SAN CLEMENTE, Calif., Sept. 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. announced today that it has acquired 32.6 acres of land underlying its Renaissance Orlando Resort at SeaWorld, for a gross purchase price of $30.4 million. Prior to the acquisition by Sunstone, the land had been leased from a third-party. Ground rent under the lease is projected to be approximately $2.8 million in 2008. Sunstone acquired the land with available cash.
Robert A. Alter, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer stated, "We are pleased that we were able to execute this transaction as it represents a unique opportunity to consolidate the fee interest in a core hotel. This acquisition advances our strategy of creating stockholder value by redeploying capital into our existing portfolio."
About Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc.
Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. is a lodging real estate investment trust ("REIT") that, as of the date hereof, has interests in 45 hotels comprised of 15,349 rooms primarily in the upper-upscale segment operated under nationally recognized brands, such as Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Fairmont and Starwood. For further information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.sunstonehotels.com/.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws and regulations. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," "will" and other similar terms and phrases, including references to assumptions and forecasts of future results. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to differ materially from those anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks include, but are not limited to: volatility in the debt or equity markets affecting our ability to acquire or sell hotel assets; national and local economic and business conditions, including the possibility of a U.S. recession; potential terrorist attacks, which would affect occupancy rates at our hotels and the demand for hotel products and services; operating risks associated with the hotel business; risks associated with the level of our indebtedness and our ability to meet covenants in our debt agreements; relationships with property managers and franchisors; our ability to maintain our properties in a first-class manner, including meeting capital expenditure requirements; our ability to compete effectively in areas such as access, location, quality of accommodations and room rate structures; changes in travel patterns, taxes and government regulations, which influence or determine wages, prices, construction procedures and costs; our ability to identify, successfully compete for and complete acquisitions; the performance of hotels after they are acquired; necessary capital expenditures and our ability to fund them and complete them with minimum disruption; our ability to continue to satisfy complex rules in order for us to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes; and other risks and uncertainties associated with our business described in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Although the Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, it can give no assurance that the expectations will be attained or that any deviation will not be material. All forward-looking information in this release is as of September 5, 2008, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company's expectations.
For Additional Information: Bryan Giglia Vice President -- Corporate Finance Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (949) 369-4236
