MERRILLVILLE, Ind., May 10, 2013 -- White Lodging and REI Real Estate Services, Inc. are pleased to announce they have begun construction on a 172-room Hyatt Place hotel in downtown Bloomington, slated to open in July 2014.

"We are pleased to continue to build upon a strong relationship with the City of Bloomington by building another superior project downtown," said Michael Wells , president of REI Real Estate.  "This development will allow hundreds of thousands of visitors to this great city to be right in the heart of vibrant downtown, frequenting commercial offerings and its convention center all within a few blocks."

The hotel will be located one block from the Bloomington Convention Center and is an easy walking distance to the campus of Indiana University.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with REI on another great urban development that will not only create new jobs, but also bring the world class affiliation of Hyatt to Bloomington," said Deno Yiankes , president and CEO of White Lodging's investment and development division.

The seven-story hotel is designed by PFVS Architects, and will include more than 4,448 square feet of meeting space.  The location will also include a two-level parking garage with 124 spaces. 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.

At opening, Hyatt Place Bloomington will be the third White Lodging-managed hotel in Bloomington. Located on Gentry Street between Kirkwood Avenue and 4th Street, the hotel is close to all of the restaurants, theaters and bars that create Bloomington's unique, cultural reputation.

All 172 guestrooms are 20 percent larger than the average hotel room, and decorated in the Hyatt Place brand's signature stylish 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™, 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.

REI Real Estate Services– was established in 1994. Headquartered in Carmel, Ind., the company has developed well over $1 billion worth of hotels, office buildings and apartments in Indianapolis and throughout the country. REI Real Estate Services provides a full range of real estate services to local, regional and national clients, seeking to build long-term relationships which build value for all parties involved.

About White Lodging Services Corporation
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 161 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.

About Hyatt Hotels Corporation
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, headquartered in Chicago, is a leading global hospitality company with a proud heritage of making guests feel more than welcome. Thousands of members of the Hyatt family strive to make a difference in the lives of the guests they encounter every day by providing authentic hospitality. The Company's subsidiaries manage, franchise, own and develop hotels and resorts under the Hyatt®, Park Hyatt®, Andaz®, Grand Hyatt®, Hyatt Regency®, Hyatt Place® and Hyatt House® brand names and have locations on six continents. Hyatt Residential Group, Inc., a Hyatt Hotels Corporation subsidiary, develops, operates, markets or licenses Hyatt ResidencesTM and Hyatt Residence ClubTM. As of March 31, 2013, the Company's worldwide portfolio consisted of 508 properties in 46 countries. For more information, please visit www.hyatt.com.