BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Hilton Hotels Corp. today announced that the company has signed a 15-year agreement with Austin Convention Enterprises Inc. to operate and manage a new 800-room convention center hotel in downtown Austin, Texas.

Austin Convention Enterprises is a nonprofit public facility corporation created and organized by the city of Austin to own the hotel.

"We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with the city of Austin on such an outstanding hotel project," said Dieter Huckestein, executive vice president, Hilton Hotels, and president-hotel operations owned and managed.

"Our company has a long and successful history throughout the state of Texas. This outstanding hotel represents a wonderful addition to our portfolio of leading convention hotels located in such cities as San Francisco; New York; Washington, D.C.; New Orleans; and Honolulu, and we look forward to applying our expertise to ensure the success of this new property."

Located adjacent to Austin's newly expanded Convention Center and 10 blocks from the state Capitol, the new hotel is scheduled to break ground this summer and open for business in January 2004. When completed, the 29-story property will feature approximately 60,000 square feet of ballroom and meeting space, two restaurants and a full- service health club and swimming pool.

Hilton Hotels is recognized internationally as a pre-eminent hospitality company. The company develops, owns, manages or franchises 1,900 hotels, resorts and vacation-ownership properties. Its portfolio includes many of the world's best-known and most highly regarded hotel brands, including Hilton(R), Conrad(TM), Doubletree(R), Embassy Suites Hotels(R), Hampton Inn(R), Hampton Inn & Suites(R), Harrison Conference Centers(R), Hilton Garden Inn(R), Hilton Grand Vacations Company(R), Homewood Suites(R) by Hilton and Red Lion Hotels & Inns(R).

Kathy Shepard
310 205-7676
Hilton