October 15, 2008 01:49 PM Eastern Time 

John Q. Hammons Opens Embassy Suites^® Norman – Hotel & Conference Center in Oklahoma with an Impressive 2009 on the Books

NORMAN, Okla. & SPRINGFIELD, Mo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mr. John Q. Hammons’ 10-story, 283-suite Embassy Suites^® Norman – Hotel & Conference Center (www.embassysuitesnorman.com) debuted today at 2501 Conference Drive in Norman, Okla., with $3 million in pre-opening sales, reflecting strong demand. The luxury hotel and adjacent conference center are owned by Mr. Hammons and managed by Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, the nation’s leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale, full-service hotels, resorts and suites (www.jqhhotels.com).

To celebrate the hotel’s opening, staff participated in a special tree dedication and plaque ceremony and also contributed to a time capsule filled with mementos related to their experiences with the hotel development. A ribbon-cutting ceremony with community dignitaries is scheduled for the afternoon of October 21, followed by a formal, ticketed grand opening event in early December with net proceeds benefiting United Way.

“Norman represents a compelling opportunity with several indicators for future growth that mandate quality hotel and meeting accommodations to help foster that growth,” said Mr. Hammons, founder, chairman, and chief executive officer of John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts. “We’re helping to build a community people are drawn to; it’s what we do best.”

Located at I-35 at the new University North Park retail, entertainment and commercial development, the contemporary-designed property is five minutes from the University of Oklahoma, which enrolls nearly 30,000 students on its three campuses in Oklahoma. The upscale facilities of the first Embassy Suites in the city of Norman and adjacent conference center represent 80,000 gross square feet of combined, flexible meeting space and can easily accommodate groups with as many as 2,900 guests.

According to General Manager Jim Rickards, the local and regional communities have enthusiastically embraced the new property. “We’re experiencing tremendous attention from associations, corporations and the university, as reflected by our strong pre-opening sales that run through 2009. In addition, we’ve found great talent from the area to help fill the 200 positions our facilities require in providing exceptional service.”

The addition of the Norman development to John Q. Hammons’ growing national hotel and meeting space portfolio makes five properties in Oklahoma, including three in Oklahoma City and one in Tulsa. The property also represents Mr. Hammons’ fourth hotel debut in 2008 with one more slated to open this year.

Making a Reservation

For more information, to make a hotel reservation, or to book a group function at the Embassy Suites Norman ─ Hotel & Conference Center, please contact (405) 364-8040, fax (405) 364-3377, email okces@jqh.com or go to www.embassysuitesnorman.com. The hotel also can be booked under the following GDS codes: Galileo/Apollo 52927, Sabre 40123, and Worldspan 40123.

Area Information

In 2008, Money magazine ranked Norman number six on its “Best Small Cities” list of its America’s “Best Places to Live” ranking, due in part to the area’s plentiful jobs, excellent schools and affordable housing. Norman is the third largest city in Oklahoma, has a population of more than 111,000, and is considered one of the most progressive cities in the state. Norman is located 17 miles south of the state capital, Oklahoma City, and area attractions include: the University of Oklahoma, the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History on the University of Oklahoma campus, the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art on the University of Oklahoma campus, local casinos, Lake Thunderbird State Park and Little River Zoo.

Hotel Information

Built with the signature atrium style of John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, the Embassy Suites Norman boasts an architectural style that complements the design of the adjoining conference center. The hotel’s décor emits a contemporary flair that invites guests to enjoy the exceptional appointments and outstanding customer service that define the John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts and the Embassy Suites Hotels brands. The hotel features a variety of amenities for both business and leisure travelers and is beautifully decorated to make guests feel at home. Each guest suite features a private bedroom and spacious living room that is equipped with two plasma televisions, refrigerator, wet bar, microwave oven, coffee maker, two telephones with data ports, high-speed Internet access, spacious work desk and in-room safe boxes. Guests may enjoy a luxurious open atrium with a water feature. The hotel offers 24-hour room service, same-day dry cleaning, and daily cooked-to-order breakfast and manager’s reception. Other features include a fitness center, indoor pool, sundeck and upscale sports bar & grille serving lunch and dinner daily.

About John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts

Springfield, Mo.-based John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts is the nation’s leading independent builder, developer, owner and manager of upscale, full-service hotels, resorts and suites, including: Embassy Suites Hotels, Renaissance, Marriott, Radisson, Residence Inn, Homewood Suites by Hilton, Holiday Inn and Courtyard by Marriott brands. With 79 hotels strategically located near demand generators, such as state capitals, universities, airports, corporate headquarters or office parks in secondary and tertiary markets, John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts’ properties are dominant in their markets. Over the course of his impressive 50-year career in the hotel business, Mr. John Q. Hammons has developed 205 hotels. For more information about John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, please visit the company’s Web site at www.jqhhotels.com.

Editor’s Note: A hotel exterior rendering and opening photos are available on request.