Sunrise Senior Living to Receive Approximately $28 Million for Sale of Ownership Interest in 16 Communities to Ventas

MCLEAN, Va., April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE: SRZ) announced today that on April 16, 2012, the subsidiaries of joint ventures between the Company and an institutional investor have entered into a binding purchase and sale agreement to sell 16 communities to Ventas, Inc., for a purchase price of $362 million. Sunrise will receive approximately $28 million for its 20-percent ownership interest in this portfolio. As part of this transaction, Sunrise will remain the manager of these 16 communities under the preexisting terms relating to management fees and contract length, which now range from 18 to 27 years.

Sunrise CEO Mark Ordan commented: "This is another positive event for Sunrise as it demonstrates the value of our purpose-built assets, provides us with additional capital, and reaffirms our positive and growing relationship with Ventas."

The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2012. However, there can be no assurance that the transaction will close or as to the timing of any closing.

About Sunrise Senior Living
Sunrise Senior Living, a McLean, Va.-based company, employs approximately 31,600 people. As of December 31, 2011, Sunrise operated 311 communities located in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom, with a unit capacity of approximately 30,700 units. Sunrise offers a full range of personalized senior living services, including independent living, assisted living, care for individuals with Alzheimer's and other forms of memory loss, as well as nursing and rehabilitative services. Sunrise's senior living services are delivered by staff trained to encourage the independence, preserve the dignity, enable freedom of choice and protect the privacy of residents. To learn more about Sunrise, please visit http://www.sunriseseniorliving.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
Certain matters discussed in this press release may be forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although Sunrise believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that these expectations will be realized. Sunrise's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors including, but not limited to; the risk that we may not be able to successfully execute our plan to sell certain assets mortgaged pursuant to our German restructure transaction or the net sale proceeds of the mortgaged North American properties may not be sufficient to pay the minimum amount guaranteed by Sunrise to the lenders that are party to the German restructure transactions; the risk that we may be unable to reduce expenses and generate positive operating cash flows; the risk that, as a result of our fully drawn line of credit with KeyBank National Association, we may be unable to generate sufficient cash from operations to fund our operations; the risk of future obligations to fund guarantees to some of our ventures and  lenders to the ventures; the risk of further write-downs or impairments of our assets; the risk that we are unable to obtain waivers, cure or reach agreements with respect to existing or future defaults  under our loan, venture and construction agreements; the risk that we will be unable to repay, extend or refinance our indebtedness as it matures, or that we will not comply with loan covenants; the risk that our ventures will be unable to repay, extend or refinance their indebtedness as it matures, or that they will not comply with loan covenants creating a foreclosure risk to our venture interest and a termination risk to our management agreements; the risk that we are unable to continue to recognize income from refinancings and sales of communities by ventures; the risk of declining occupancies in existing communities or slower than expected leasing of newer communities; the risk that we are unable to extend leases on our operating properties at expiration; the risk that some of our management agreements, subject to early termination provisions based on various performance measures, could be terminated due to failure to achieve the performance measures; the risk that our management agreements can be terminated in certain circumstances due to our failure to comply with the terms of the management agreements or to fulfill our obligations thereunder; the risk that ownership of the communities we manage is heavily concentrated in a limited number of business partners; the risk that our current and future investments in ventures could be adversely affected by our lack of sole decision-making authority, our reliance on venture partners' financial condition, any disputes that may arise between us and our venture partners and our exposure to potential losses from the actions of our venture partners; the risk related to operating international communities that could adversely affect those operations and thus our profitability and operating results; the risk from competition and our response to pricing and promotional activities of our competitors; the risk that liability claims against us in excess of insurance limits could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations including publicity surrounding some claims that may damage our reputation, which would not be covered by insurance; the risk of not complying with government regulations; the risk of new legislation or regulatory developments; the risk of changes in interest rates; the risk of unanticipated expenses; the risks of further downturns in general economic conditions including, but not limited to, financial market performance, downturns in the housing market, consumer credit availability, interest rates, inflation, energy prices, unemployment and consumer sentiment about the economy in general; the risks associated with the ownership and operation of assisted living and independent living communities; other risk factors contained in the Company's Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 1, 2012. The Company assumes no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events. Unless the context suggests otherwise, references herein to "Sunrise," the "Company," "we," "us" and "our" mean Sunrise Senior Living, Inc. and our consolidated subsidiaries.

Investor Relations Contact
Tim Smith, 703-854-0348

Media Contact
Meghan Lublin, 703-854-0299

SOURCE Sunrise Senior Living, Inc.