Developers of the Hilton Garden Inn and Lawton Convention Center Plan to Purchase the Hotel Site by Year-End and Break Ground By Spring

Austin, Texas – October 25, 2011

Journeyman Austin Holdings and Partners In Development have formed Lawton Hospitality LLC to construct and operate a Hilton Garden Inn and the attached Lawton Convention Center. The relocated hotel site is now adjacent to the east side of 2nd Street and one-half block north of Gore Avenue providing the facility with high visibility within the downtown redevelopment. The site relocation was prompted when Northrop Grumman expressed interest in constructing an office building within the redevelopment area. Further analysis suggested locating Northrop Grumman on the original hotel parcel and the hotel and convention center on 2nd Street was optimal for realizing the overall vision of Phase 1A of the redevelopment area as a mixed-use retail and entertainment zone.

The new hotel and convention center will feature approximately 160 rooms and 20,000 square feet of flexible meeting, banquet, and convention space. In addition the hotel will feature a restaurant, lounge, fitness center, pool, business center, and signature Hilton Garden Inn Pavilion for lounging and casual greeting.

Sam Kumar, President of Journeyman Austin Holdings, Inc. remarked: “We are very excited to join Partners In Development in constructing and operating this upscale hotel and convention center. Lawton is a strong hotel and meeting market and is ready to have its own full-service hotel and convention center. We are planning to start construction early next year.”

Pete DeKalb, a principal in Partners In Development, said: “The Hilton Garden Inn and Lawton Convention Center will complete a key component of the city’s downtown redevelopment and bring additional visitors to the market. Visitors will spend money both in the facility and throughout Lawton providing an economic boost to the city.” John Weeman, the other principal of Partners in Development added: “It has taken nearly 4 years to reach this point and Lawton’s community leaders have shown tremendous fortitude making this vision a reality in these challenging economic times. We couldn’t have asked for better partners in bringing this project to reality.”

Journeyman Austin Holdings, Inc. and its affiliate Journeymen Construction, Inc. invest in real estate and construct hotels, office buildings, and public buildings. Journeyman Construction is an Austin, Texas based company with over 100 employees and local regional offices in San Antonio, Dallas, Corpus Christi, Diana and McAllen. The principals of Journeyman Austin Holdings were instrumental in the development of the Airport Hilton Hotel at Austin, the downtown Austin Hilton Convention Center hotel and other convention center hotels as well as select service hotels around the country.

Partners In Development specializes in hotel development consulting and hotel owner representation. Working both in consulting capacities and as a partner with hotel developers, the principals’ of Partners In Development have been part of the acquisition or development of numerous hotels over the past 25 years. Partners In Development was the designated redeveloper of the Skirvin Hilton Hotel in downtown Oklahoma City and has been a consultant or partner in the development of four other Hilton Garden Inn Hotel and Convention Centers in recent years.