The three mid-priced, extended stay hotels, each featuring 100 one-bedroom and studio suites, bring Flagstone�s management portfolio to 55 properties with 8,103 rooms in 25 states.

�With the signing of these contracts, we have increased our management portfolio by more than 10 percent since we began as Flagstone Hospitality Management earlier this year,� said Frank Garrett, chief administrative officer of Flagstone.  �It also represents our third ownership group and gives us additional distribution in the central U.S., where we expect to achieve additional economies of scale and take advantage of cross-marketing opportunities.  This agreement is directly in line with our intent to aggressively expand our management business.

�From a management perspective, MainStay Suites is a tremendous product,� added Jim Berkley, regional director of operations of Flagstone.  �It�s labor lean, it�s designed efficiently and it�s in a niche � mid-market extended stay � that is currently underserved.  We look forward to putting our management expertise to work to maximize the profit potential inherent in the brand.�

Michael Barnard, vice president, development and capital investments for Choice, said, �MainStay Suites brand hotels are designed for profitability, with low labor and operations costs and high potential return on investment.  We are confident that Flagstone has the management depth and national distribution to maximize our investment return.� 

Flagstone also manages two Comfort Inns, franchised by Choice; one of the properties, the Comfort Inn Marietta, GA, has been a Gold Award winner for the past five consecutive years.

The three MainStay Suites brand hotels, acquired by Choice in September 2000 from Sunburst Hospitality Corporation, are located in Pittsburgh, PA, Greenville, SC, and Brentwood (Nashville), TN.  Each suite features a fully equipped kitchen, two-line speakerphone with data port and voice mail, large work area with ergonomic chair, remote-controlled television and sofa bed.  Guests enjoy a complimentary continental breakfast, guest laundry and business center.

MainStay Suites brand hotels also feature the Mariner Express Services Kiosk, an automated, 24-hour, self-service system that operates in French, Spanish and English and lets travelers check in and out in minutes.

Flagstone Hospitality Management is ranked as the nation�s 15th largest independent hotel management company by industry publications.  The company traces its roots to 1975 and currently manages 55 full-service (47 percent), extended stay (30 percent) and limited service (23 percent) properties under the Sheraton, Sheraton Four Points, Hilton, Doubletree, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Hampton Inn, Residence Inn by Marriott, TownePlace Suites by Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express, MainStay Suites and Comfort Inn brands, as well as one upscale, non-branded property.  Flagstone is jointly owned by a subsidiary of MeriStar Hotels & Resorts and Angie Mock.