Press Release
April 3, 2001
ORLANDO, FL -- Starwood Vacation Ownership Inc., a division of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., (NYSE:
HOT) recently began construction on its first vacation ownership resort in Hawaii. The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean
Resort Villas is the company's first vacation ownership resort on the island and the first phase of 48 villas will
open early next year.
"Hawaii is an important market in our strategic growth plan, said Raymond L. "Rip" Gellein, chairman
and co-chief executive officer of Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc. "Starwood is one of the dominant leisure
companies on the islands and a vacation ownership resort is a natural extension of the core business. We are truly
excited to begin sales at this resort later this summer."
The Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas is located on 14 acres and will include 280 villas upon completion.
Sales at the resort will begin in the summer of 2001 and will be supported by off-site sales galleries at the Westin
Maui, The Sheraton Maui and The Sheraton Waikiki. The resort will include a number of amenities including a lavish
pool featuring waterfalls, a water slide and spa, a salt water reef pond and a poolside bar and grill. Destined
to be one of the most popular spots at the resort is the rooftop whale watching deck capitalizing on the resort's
location overlooking one of the most popular whale watching areas in the world. The first phase of 48 villas is
expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2002.
According to Gellein, the resort is already recruiting for a number of positions including sales, marketing, human
resources, technology and finance. "We will begin sales in the second quarter and want to be fully staffed
to begin training in various disciplines," said Gellein.
The resort will hold a series of "open houses" for people interested to learn more about Starwood Vacation
Ownership, Inc. and the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas. The first open house will be held on Wednesday,
April 4th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in The Whalers Room at the Westin Maui. Executives from Starwood Vacation
Ownership, Inc. will give an overview of the company and discuss our role in the growing vacation ownership market
in Hawaii. For more information about the Westin Ka'anapali Ocean Resort Villas Open House, please call 808/669-3680.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in
the world with more than 725 properties in 80 countries and 120,000 employees at its owned and managed properties.
With internationally renowned brands, Starwood is a fully integrated owner, operator and franchiser of hotels and
resorts including: St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, Sheraton, Westin, Four Points by Sheraton and W brands, as
well as Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation
interval ownership resorts.
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CONTACT:
David Matheson 407/239-3155
SOURCE: Starwood Vacation Ownership