Press Release: John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc.
July 4, 2002
SPRINGFIELD, MO -- Mr. John Q. Hammons yesterday announced he plans to develop a new $36 million, 265-suite Embassy
Suites Hotel in Saint Charles, Mo., 10 minutes from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport. Representing the first
upscale hotel in the area, the Embassy Suites Hotel - Saint Charles will be adjacent to the planned Saint Charles
Convention Center. The 11-story, all-suite hotel will be owned by Mr. Hammons and will be managed by Springfield,
Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc. (AMEX:JQH).
Construction on the Embassy Suites Hotel - Saint Charles is expected to begin in spring 2003, followed by the hotel
opening in fall 2004. The interior of the hotel will be designed with the signature atrium style of John Q. Hammons
Hotels and will feature a decor that complements the charm of restored historic Saint Charles.
The strategic combination of the Embassy Suites Hotel - Saint Charles and the new Saint Charles Convention Center
will add more than 144,000 square feet of meeting space to the area, with 5,200 square feet of flexible meeting
space on-site at the hotel. The short drive from Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and downtown St. Louis,
the generous amount of new meeting space, and the hotel and convention center's close proximity will contribute
to creating the ideal setting for a range of group and convention business.
Located at I-70 less than two miles from the heart of historic Saint Charles, the Embassy Suites Hotel also will
provide guests with convenient access to the charming shops, restaurants and nature trails that make 233-year-old
Saint Charles a popular tourist destination. The hotel will create the appropriate environment for a variety of
upscale engagements from lavish weddings and reunions to corporate functions.
"Saint Charles' emphasis on maintaining its cultural and historical foundation combined with its proximity
to major local attractions make it a strategic locale for a convention hotel," said Mr. John Q. Hammons, founder,
chairman and chief executive officer of John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc. "I'm honored to participate in this exciting
venture that is certain to provide phenomenal economic growth to the city of Saint Charles."
Promising to secure a unique niche in the Saint Charles community, the hotel and convention center plan to unite
sales and marketing staff at the two facilities to centralize efforts and to promote the hotel and convention center
as first-class facilities that complement one another. The combined staff will provide a full-range of event planning
assistance and catering.
Mr. Hammons continued, "I have had phenomenal success with the Embassy Suites brand/convention center combination
in other markets. And unifying the sales and marketing staff at the hotel and convention center creates an environment
that is conducive to success and rapid growth."
Local Support
The development of the Embassy Suites - Saint Charles and the Saint Charles Convention Center has received tremendous
support from the local influencers. Key supporters of the development of the Embassy Suites Hotel - Saint Charles
and the Saint Charles Convention Center include Mayor Patty York; Paul Mydler, representing the South Main Preservation
Society; Jim O'Connor, city administrator; and Roger Pryor, chairman of The St. Charles County Convention and Sports
Facility Authority.
"The Embassy Suites - Saint Charles and the Saint Charles Convention Center will fill a need that has been
lacking in this area for several years," said Mayor York. "The new construction will provide much-needed
meeting space, as well as an upscale, full-service hotel that is critical to elevating Saint Charles to the status
of an international tourist destination. In addition, these establishments will have a tremendous economic impact
in the area, bringing more than 500 full-time jobs and nearly $1 million in annual tax revenue."
Stephen Powell, chief executive officer, Greater Saint Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau, said, "Historic
Saint Charles has been welcoming visitors since 1769, and we welcome Mr. Hammons' Embassy Suites Hotel as our newest
partner in our aggressive efforts to establish Saint Charles as a meeting and convention destination."
Hotel Accommodations
The Embassy Suites Hotel - Saint Charles will feature a variety of amenities for both business and leisure travelers.
The property will have a private bedroom in every suite, a living room with a sofa sleeper, wet bar, refrigerator,
microwave and coffeemaker. In addition, each of the hotel's 265 suites will be equipped with two color televisions,
Internet data port and customizable voicemail, Nintendo 64 and WebTV. Travelers also will be able to enjoy the
sports bar restaurant and lounge, as well as full cooked-to-order breakfast during their stay. Guests will be treated
to a complimentary USA Today every weekday morning, laundry/valet service, sundeck, cardio fitness center, 24-hour
gift shop, complimentary business center and an oversized indoor pool and whirlpool.
Historic Saint Charles, Mo.
Since 1769, Saint Charles has been welcoming visitors to its shores on the Missouri River, including William Clark
and Meriwether Lewis. Nicknamed "Willamsburg of the West" by Southern Living magazine, Saint Charles
is the largest historic district west of the Mississippi River and is second largest in the United States. Saint
Charles' historic district spans several blocks and is filled with quaint shops and brick-lined streets, quiet
places for reflection and creative cuisine that includes international influences. Visitors can browse the shops,
tour nearby Frenchtown for glimpses of some of the best-preserved French Colonial architecture in North America,
attend several annual festivals, hike along the Katy Trail or visit the nearby attractions of downtown St. Louis.
For more information about Saint Charles, contact the Greater Saint Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau toll-free
at 800/366-2427 or visit www.historicstcharles.com.
Company Information
Privately owned by Mr. John Q. Hammons, the Embassy Suites Hotel - Saint Charles will be managed under contract
by John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc. Publicly traded on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX:JQH), Springfield, Mo.-based
John Q. Hammons Hotels is the nation's leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale full-service
hotels, resorts and suites including: Embassy Suites, Renaissance, Marriott, Radisson, Crowne Plaza, Residence
Inn, Homewood Suites, Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites brands. With 56 hotels strategically located near
demand generators, such as state capitals, universities, airports, corporate headquarters or office parks in secondary
and tertiary markets, John Q. Hammons Hotels' properties are dominant in their markets. The company's focus is
capitalizing on positive operating fundamentals in the upscale, full-service sector, converting existing hotels
to franchise brands and selling mature assets, while reinvesting the proceeds and reducing debt.
Although John Q. Hammons Hotels is not developing new hotels, Mr. Hammons has personally developed three projects
that opened in 2001. John Q. Hammons Hotels manages all of the properties developed by Mr. Hammons' private company.
For more information about John Q. Hammons Hotels, please visit the company's Web site at www.jqhhotels.com.
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Contact:
John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc.
Scott Tarwater, 417/873-3591
scott.tarwater@jqh.com
or
Publicis Dialog for John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc., Dallas
Kelly Campbell/Laurie Swyers, 972/628-7738 or 972/628-7761
kelly.campbell@publicis-usa.com
laurie.swyers@publicis-usa.com