It marks the second �new� Red Lion opening in the Denver area since the relaunching of the brand in 1999.  The Red Lion Hotel Downtown Denver is owned by Milehigh Hotel Venture, LP, managed by Venquest Hotels; and operated under a license agreement with Red Lion Hotels Inns, a franchise subsidiary of Beverly Hills-based Hilton Hotels Corporation.

�Downtown Denver is an excellent location for a Red Lion Hotel, where we can truly establish our company�s commitment to a unique mix of travelers,� said Tom Murray, chief operating officer of Red Lion Hotels Inns. �As the latest property in our expansion effort, Denver is a key hub for both business and leisure travelers. The growth of tourism in this market has been considerable over the last five years and we are excited to be part of it.� 

�We continue to be impressed by the outstanding reaction of hotel owners who are attracted by the growth of the Red Lion brand,� said Stevan Porter, executive vice president, hotel division, Hilton Hotels Corporation, the parent company of Red Lion Hotels Inns. �There is a great expectation that Red Lion will be a success story for us in 2000.� 

Formerly a Ramada Inn, the Red Lion Hotel Downtown Denver is completing an interior and exterior refurbishment of guestrooms and upgrades. It features a self-service business center; a fitness room; an outdoor heated pool; a full service restaurant on the 14th floor offering freshly prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner; room service; and a comfortable lounge with great views of downtown Denver. A free downtown shuttle service also is available.  Select guestrooms include a comfortable sitting area with easy chair and ottoman, irons and ironing boards, coffee makers and hair dryers. Business amenities include a spacious work desk with a dataport telephone and voicemail.  In-room entertainment services include pay-per-view movies.

�The Red Lion Downtown Denver has all the features you would expect from a first-class hotel, with a convenient location near all of Denver�s major business centers and tourist attractions,� said Bill MacDonald, hotel general manager. �Red Lion is a name that stands for caring, comfortable service and great value, and we look forward to communicating and representing that image in the Denver market.�

Located just off I-25 at Colfax Avenue, the Red Lion Downtown Denver�s address is 1975 Bryant Street, Denver, CO 80204; telephone 303/433-8331. Twenty seven miles from Denver International Airport and ½ mile west of downtown Denver, the Red Lion Hotel Denver Downtown is adjacent to Mile High Stadium and is convenient to Six Flags® Elitch Gardens, Ocean Journey, Coors Field, the 16th Street Mall and the University of Denver.

Red Lion Hotels Inns was founded in 1959 and is owned by Hilton Hotels Corporation, recognized internationally as a preeminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises approximately 1,800 hotels, resorts and vacation ownership properties. Its portfolio includes many of the world�s best known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton®, Doubletree®, Embassy Suites®, Hampton Inn®, Hampton Inn Suites®, Harrison Conference Centers®, Hilton Garden Inn®, Homewood Suites® by Hilton, Red Lion Hotels Inns®, and Conrad International®.