Washington, January 14, 2013 - Executives and companies responsible for the most influential hospitality industry developments in 2012, will be honored during the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS), January 22-24 at the JW Marriott and NOKIA Theatre at L.A. LIVE.  Nominees are considered for the awards based on outstanding business performance in various industry sectors.  The 2012 awards finalists include:

Development of the Year 2012

• The 463-room Conrad New York in New York, NY, developed for an undisclosed amount by Goldman Sachs and managed by Hilton Hotels and Resorts.
• The 156-room 21c Museum Hotel in Cincinnati, OH, developed at a cost of $51 million by 21c Museum Hotels and managed by 21c Museum Hotels.
• The 268-room Hotel Monaco in Philadelphia, PA, developed at a cost of $88 million by Kimpton Hotels and managed by Kimpton Hotels.

Single Asset Transaction of the Year 2012

• The Trump Organization purchase of the 693-room Doral Golf Resort & Spa and additional real estate opportunities in Miami, FL, for $150 million, or approximately $216,000 per room from MSR Resorts Golf Course.
• Strategic Hotels & Resorts and KSL Capital Partners LLC purchase of the 509-room Essex House in New York, NY, for $362 million or approximately $711,000 per room from Dubai Investment Group.
• Starwood Capital Group, the LeFrak Organization, and Invesco Ltd. purchase of the 334-room former Gansevoort South Beach and additional real estate opportunities in Miami Beach, FL, for an undisclosed amount from a large financial institution.

Merger & Acquisition of the Year 2012

• Blackstone Real Estate Partners VII, acquisition of the United States Economy Hotels division of French hotel operator Accor SA - $1.9 billion
• Marriott International, Inc. acquisition of certain assets of Gaylord Entertainment Company - $210 million
• Apollo Global Management LLC acquisition of Great Wolf Resorts, Inc. - $739.7 million

Jack A. Shaffer Financial Advisor of the Year 2012

• David Bouton, Managing Director/Co-Head of North America RE Finance, Citigroup
• Jeffrey Davis, Managing Director, Jones Lang LaSalle
• Robert B. Stiles, Principal & Managing Director, RobertDouglas

Co-hosted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AH&LA) and Burba Hotel Network (BHN), the two-and-a-half-day ALIS event features an extensive array of seminars and panels hosted by leading experts and investors discussing important trends and identifying new opportunities.  The conference attracts the lodging industry’s leading hotel executives, investors, lenders, developers, and professional advisory community.  Proceeds from ALIS benefit the educational, research, and training missions of the American Hotel & Lodging Education Foundation (AH&LEF), the nonprofit affiliate of AH&LA.

Online registration is available via the ALIS Website.  For general event information and sponsorship opportunities, contact BHN Conference Manager Jodi Braverman at [email protected]

Serving the hospitality industry for more than a century, AH&LA is the sole national association representing all sectors and stakeholders in the lodging industry, including individual hotel property members, hotel companies, student and faculty members, and industry suppliers. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., AH&LA provides members with national advocacy on Capitol Hill, public relations and image management, education, research and information, and other value-added services to provide bottom line savings and ensure a positive business climate for the lodging industry. Partner state associations provide local representation and additional cost-saving benefits to members.

AH&LEF is the charitable fund-raising and endowed fund-management subsidiary of the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Founded in 1953, AH&LEF is the premier organization for scholarships, professional certification, and instructional material as well as funding for hospitality industry research.

BHN is the worldwide leader in developing and organizing conferences for the hotel and tourism investment community. With more than two decades of experience, more than 100 events completed to-date, and more than 70,000 international delegates, BHN conferences have become “must attend” events for industry leaders who come together to network, conduct business and to learn about the latest trends. BHN events include: the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) in Los Angeles; the ALIS Summer Update in Dallas; the Caribbean Hotel & Resort Investment Summit (CHRIS) in Miami; the Hotel Investment Conference Asia Pacific (HICAP) in Hong Kong; HICAP UPDATE in Singapore; the Hotel Investment Forum India (HIFI) in Gurgaon Delhi N.C.R.; the Hotel Opportunities Latin America (HOLA) conference in Miami; and the Hotel Investment Conference Europe (Hot.E) in London. The BHN website at www.Burba.com is the gateway for information about the conferences BHN produces, as well as a direct link to important players in the hospitality investment world.