Complex Features Two Sheraton Resorts,
99 Holes of
Championship Golf and Extensive Recreational
Facilities
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. Dec. 11, 2001-- Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide,
Inc. (NYSE: HOT) and Ripplewood Holdings L.L.C. announced today an agreement
whereby Starwood has been appointed the major lodging and attractions operator
and manager of the Phoenix Seagaia resort, one of the most extensive resort
complexes in Japan. Starwood was selected after Ripplewood Holdings had
reviewed several major global hotel companies.
The Phoenix Seagaia resort is situated amidst a historic 750-acre pine
forest that extends over seven miles along the Pacific Ocean coast, just
outside the city of Miyazaki on the southern island of Kyushu, Japan. Renowned
for its warm, sunny climate, the resort is only six miles from Miyazaki
International Airport and can be easily accessed from almost all major
cities in Japan.
This fully integrated resort meets the needs
of both the leisure and business traveler including: Guest Accommodations
(with several hotels and cottages providing 1,100 rooms); Convention Facilities
(5,000 seat international convention center); and, Golf, Sports & Entertainment
Facilities (99 championship holes of golf, tennis courts, bowling, world's
largest indoor water park, retail center).
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Sheraton Phoenix Golf Resort
in the midst of the pine forests
on the Hitotsuba seacoast.
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"We firmly believe our relationship with Starwood Hotels & Resorts,
one of the largest hotel companies in the world with outstanding experience
in operating large resort and convention properties, will reposition the
Phoenix Seagaia resort as one of the most successful international golf
resorts in Japan and Asia Pacific,'' stated Michael F. Glennie, President
and Chief Executive Officer of Phoenix Seagaia Resort Companies. "More
vacation and leisure time is the number one purchase objective of Japanese
consumers as reflected in several recent polls. I am looking forward with
enthusiasm to assembling an outstanding portfolio of leisure and travel
properties to fulfill that demand,'' added Glennie.
"We are very pleased to grow our resort collection with such a premier
complex like the Phoenix Seagaia Resort,'' said Miguel Ko, President Asia
Pacific, Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. "We are certainly
proud to have been selected to manage the largest integrated golf and resort
complex in Japan and to be working in partnership with Ripplewood. We strongly
believe that the combination of the excellent physical product and Starwood's
vast experience with large resort operations, coupled with our international
sales and marketing network, will enable the Sheraton resorts and leisure
operations in the complex to command a dominant position in the market,''
added Ko.
The Phoenix Seagaia Resort complex consists of the following facilities:
Guest Accommodations
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Sheraton Grande Ocean Resort - 753 rooms in an impressive steel, marble
and glass tower adjacent to the seaside golf courses. The 154-meters 45-story
Sheraton Grande, with its triangular prism-shaped design, is a symbol of
Miyazaki. The hotel is designed to provide superb views of the Pacific
Ocean from all the guest rooms.
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Sheraton Phoenix Golf Resort - 296 spacious deluxe rooms and an international
conference hall. Located amid a sea of trees on the magnificent Hitotsuba
coast, this hotel has a calming atmosphere with a spectacular view of the
pine forests below.
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Cottage Himuka - 16 cottages offering relaxing privacy amid a forest of
greenery. There are various types of cottages suitable for different guest
needs.
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The Luxze Hitotsuba - luxury condominium-type facility built with the needs
of longer-stay guests in mind. The guest rooms are fully equipped with
kitchens and utilities.
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Hotel Kitago Phoenix - An all-round health resort which maximizes the beautiful
natural surroundings only to be found inland in the village of Kitago.
Convention Facilities
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Convention Center - located in the center of the resort complex and surrounded
by the natural beauty of Japan's Hitotsuba Coast in Miyazaki, the Convention
Center features a variety of conference rooms and banquet halls for up
to 5,000 people with high tech audiovisual systems and simultaneous interpretation
system capability. It is one of the largest convention facilities of its
kind in Japan.
Golf, Sports & Entertainment Facilities
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27 - hole Phoenix Country Club(1) - a renowned golf course, known as the
home of Dunlop Phoenix Tournament and recognized as one of the world's
top 100 golf courses.
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18-hole Tom Watson Golf Course(1) - originally designed by Watson who is
well-versed in the major courses of the world, this is a strategically
challenging course of 18 holes, 7,012 yards, par 72.
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Phoenix Kogen Country Club(1) - a 36-hole par 144, hillside course skillfully
making the most of the natural dynamic ground configuration of a hill which
is 656 feet above sea level at Takaoka Town, west of Miyazaki City.
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Kitago Phoenix Country Club(1) - an 18-hole golf course that harmonizes
golf and the magnificent natural surroundings on the basis of the principle
of "ecological harmony.''
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Ocean Dome - the world's largest all-weather indoor water park, as certified
by the Guinness Book of Records. There are pools of all sizes, thrilling
attractions, restaurants and spectacular forms of entertainment.
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Paradise Garden - located between Ocean Dome and Sheraton Grande Ocean
Golf Resort, it boasts both gourmet restaurants and fast food cafes, a
state-of-the-art amusement center, and an orchid garden with rare and delicate
orchids from around the world.
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Tennis Club - 16 outdoor courts and 4 indoor courts. Each court has a high-performance
"omnicoat'' surface to provide comfortable base for active legs.
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Phoenix Bowling - 36 lanes for bowling, plus billiards, table tennis and
arcade games.
(1) to be managed by Troon Golf, the Scottsdale, Arizona-based luxury golf
course operator).
The Phoenix Seagaia Resort will now join Starwood's top quality resort
golf collection, including nine Starwood properties that recently made
Conde Nast Traveler's Sixth Annual Top 50 Golf Resorts, including The Manele
Bay Hotel (Lana'i, Hawaii); The Orchid at Mauna Lani (Big Island, Hawaii);
The Lodge at Koele (Lana'i, Hawaii); Princeville Resort (Kauai, Hawaii);
Kapalua Bay Hotel (Maui, Hawaii); The Phoenician (Scottsdale, Arizona);
The Westin La Paloma (Tucson, Arizona); The Westin La Cantera Resort (San
Antonio, Texas); The Westin Regina Golf & Beach Resort (Los Cabos,
Mexico). All of these resorts are outstanding properties featuring spectacular
golf courses, superior accommodations and excellent quality of service.
Sheraton, the largest brand of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide,
Inc., has more than 375 hotels in 67 countries. |