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Starwood Hotels & Resorts Launches Global Partnership with Mercedes AMG Petronas - May 10, 2012
STAMFORD, Conn. – May 10, 2012 – Starwood Preferred Guest
(SPG®), the award-winning loyalty program from Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT), today announced a three-year partnership with the
MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team. SPG® officially launched the new global
partnership at the start of Formula One’s European season at the Spanish Grand
Prix in Barcelona. The details of the new partnership were announced this
morning with the team and Michael Schumacher at the W® Hotel in
Barcelona.
Considered the most prestigious form of motor racing in the world, Formula One
consists of a series of races known as ‘Grands Prix’ held on purpose-built and
street circuits. Through this new partnership with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS, SPG
is giving its members unique access to experience exclusive Grand Prix events
in incredible destinations such as Spain, Monaco, Singapore, Brazil, Abu Dhabi
and more.
“We are extremely proud to be an official team partner of the MERCEDES AMG
PETRONAS Formula One Team”, said Mark Vondrasek, Senior Vice President,
Distribution, Loyalty and Partnership Marketing for Starwood Hotels &
Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “SPG goes beyond gaining and redeeming points,
it’s about building a deeper relationship with our guests. We want to offer our
members exclusive experiences that they are most passionate about - be it
sports, music or arts. Through our collaboration with MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS,
members can connect with their passion for this entertaining world-class
sport.”
Game On with SPG: Access Like No Other
As part of the multi-year strategic partnership, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
becomes the preferred hotel partner of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS globally. Members
of the SPG program, which is free to join, can register for their chance to
redeem over 120 Access Like No Other experiences, offering unparalleled
access to the team. These experiences include exclusive meet-and-greets with
the drivers and incredible one-of-a-kind views of the pit lane from the team’s
hospitality suites at major Grand Prix events worldwide. SPG members will have
access to guided factory tours and live race screening events taking them
closer to the center of the action – all by using their Starpoints®. To take
advantage of this access and more, members can visit SPG.com/moments.
Ross Brawn, Team Principal of MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS said: “We are very pleased
to have agreed a new team partnership with SPG and to welcome Starwood to
Formula One for the first time. As regular travelers will always tell you, a
good hotel can make a real difference to your trip and I am delighted that our
team will have the opportunity to experience Starwood hotels as we travel
around the world. We are very much looking forward to working with the company
while introducing their SPG loyalty program to a new audience.”
About Starwood Preferred Guest®
The SPG program’s breakthrough policy of No Blackout Dates at the world’s most
sought after collection of hotels reinvented the hospitality loyalty program
when it launched in 1999. By creating a program centered on its members, SPG
has developed the most passionate and knowledgeable membership base in the
hotel loyalty space. Through its use of new technologies and innovative
channels such as SPG.com, SPG.com/stayconnected, SPG.com/flights and others, SPG continues to
innovate and lead the industry. By offering No Blackouts on standard rooms at
1,103 hotels and resorts in nearly 100 countries, No Blackouts on hundreds of
airlines, the introduction of Your24 and SPG Lifetime, and unparalleled
experiences available through SPG Moments at spg.com/moments, the program
has proven to be a big draw for the world’s most frequent travelers, and a
significant competitive advantage for Starwood. For more information
about Starwood Preferred Guest please visit SPG.com.
About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and
leisure companies in the world with 1,103 properties in nearly 100 countries
and 154,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood is a fully
integrated owner, operator and franchisor of hotels, resorts and residences
with the following internationally renowned brands: St. Regis®, The
Luxury Collection®, W®, Westin®, Le
Méridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by
Sheraton, Aloft®, and ElementSM. The Company boasts one
of the industry’s leading loyalty programs, Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG),
allowing members to earn and redeem points for room stays, room upgrades and
flights, with no blackout dates. Starwood also owns Starwood Vacation
Ownership, Inc., a premier provider of world-class vacation experiences through
villa-style resorts and privileged access to Starwood brands. For more
information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.
About MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
The MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team competes in the FIA Formula One
World Championship and is based at the team’s Operations Centre in Reynard
Park, Brackley. Home to over 450 employees, the team is headed by multiple
World-Championship winning Ross Brawn, and owned jointly by Daimler AG and
aabar Investments PJS. The engines for the team’s Formula One cars are provided
by Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains based in Brixworth,
Northamptonshire. For more information, visit: www.mercedes-amg-f1.com.
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(Note: This press release contains
forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities
regulations. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance or events and involve risks and uncertainties and other factors
that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those
anticipated at the time the forward-looking statements are made. These risks
and uncertainties are presented in detail in our filings with the Securities
and Exchange Commission. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such
forward-looking statements are based upon reasonable assumptions, we can give
no assurance that our expectations will be attained or that results and events
will not materially differ. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or
revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.). The names of actual companies and products
mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Press Contacts:
Jenni Benzaquen, Starwood Hotels & Resorts
Director Public Relations, Europe, Africa & Middle East
+32 2 204 5494
jenni.benzaquen@starwoodhotels.com
Nicola Armstrong, MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team
Communications Manager
Mobile: +44 7793 844549
narmstrong@mercedes-amg-f1.com
