Hospitality Net

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Friday, February 28, and included remarks from Tulsa Mayor Bill LaFortune, who served as the event's honorary chairman; Mr. John Q. Hammons, founder, chairman and chief executive officer of John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc.; Bob Fugazi, John Q. Hammons Hotels regional vice president; and Gordon Rostvold, general manager of the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center. Special guests attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony included U.S. Congressman John Sullivan; Oklahoma State Senator Scott Pruitt; Oklahoma State Representative Chris Hastings; Jay Clemens, president and chief executive officer of the Tulsa Chamber of Commerce; and Ted Coleman, vice president of franchise relations for Marriott Corporation.

"The City of Tulsa commends Mr. Hammons for his foresight and vision to develop a first-class hotel and convention center in the heart of our city's booming southeastern corridor," said Tulsa Mayor Bill LaFortune. "The new addition of the spectacular Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center gives Tulsa a competitive advantage as we focus on expanding our city's meetings and convention business."

The festivities continued at the hotel on Saturday, March 1, with a black-tie gala benefiting Tulsa's art community. Themed "Together for Tulsa II," the gala raised $75,000 for the Tulsa Ballet and the Tulsa Opera. More than 500 honored guests and friends, including business, civic and organization leaders enjoyed live performances by the Tulsa Ballet and Tulsa Opera, as well as continuous piano music played by Pat Conroy of Tulsa's Summit Club. Guests dined on fusion-style dishes, such as lobster sabayon, Mediterranean tapas and assorted sushi, prepared by Executive Chef Wayne Christensen and his staff.

"We are delighted to announce the opening of the Tulsa Renaissance Hotel and Convention Center and are excited to contribute to the growth of Tulsa's rapidly expanding southeastern corridor," said Mr. Hammons. "I have been impressed by the support and anticipation of the local community surrounding the development of this property. I always strive to build and maintain the finest hotels in growth markets, and the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center delivers on that commitment."

The Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center provides exceptional service to a discriminating clientele and features rich colors and textures, paying homage to Tulsa's cattle baron and oil industry roots. Designed with the signature atrium style of John Q. Hammons Hotels, the unique decor of the nine-story hotel is vibrant and inviting. Keeping convenience top-of-mind, the hotel is ideally situated just 10 miles south of the Tulsa International Airport and is easily accessible from Highway 169 and the Creek Turnpike.

The more than 50,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including a 28,800-square-foot grand ballroom, the largest ballroom in Oklahoma, makes the Renaissance property ideal for a variety of events from lavish weddings and celebrations to corporate meetings and conferences. The hotel's staff caters to a group's specialized needs and provides a full range of event planning assistance and catering. The hotel also features a variety of amenities for both business and leisure travelers. Guests can dine at the Cyprus Grille, which is the hotel's full-service restaurant featuring steak and seafood with a Mediterranean flair, or they can relax at Merlot's Wine Bar and Lounge. The hotel is complete with a health and fitness center, indoor pool, whirlpool and sauna.

Room rates at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center range from $99 - $194 per night, and the hotel offers its presidential suite for $699. To make a hotel reservation or to book a group function at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center, contact the sales and catering department at (800) 264-0165, email kim.carpenter@jqh.com or call your travel agent. The Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center participates in Marriott Rewards®, Marriott International's award-winning frequent travel program, where meeting planners and travel agents can earn points toward free vacations for booking meetings at Marriott properties. Readers of Business Traveler magazine have named Marriott Rewards the "Best Hotel Rewards Program in the World." The Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center also can be booked under the following GDS codes: Amadeus TUBRB, Sabre 16808, Apollo 54074 and Worldspan TULBRBR.

The Renaissance Hotels, Resorts and Suites brand is for travelers who prize individuality. Renaissance guests can expect comfortable, tastefully decorated environments, thoughtful amenities, appealing restaurants featuring contemporary and regional cuisine, and warm, anticipatory service in a full-service hotel. With over 100 locations around the world, Renaissance strives to delight guests with ambience, style, care and Marriott International's promise of quality.

Marriott International, Inc. [NYSE: MAR] is a leading worldwide hospitality company with nearly 2,600 lodging properties in the United States and 66 other countries and territories. Marriott International operates and franchises hotels under the Marriott, JW Marriott, The Ritz-Carlton, Renaissance, Residence Inn, Courtyard, TownePlace Suites, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites and Ramada International brand names; develops and operates vacation ownership resorts under the Marriott Vacation Club International, Horizons, The Ritz-Carlton Club and Marriott Grand Residence Club brands; operates Marriott Executive Apartments; provides furnished corporate housing through its Marriott ExecuStay division; and operates conference centers. The company is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has approximately 144,000 employees. In fiscal year 2002, Marriott International reported systemwide sales of $19 billion. For more information or reservations, please visit the web site at www.marriott.com.

Publicly traded on the American Stock Exchange [AMEX: JQH] , Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc. is the nation's leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale full-service hotels, resorts and suites including: Embassy Suites Hotels, Renaissance, Marriott, Radisson, Residence Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites brands. With 57 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. Over the course of his impressive career in the hotel business, Mr. Hammons has developed 147 hotels.

For more information about John Q. Hammons Hotels, please visit the company's Web site at www.jqhhotels.com.