Officials with PM Hospitality Strategies (PMHS), a leading, national hotel management company, along with officials from a joint venture ownership group comprised of Buccini/Pollin Group and Westport Capital, today announced that the 180-room Westin Wilmington will open April 17. Connected to the Chase Center on the Riverfront in Delaware, the hotel is the first Westin-branded hotel in the state and the first new-build hotel in Wilmington since 1980. PMHS will operate the hotel under a long-term agreement.

"The opening is another important step in the revitalization of Wilmington's riverfront, and we are

delighted to play a role," said Joseph Bojanowski, president of PMHS. "This project has allowed us to showcase all of our management skills from planning to brand selection, from construction oversight to pre-opening. With the opening of this four-star hotel, Wilmington and the Chase Center are well positioned to be major players in the meetings and convention industry in the Mid-Atlantic region."

"The new Westin may well be the most important Wilmington project in recent memory," said Michael

Purzycki, executive director of the Riverfront Development Corporation of Delaware, the state-funded, non-profit corporation which owns and operates the Chase Center. "A catalyst for Chase Center business, it is a symbol of Riverfront's dynamic future, and surely will further enhance Wilmington's reputation as an attractive, regional visitor destination."

"We are thrilled to debut Westin Hotels in Wilmington's dynamic Riverfront district, which has been

transformed into a leading entertainment and cultural center," said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader for Westin Hotels & Resorts and Le Meridien. "Business and leisure travelers are invited to recharge and revitalize at The Westin Wilmington with the help of all the Westin brand's signature programs and amenities, designed to send them home feeling better than when they arrived."

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver-designed hotel is within walking

distance of such Fortune 500 companies as Barclay's, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Capital One and DuPont. The hotel features a 2,100-square-foot, state-of-the-art legal center with private offices and a hospitality area for meals. The center was purpose-built to support visiting legal teams that are participating in legal proceedings at the nearby Wilmington federal courthouse. Combined with the adjacent Chase Center on the Riverfront, the hotel/convention center complex offers a total of 92,000 square feet of conference space and a 24-hour business center.

"The PMHS team has extensive expertise in large, meeting-focused hotels, and we are confident that

this property will be well received by meeting planners, while still perfectly sized to comfortably host business and leisure guests," Bojanowski said. "The Westin Wilmington can handle and cater groups over 6,000 people in conjunction with the connecting Chase Center. The property also can easily handle more intimate business and social groups."

Located at 818 Shipyard Drive, the four-star hotel is an ideal launch pad for leisure travelers looking to

explore the historic city, numerous nearby restaurants and retail, as well as such attractions as the Delaware Theatre Company, Delaware Children's Museum, Penn Cinema IMAX Theater, and the Delaware Center for the Contemporary Arts. The Delaware Art Museum, Winterthur Museum Garden & Library, Longwood Gardens and the Brandywine River Museum of Art are within a short driving distance.

The Westin Wilmington's guestrooms and suites feature the brand's signature comforts, including the

world-renowned Westin Heavenly® Bed and the Heavenly® Bath enhanced with the brand's Heavenly® Shower, Heavenly® Robe and White Tea Aloe bath amenities, in-room and high-speed Internet access. Guests can maintain their workout regimens in the fully equipped Westin Workout Studio, complete with New Balance gear and running maps that take guests along the Christina Riverfront. The hotel's full-service restaurant, River Rock Kitchen, serving locally sourced and seasonally selected small plates, is led by chef David Lattomus and also will offer the Westin brand's signature SuperFoodsRX® menu.

About Chase Center on the Riverfront

The Chase Center on the Riverfront is the Brandywine Valley's largest special events facility, with more

than 87,000 square feet of meeting space, hosting everything from trade and consumer shows to conference, conventions and weddings. Additional information may be found at www.centerontheriverfront.com.

About PM Hotel Group

A Top-15 hotel management company, PM Hotel Group has over two decades of experience building relationships with brands, partners, and third-party hotel owners. We have participated in the development and acquisition of more than $3 billion in premium-branded and independent hotel properties across the United States. As an operator, PM Hotel Group is committed to its core values of respect- for one another, our guests, and the planet. We manage with a dedication to sustainability, a tradition of teamwork, and a passion for innovation and entrepreneurship. At PM Hotel Group we know that our people are our greatest resource. By focusing on our associates and the communities in which we work, we deliver strong performance for our owners. Learn more at pmhotelgroup.com.

Patrick Daly
Account Supervisor, Daly Gray, Inc.
(703) 435-6293
PM Hotel Group