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After Withdrawing Their Merger Agreement Proposal, MeriStar 
Signs Five-year Consulting Contract with American Skiing 
Company to Oversee Management at Eight American 
Skiing Destination Resorts
WASHINGTON - Aug. 21, 2001--MeriStar Hotels & Resorts (NYSE: MMH), the nation's largest independent hotel management company, today announced that it had signed a five-year consulting contract with American Skiing Company (NYSE: SKI) to oversee management of the lodging facilities at eight American Skiing destination resorts, encompassing 3,423 total units. 
 
The agreement nearly doubles the size of MeriStar's resort management portfolio. 

The properties comprise hotels, inns, and condominiums and include the Grand Summit Hotel at Sugarloaf in Maine; the Grand Summit Hotel and Conference Center and Jordan Grand Resort Hotel and Conference Center at Sunday River, also in Maine; the Grand Summit at Attitash/Bear Peak in New Hampshire; The Sugarbush Inn in Vermont; the Killington Grand Resort Hotel and Conference Center in Vermont; the Grand Summit Resort Hotel and Conference Center at Mount Snow in Vermont; Steamboat Grand Resort Hotel and Conference Center in Colorado; and the Grand Summit Resort Hotel and Conference Center at The Canyons in Utah. 

"These hotels are located at some of the most desirable, high-profile, year-round resorts in the nation,'' said Paul W. Whetsell, MeriStar chairman and chief executive officer. "Resort 

NEWRY, Maine, Aug. 21, 2001 - American Skiing Company will retain ownership of the properties and reservations networks.  Hotel and condominium managers and staff members will remain employees of American Skiing Company resorts.

American Skiing Company and MeriStar continued conversations regarding possible management agreements for American Skiing Company's lodging properties after the companies withdrew their proposed merger agreement in March 2001.

"MeriStar has an outstanding approach to hotel and resort lodging operations," said American Skiing Company President and CEO BJ Fair.  "This arrangement reflects our commitment to ensuring that we can deliver the highest quality experience and services to our guests.  It will also allow our resorts to benefit from the installation of MeriStar's controls and procedures, and to utilize its sales network.   We expect that this will help us control costs and boost conference revenues in the off-season." http://www.peaks.com

properties account for about 7 percent of our current management portfolio, and we believe our expertise will allow us to take advantage of significant synergies and marketing opportunities.'' 

The Properties 

Sugarloaf in western Maine: the 119-unit Grand Summit, 42 units at The Sugarloaf Inn and 300 condominium units, as well as 25,000 square feet of meeting and function space.  Amenities include skiing and snowboarding, conference facilities, an award-winning golf course, dining, shopping, white water rafting in season, hiking, mountain biking. 

Sunday River in Maine: the 230-unit Summit and the 186-room Jordan Grand Summit, as well as the Snowcap Inn (67 units) and 389 condominiums. Amenities include skiing and snowboarding, conference facilities, mountain bike park, fishing, canoeing, hiking, fine dining, shopping and golf courses in nearby Bethel.

Attitash/Bear Peak in New Hampshire: the 143-room Grand Summit Hotel is Mount Washington Valley's only ski-in/ski-out resort. Amenities include skiing and riding, conference facilities, a summer action park featuring alpine slides and water slides, several nearby golf courses, dining, outlet shopping in nearby North Conway.

Killington, Vermont: the 198-unit Grand Summit Hotel and 550 condominiums. Amenities include skiing and riding at the largest ski resort in the east, cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the area, trout fishing in season on nearby lakes and streams, conference facilities, golf course, fine dining and shopping at the resort and in the surrounding area, hiking, mountain biking.

Mount Snow in Vermont: the 199-room Grand Summit Hotel, 92 units Snow Lake Lodge, 75 condominiums. Amenities include skiing and snowboarding at Mount Snow and Haystack, cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the area, trout
fishing in season on nearby lakes and streams, conference facilities, golf course and The Original Go lf School, fine dining and shopping at the resort and in the surrounding area, hiking, mountain biking.

Steamboat, Colorado: the Steamboat Grand Hotel at the base of the ski mountain has 327 luxury hotel rooms and suites and 29,000 square feet of conference facilities event space. Amenities include world-class skiing and snowboarding, fine dining, shopping, trout fishing, trail rides, hot air ballooning, winter driving school.
 

The Canyons in Utah: the 360-room quartershare Grand Summit Hotel with slope side access to Utah's largest ski resort. Amenities include nearby access to extraordinary dining, shopping, mountain biking, horseback trail rides, nearby golf courses and trout fishing, the Sundance Film Festival and a wide range of other activities. Located just 35 minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport, the Grand Summit Hotel will be the base of operations for NBC's ``Today Show'' during the 2002 Winter Olympics.

The Grand Summit Resort Hotel & 
Conference Center 

Sugarbush, Vermont: 41 units at The Sugarbush Inn and 80 condominiums. Amenities include skiing and snowboarding, conference facilities, nearby sailplaning, golf course, shopping and fine dining in classic Vermont villages. 

MeriStar Hotels & Resorts operates 277 hospitality properties with more than 58,000 rooms in 40 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, and Puerto Rico, including 54 properties managed by Flagstone  Through its Doral Golf division, MeriStar manages 11 golf courses. BridgeStreet Corporate Housing Worldwide, a MeriStar subsidiary, is one of the world's largest corporate housing providers, offering upscale, fully furnished corporate housing throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. For more information about MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, visit the company's Web site: www.meristar.com 

This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, about MeriStar Hotels & Resorts, Inc., including those statements regarding future operating results and the timing and composition of revenues, among others. 

###
Contact:
MeriStar Hotels & Resorts
www.meristar.com

 
Also See: Leslie B. Otten Resigns; William J. Fair Named CEO of American Skiing Company; Company Gives Outlook for Fiscal Year / Mar 2001 
Debt Restructuring, Intent to Sell Steamboat Ski Resort and Cost Reductions at Every Level Are Part of American Skiing Company's Plan to Enhance Operating Performance / June 2001 

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