The celebration will begin at 10:00 a.m. with the ground breaking of the Bloomington property, located at I-494 at 12th and Portland.  The official grand opening of the Eagan property, located at I-35E at Lone Oak Road, will immediately follow from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.  The festivities will include hors d'oeuvres, refreshments, live entertainment, a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the hotel.  Guests can also register to win a $500 shopping spree at Mall of America. 

"We're excited to continue working with Larson Companies and proud of Microtel's continuing expansion throughout the state," said Mike Leven, president and CEO of Atlanta-based U.S. Franchise Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: USFS), owner of the Microtel brand.  Leven and Steve Romaniello, EVP of franchise sales and administration for USFS, are attending the events. Larson Companies also owns Microtels in Rochester, Minn. and Onalaska, Wis. 

Microtel Inn & Suites, Eagan, Minn.
The Microtel Inn & Suites in Eagan is a three-story, 82-room property. Single, double and suite accommodations offer queen beds, remote cable TV, CNN and ESPN.  There is complimentary 24-hour coffee and a fitness center.  The property is less than five miles from St. Paul and Minneapolis International Airports and Mall of America, 10 miles from the Minneapolis Zoo and 15 miles from Valleyfair.  It is also close by local shopping and restaurants.

"We look forward to showing the Eagan community the quality and value of the Microtel  product," said Mo French, general manager of the property.

Microtel Inn & Suites, Bloomington, Minn.
The Microtel Inn & Suites in Bloomington will be a three-story, 75-room property.  Single, double and suite accommodations will offer remote cable TV, CNN and ESPN, along with 24-hour coffee and fitness center. The hotel is less than two miles from St. Paul and Minneapolis International Airports and Mall of America, offering complimentary transportation to each.

As of May 25, there were 524 Microtels open or in development.  For reservations or a copy of the Microtel directory, call 1-888-771-7171 toll-free, or visit Microtel online at www.microtelinn.com.

Atlanta-based U.S. Franchise Systems was formed in 1995 by Mike Leven, a 38-year veteran of the lodging industry, and Neal Aronson, former principal of a leading New York investment firm. USFS' three hotel brands include Microtel Inn & Suites; Hawthorn Suites, an upper-end extended-stay all suite brand; and Best Inns & Suites, the mid-market/economy brand.  USFS also offers hotel management services to its franchisees.