St. John’s, NL - (December 15, 2008)

Hotel Newfoundland, owned and operated by Fortis Properties Corporation, has announced plans with Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) to rebrand as Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland early in 2009.

“The addition of the Sheraton flag to the Hotel Newfoundland aligns well with our guests’ expectations for a high quality service experience at this premier hotel,” said Nora Duke, President and Chief Executive Officer, Fortis Properties.  “Capital investments to upgrade and enhance guest rooms, meeting and banquet spaces, and food and beverage facilities are planned over the next three years.”

"The transformation of this landmark hotel in Atlantic Canada underscores Sheraton's remarkable global growth and revitalization," said Hoyt Harper, Senior Vice-President, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts.  "At Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland, guests will appreciate this signature hotel's spacious accommodations, updated technology and a sense of community.  This marks the brand's debut in this scenic Canadian province."

The eight-storey hotel provides breathtaking views of the city’s harbour and historic downtown, featuring 301 guest rooms and approximately 16,000 square feet of premium meeting space, including 17 conference and special event rooms.

Opening Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland is part of a brand-wide effort to revitalize and aggressively expand the iconic Sheraton brand, with an investment of more than $4 billion in new hotels and plans for 50,000 new rooms and newly renovated rooms to be completed in North America by 2009.  

About Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. is one of the leading hotel and leisure companies in the world with approximately 900 properties in more than 100 countries and 155,000 employees at its owned and managed properties. Starwood Hotels 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 Meridien®, Sheraton®, Four Points® by Sheraton, and the recently launched aloftSM, and element SM. Starwood Hotels also owns Starwood Vacation Ownership, Inc., one of the premier developers and operators of high quality vacation interval ownership resorts.  For more information, please visit www.starwoodhotels.com.

About Fortis Properties Corporation

Fortis Properties, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fortis Inc., owns and operates 20 hotels, representing more than 3,800 rooms, in eight Canadian provinces.  In addition to these holdings, the Company owns and operated over 2.8 million square feet of office and retail space in Atlantic Canada and 12 hydroelectric generating plants in Newfoundland and Ontario, Canada and upstate New York, USA.  Visit www.fortisproperties.com for additional information about the Company.

SHERATON HOTEL NEWFOUNDLAND BACKGROUNDER

A key component of Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland’s renovation is a lobby redesign featuring a new signature hotel offering:  the “Link@Sheraton SM experienced with Microsoft®,” a unique lobby lounge that enables today’s travellers to stay connected with instant access to information and technology for work, leisure and social networking. The Link@Sheraton is designed to serve the needs of Sheraton’s core guests, who are social individuals seeking to balance work and play while also sharing the travel experience with each other.  The Link@Sheraton invites guests to interact with each other while they check their email, create and send video postcards back home using Microsoft branded webcams, research local attractions, enjoy café offerings including Starbucks®, and even print boarding passes using free Wi-Fi or complimentary, Internet-enabled computer workstations.

All guest rooms will feature 37” LCD flat panel televisions, oversized work desks, comfortable seating and the new Sheraton Sweet SleeperTM Bed, a nine-layer custom-designed ensemble featuring an exquisitely comfortable, plush mattress, fluffy down hypoallergenic pillows, crisp cotton sheets, cozy blanket and signature blanket and duvet.

Also available will be Sheraton’s Club Level accommodations with upgraded amenities and services, as well as a dedicated Club Lounge, serving complimentary continental breakfast and evening hors d’oeuvres. The Club Lounge at this landmark property will be spectacular, with floor to ceiling windows offering sweeping views of St. John’s harbour, the picturesque Narrows and in the distance, Signal Hill.  The hotel will also include a health club with indoor pool, sauna and squash court and an indoor atrium court garden with live foliage and waterfall.

The Sheraton Hotel Newfoundland, like all hotels within Starwood’s robust portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest® program, which made headlines when it launched in 1999 with a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. SPG® offers members the ability to redeem awards at more resorts, more luxury properties, more European hotels and more golf properties than any other hotel program.