�The world has changed in the 52 years since my family first opened the Gardens, and we�re going to change to meet the needs of today�s visitors and future generations,� explained Edward Callaway, ICCF chairman and CEO and grandson of founders Cason and Virginia Callaway.  �We realize that our strength is in the beauty of the Gardens and our commitment to land stewardship.  We also recognize that to attract more people to Callaway, we need a hospitality core that offers more extensive overnight accommodations.� 

Callaway explained that the ICCF began a search for a hospitality partner that met two demanding and specific requirements -- �best of breed,� meaning that they had to be a recognized leader in hotel operations, and have a proven track record with non-traditional ownerships.  �We found the partner we were looking for in Noble.  The company�s depth, experience, culture and reputation are unmatched,� Callaway stated.  �Noble�s four stakeholders�team members, customers, financial partners and community� aligned exactly with ours with the addition of our fifth:  our mission to the environment.  That is very important to us.

�Equally important to Callaway, Noble has a great track record working with non-traditional ownership and numerous municipalities throughout the country.  The fact that they operate great convention centers, hotels and resorts for entities with missions broader than just the hotel was important to our selection process.� 

�We are committed to maintaining and respecting the legendary beauty of Callaway and its dedication to environmental education and land stewardship, as well as broadening its appeal with modern enhancements,� added Mit Shah, president and CEO of Atlanta-based Noble Investment Group.  �The ICCF has put its trust in us as its partner.  Our team will continue to build on that trust as we serve as Callaway�s fiduciary in creating sustainable success so we can reconnect man with nature for generations to come.� 

Callaway is a renowned preserve and family resort set on 14,000 acres in the southernmost foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, in Pine Mountain, Ga., 60 minutes southwest of Atlanta.  The complex, which attracts more than 750,000 visitors annually, features a horticultural center, conservatory, butterfly center, 40-acre azalea garden, white sand beach, 50 miles of nature trails and a 10-mile paved bicycle trail, among other attractions. 

The resort offers 800 rooms within a range of accommodations, from traditional hotel rooms at the Mountain Creek Inn to secluded Callaway cottages and deluxe villas in addition to more than 70,000 square feet of conference and meeting space, 10 different dining venues and 16 retail outlets.  The resort�s world-class sporting facilities include two championship golf courses, one of which, the Mountain View Golf Course, is currently ranked among the nation�s top-rated courses by Golf Digest and Golf magazines, and was home to the PGA Tour's Buick Challenge for more than a decade.  In addition, the 12-court Callaway Tennis Center is considered one of the top 50 tennis resorts in the country.  The resort also features water skiing, swimming, boating and fly-fishing on the property�s 13 lakes.  For more information about the Callaway Gardens Resort, please visit www.callawayonline.com. 

An award-winning operator of premium-branded hotels under the Marriott, Hilton, and InterContinental Hotels Group brands, Noble has an active development pipeline in both the public and private sectors.  The company is a strategic acquirer of hotels and also targets relationships in which the company can provide hotel, resort and conference center management.  Noble currently owns and/or manages 23 hotels with 4,100 rooms and approximately 500,000 square feet of convention and meeting space together with 41 hotels with 6,044 rooms operated by Alliance Hospitality Management, a majority owned affiliate.  Noble and its predecessors have developed more than $700 million in preeminent hospitality projects.  In 2004, the company began development on and acquired $200 million in assets, as well as doubled its annual revenues.