McLEAN, Va. (May 13, 2013) – Embassy Suites Hotels and Kemmons Wilson, Inc. broke ground Monday on Embassy Suites Tuscaloosa Downtown, the first property in the area to feature Design Option III, the brand’s latest design concept. Located in the Central Business District on University Boulevard at Greensboro Avenue, the full service, all-suites hotel will be managed by Wilson Hotel Management Company, Inc., a division of Kemmons Wilson Companies. Scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2014, the hotel will be the first Embassy Suites in Wilson Hotel Management’s portfolio, bringing 154 suites and more than 5,300 square feet of flexible banquet and meeting facilities to the Tuscaloosa area.

While the Tuscaloosa property is the first Embassy Suites hotel for Kemmons Wilson, Inc., the corporation has developed other properties within the Hilton Worldwide portfolio of brands, including Hampton Inn & Suites Orlando-East-Univ. of Central and Hampton Inn & Suites Lake Mary At Colonial Townpark. Present at the groundbreaking were C. Kemmons Wilson, Jr., McLean Wilson, Jim O’Brien and Jon Crisp of Kemmons Wilson, Inc. Also there to commemorate the event were local officials including Harrison Taylor, City Council President, Pro-tem, District 2; Bobby Howard, City Council, District 3; Tim Nunnally, City Attorney; Dr. Robert E. Witt, Chancellor, University of Alabama System; Glenn Goerke, Sr. Director Development, Hilton Worldwide; Susan West, CEO, Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports Commission; Dr. Kelvin Croom, Pastor, College Hill Bapt. Church.

“We are thrilled to break ground on our very first Embassy Suites hotel,” said C. Kemmons Wilson, Jr., president, Kemmons Wilson, Inc. “We are always impressed by the performance of Hilton Worldwide brands and are looking forward to adding the Embassy Suites brand to our portfolio here in downtown Tuscaloosa and bringing its upscale, family-friendly offering to the community.”

Embassy Suites Tuscaloosa Downtown will be constructed and designed in the brand’s Design Option III style. The innovative and flexible design features a variety of side-by-side suites, shotgun suites and one room suites in addition to a contemporary atrium area, decreasing the amount of land needed and creating efficiencies for both construction and operational costs. These features also further enhance the guest experience, as there is still a great sense of space and more natural light in guest rooms and public areas like the atrium, while still maintaining all of the offerings that are characteristic of Embassy Suites hotels including free cooked-to-order breakfast and Complimentary Evening Reception*.

“We are pleased to welcome Kemmons Wilson Companies to the Embassy Suites family and to recognize this milestone which brings us one step closer to bringing the brand to the downtown Tuscaloosa area,” said John Rogers, Global Head, Embassy Suites Hotels. “We look forward to a successful relationship with our partners and showing them the value of our high-performing brand that yields high guest satisfaction and industry praise.”

The hotel will feature all of the signature amenities standard at any Embassy Suites hotel, including free cooked-to-order breakfast each morning, a two-hour Complimentary Evening Reception* each evening and two-room suites with a separate living area, private bedroom and wet bar fitted with a microwave, mini-fridge and coffee maker. Suites will also be equipped with two flat panel high-definition televisions. The property will offer complimentary 24/7 fitness and business centers. In addition, the hotel will feature an indoor pool and second floor deck space that can be utilized for events. The property’s onsite restaurant and lounge will feature dishes by renowned chef Chris Hastings. Hastings holds the title of “The James Beard Best Chef: South Award Winner for 2012.” He is the owner of The Hot and Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Ala.

For more information on Embassy Suites Hotels, please visit www.embassysuites.com. For development queries, please visit www.embassyfranchise.com

*Service of alcohol subject to state and local laws. Must be of legal drinking age.

About Embassy Suites Hotels
Embassy Suites Hotels, one of Hilton Worldwide’s ten market-leading brands, gives guests more during every stay. The full-service, upscale brand offers spacious two-room suites, free cooked-to-order breakfast and nightly Complimentary Evening Receptions with appetizers and beverages. Both leisure and business travelers looking for an approachable, upscale experience feel right at home in the brand’s inviting atrium environment. Embassy Suites Hotels has more than 210 properties across the Americas and nearly 35 more in the pipeline. For more information, visit embassysuites.com, and connect with Embassy Suites at embassysuitesmediacenter.com, facebook.com/embassysuiteshotels and twitter.com/EmbassySuites.

About Hilton Worldwide
Hilton Worldwide is a leading global hospitality company, spanning the lodging sector from luxurious full-service hotels and resorts to extended-stay suites and mid-priced hotels. For 93 years, Hilton Worldwide has offered business and leisure travelers the finest in accommodations, service, amenities and value. The company is dedicated to continuing its tradition of providing exceptional guest experiences across its global brands. Its brands are comprised of more than 3,900 hotels and timeshare properties, with 650,000 rooms in 90 countries and territories and include Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts, Conrad Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, DoubleTree by Hilton, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hilton Garden Inn, Hampton Hotels, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Home2 Suites by Hilton and Hilton Grand Vacations. The company also manages the world-class guest reward program Hilton HHonors®. Visit www.hiltonworldwide.com for more information and connect with Hilton Worldwide at www.facebook.com/hiltonworldwide, www.twitter.com/hiltonworldwide, www.youtube.com/hiltonworldwide, www.flickr.com/hiltonworldwide and www.linkedin.com/company/hilton-worldwide.