Cambria Suites Breaks Ground in Rapid City, S.D.

RAPID CITY, S.D., July 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Hagg Development Group, Swift Hospitality Group, Consolidated Construction Co. Inc., and Choice Hotels International, Inc. (NYSE: CHH) today celebrated the official groundbreaking of a new Cambria Suites hotel in Rapid City, S.D. This is the first of three groundbreakings this year for the all-suites brand from Choice Hotels designed to appeal to travelers who seek contemporary, upscale accommodations at a great value. The company's two additional groundbreakings will be in New York City.

The 111-suite hotel will be located along Interstate 90 near Cabela's, on the corner of East Mall Drive and Dakota Craft Drive. Consolidated Construction Co. Inc. of Appleton, Wis., serves as general contractor for the hotel project. The groundbreaking ceremony was held today at the construction site with business, community and government leaders in attendance.

The $12.5 million, 74,000-square-foot, four-story building is expected to be completed in spring of 2012. The hotel will have 1,300 square feet of conference room space, as well as a fitness center and indoor pool area. The hotel will be the first and only Cambria Suites hotel to feature a stacked stone exterior instead of brick, reflecting the architecture of the region. One hundred fifty to 200 construction jobs are expected to be created as a result of this hotel development. In addition, the hotel will employ 35 staff members on an ongoing basis, and is expected to generate in excess of $300,000 in tax revenue to the Rapid City area.

The Rapid City Cambria Suites hotel is the second of this hotel chain that Swift Hospitality has developed, after opening the Appleton, Wis., hotel in September 2007. Swift Hospitality Group provides real estate consulting, market analysis development services and management services to individuals and businesses planning to invest in select hospitality properties.

David Swift, president and chief executive officer of Swift Hospitality Group, remarked, "We have seen great results with the Cambria Suites brand, and are excited to bring this unique and distinctive hotel to the Rapid City market."

"We are pleased to bring the Cambria Suites brand to South Dakota, and are excited about the first of three groundbreakings this year," said Michael Murphy, senior vice president of Cambria Suites. "Continuing relationships with dedicated developers like Swift Hospitality is paramount to continuing to build the Cambria Suites brand."

The Cambria Suites hotel brings the latest in hotel innovation to the Rapid City area. Each room will be a spacious suite that's larger than most standard hotel rooms, and includes separate work and living areas with ergonomic chairs, movable desks, luxury linens, and Bath and Body Works® products. Each room will offer the latest in technology, including two flat-screen LCD televisions and MediaHub™ plug-and-play technology, allowing guests to connect their laptop, MP3 player, game console, digital camera or CD/DVD player hassle-free. Free high-speed wired and wireless Internet access will be available throughout the hotel so that guests can stay connected even while vacationing.

Like all Cambria Suites hotels, the Rapid City property will feature: Reflect, a casual dining and gathering area serving a dinner menu, liquor, wine, beer, freshly prepared grab-and-go gourmet salads and sandwiches, a barista bar featuring Wolfgang Puck® coffee, Cheesecake Factory® desserts and a hot breakfast buffet; Refresh, a state-of-the-art fitness center with an elegant pool and hot tub/spa area; and Refill, a 24-7 convenience store that offers energy drinks, snacks and sundries.

For more information about Cambria Suites, visit the Cambria Suites website at www.cambriasuites.com.

About Cambria Suites

Cambria Suites offers contemporary, upscale accommodations at affordable prices. Designed as a lifestyle hotel brand, Cambria Suites offers more than just a place to sleep at night. It features a larger lobby to give guests a more social atmosphere, all-suite rooms that are larger than standard hotel rooms and include a separate living, working and sleeping space, providing business and leisure travelers a haven to relax, socialize and network. There are currently 19 properties open across the country.

About Choice Hotels

Choice Hotels International, Inc. franchises more than 6,100 hotels, representing more than 490,000 rooms, in the United States and more than 30 other countries and territories. As of March 31, 2011, more than 500 hotels were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in the United States, representing more than 40,000 rooms, and approximately 100 hotels, representing approximately 8,400 rooms, were under construction, awaiting conversion or approved for development in more than 20 other countries and territories. The company's Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge and Rodeway Inn brands serve guests worldwide. In addition, via its Ascend Collection membership program, travelers in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean have upscale lodging options at historic, boutique and unique hotels.

Additional corporate information may be found on the Choice Hotels International, Inc. Web site, which may be accessed at www.choicehotels.com.

Choice Hotels, Choice Hotels International, Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites, Quality, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Cambria Suites, MainStay Suites, Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, Econo Lodge, Rodeway Inn and Ascend Collection are proprietary trademarks and service marks of Choice Hotels International.

(C) 2011 Choice Hotels International, Inc. All rights reserved.

SOURCE Choice Hotels International, Inc.