Le Meridien®, The Luxury Collection®, Hyatt®, Fairmont®, Four Seasons®, Hilton®, Swissotel®, ibis®, Pullman®, and Novotel®* in the operation of properties in over 50 major markets worldwide. For additional information, please visit the Company's website at www.hosthotels.com.

White Lodging Services Corporation - was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Merrillville, Ind. 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. Its current portfolio consists of more than 159 hotels in 20 states and encompasses representation of the following leading brands: Preferred Hotels, Marriott International, Inc., Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Global, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, InterContinental Hotel Group and Carlson Hotels Worldwide.

For more information about White Lodging, please visit www.whitelodging.com.