Pictured: Bill Marriott Marriott (left) dedicates Griffin to Bruce White (right) and JW Marriott Indianapolis employees and guests at an official grand opening ceremony. — Photo by Marriott

J.W. Marriott, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Marriott International, Inc., arrived in Indianapolis yesterday to visit the JW Marriott Indianapolis for the first time, and dedicate the Griffin, the official symbol of the JW Marriott brand, along with Bruce White, chairman and chief executive officer of White Lodging – the developers of the JW Marriott Indianapolis.

The hotel opened its doors on February 4, 2011, making it the largest JW Marriott in the world with 1,005 rooms. The completion of the JW Marriott Indianapolis marks the culmination of nearly $3 billion in urban investment in downtown Indianapolis. The new hotel, along with the newly expanded Indiana Convention Center, Lucas Oil Stadium and a new International Airport make Indianapolis a viable destination for a larger variety of meetings and prominent events.

"It was a thrill for me to visit the largest JW Marriott in the world," said J.W. Marriott, Jr. "This property is truly spectacular and more than worthy of bearing the JW Marriott name."

The JW Marriott Griffin is the embodiment of vision, perspective, protection and strength, and is placed in each hotel to watch over the hotel's treasures, employees and guests. Each of the JW Marriott hotels and resorts in the JW Marriott portfolio delivers a warmly authentic, relaxed and elegant environment that is unique to the segment.

The Griffin dedication was done at a special grand opening lunch with 950 attendees. The lunch was also held to launch the Indianapolis chapter of Back on My Feet, a national nonprofit organization that promotes the self-sufficiency of homeless populations through its running-based programs. White Lodging is a proud sponsor of Back on My Feet. Dave Sibley, White Lodging president and chief executive officer of hotel management services, presented Back on My Feet founder and president, Ann Mahlum with a check for $144,000 from White Lodging.

White Lodging's portfolio contains 154 hotels in seventeen states encompassing representation of the following leading brand affiliations: Marriott International, Hyatt Global, Hilton Worldwide, Radisson Hotels, Intercontinental Hotel Group, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. The JW Marriott Indianapolis is the first JW Marriott hotel in White Lodging's portfolio.

The JW Marriott portfolio currently includes 51 properties offering 22,787 rooms in 21 countries. This JW Marriott completes the Marriott Place Development project in downtown Indianapolis. In addition to the new JW Marriott Indianapolis, the $450 million complex includes the Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown and the Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, with a total 2,248 rooms.

For more information about this premier hotel development, including advance group sales and career opportunities, visit www.jwindy.com or contact Cory Chambers at the JW Marriott Indianapolis sales office at 317-860-4921 or via email at [email protected].

ABOUT MARRIOTT PLACE INDIANAPOLIS

The spectacular $450 million complex will feature 1,626 rooms and, when combined with the existing 622 rooms in the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown, will form Marriott Place Indianapolis. Once completed, the hotel complex will serve as the premier convention headquarters hotel in Indianapolis with 145,000 square feet of meeting, banquet and exhibit space (104,000 square feet within the JW Marriott Indianapolis), and one of Marriott's largest hotel ballrooms totaling 40,500 square feet. This landmark hotel development will serve as an anchor for central Indiana's convention and tourism industry. Located on a seven-acre site overlooking the White River State Park, guests are steps away from a thriving downtown with numerous, exciting entertainment attractions. The Courtyard by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Indianapolis Downtown, and the T.G.I. Friday's opened in February, 2010. The JW Marriott Indianapolis opened February 4, 2011.

About JW Marriott

JW Marriott is part of Marriott International's luxury portfolio and consists of beautiful properties in gateway cities and distinctive resort locations around the world. These elegant hotels cater to today's sophisticated, self-assured travelers, offering them the quiet luxury they seek in a warmly authentic, relaxed atmosphere lacking in pretense. JW Marriott properties artfully provide highly crafted, anticipatory experiences that are reflective of their locale so that their guests have the time to focus on what is most important to them. Currently, there are 51 JW Marriott hotels in 21 countries; by 2014 the portfolio will encompass 77 properties in 28 countries.

ABOUT WHITE LODGING

Established in 1985 and headquartered in Merrillville, IN, White Lodging is a fully integrated developer, owner and manager of premium brand hotels – a recognized leader that consistently delivers superior, leading-brand hotel experiences and premium returns on investment among mid- to-large scale hotels across the country. With over 25 years of expertise, White Lodging continues to break ground as one of the fastest growing independent hospitality companies in the country. Their managed portfolio of 154 hotels in seventeen states encompasses representation of the following leading brand affiliations: Marriott International, Hyatt Global, Hilton Worldwide, Radisson Hotels, Intercontinental Hotel Group, and Starwood Hotels & Resorts. For more information about White Lodging, visit www.whitelodging.com.