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Former Hilton Pittsburgh officially joins Wyndham Grand Collection

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA Wyndham Hotels and Resorts announces the addition of Pittsburgh’s largest hotel to the brand’s Wyndham Grand Collection portfolio: the 712-key Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown, formerly the troubled Hilton Pittsburgh.

Located at the gateway to Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle—the city’s downtown business and cultural hub—the hotel is an ideal destination for conventions, meetings and leisure travel. The 24-story, 51-year-old property is owned by cardiologist Dr. Kiran Patel and is managed by Dallas-based Prism Hotels and Resorts.

The property has been the subject of recent controversy. Former owner Shubh Pittsburgh Hotels LLC transferred the hotel to Patel in September, in the midst of a foreclosure attempt by mortgage holder BlackRock Financial Management Inc. BlackRock then sought to block the Wyndham conversion in court, arguing that Wyndham is not a certified franchisor under the mortgage. A judge ultimately ruled this month to appoint an examiner to monitor the ownership transfer and conversion process.

The hotel recently completed a US$30 million interior renovation to update all guestrooms and bathrooms as well as the hotel’s heating, ventilating, air conditioning and plumbing systems. A second phase of renovations, currently under way, includes a new full-service spa and indoor pool, updated conference space, expanded fitness center and redesigned building façade, which will feature a dramatic wave-like exterior that pays tribute to the city’s three rivers. Renovations are expected to be complete by fall 2011.

“We are very proud to welcome this marquee Pittsburgh hotel and its outstanding staff to the Wyndham brand and look forward to introducing the personalized services and style travelers have come to expect from the upscale Wyndham brand,” says Jeff Wagoner, president of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. “We are eager to implement our plans to ensure the hotel’s iconic presence and unique character not only are preserved but enhanced through a series of strategic initiatives designed to drive business and guest satisfaction.”

The hotel is the second Wyndham property in the Pittsburgh area, joining Wyndham Pittsburgh-University Place on Forbes Avenue in the city’s Oakland academic and health-care district.

Wyndham Grand Pittsburgh Downtown becomes the 28th property to join the Wyndham Grand Collection portfolio, an ensemble of distinguished hotels within the Wyndham Hotels and Resorts brand that represent one-of-a-kind experiences in key destinations with refined accommodations, attentive service and relaxed surroundings.

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