Hilton Announces Construction on Pojoaque Resort Hotel, Casino

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. October 14, 2008

JANUARY 3, 2007. Groundbreaking for the Pueblo of Pojoaque's spectacular Buffalo Thunder Resort is scheduled for January 2007, announced Tribal Governor George Rivera and Hilton Hotels Corporation (NYSE:HLT).

Buffalo Thunder Resort is located on Highway 84/285, 12 miles north of Santa Fe, NM. The new construction will be on the 587-acre site that currently is home to the championship Towa GolfSM Course, designed by Hale Irwin and Bill Phillips, and adjacent to the award-winning 81-unit Homewood Suites by Hilton(R). Buffalo Thunder is designed to be a Four-Star destination resort and will include the 390-room Hilton Santa Fe North, a luxury spa and fitness facility, several restaurants, entertainment venues, meeting space and a new upscale casino. Construction is expected to be completed in the fall of 2008.

"The beginning of construction is the result of years of planning and investment by the Pueblo of Pojoaque," Governor Rivera said. "Buffalo Thunder, the name of the new resort, was chosen because it is a symbol of spiritual strength for Native Americans."

"The resort also will create new jobs for the area," Rivera said. "This international destination resort will mean the addition of approximately 600 new and good paying jobs to New Mexico," Governor Rivera said. "The people of the Pojoaque Valley and northern New Mexico will have the opportunity to hold quality jobs in the entertainment, hospitality and service areas. Not only will this new enterprise create jobs, it will establish careers."

The hiring process is still months away, but once it begins Hilton will be conducting employee training. The Pueblo of Pojoaque also will utilize the training services of the Northern New Mexico College in Espanola, Governor Rivera added.

The Pueblo of Pojoaque, through the Buffalo Thunder Development Authority and certain other of its tribal corporations, is the owner of the entire destination resort. The hotel and resort will be managed by Hilton Hotels Corporation.

"Hilton is one of the most recognizable brands in the hospitality industry and the largest hotel company in the world, and having that name attached to our project reflects our commitment to quality," Governor Rivera said.

"Hilton Hotels Corporation is extremely pleased to be working with the Pueblo of Pojoaque on this unique project that, when completed, promises to result in a prominent and novel addition to our company's growing portfolio of worldwide resorts," stated Hilton Area Vice President Ben Fusco.

The new facility will feature 66,000 sq. ft. of meeting space and includes a 1,200 seat ballroom. There also will be a 16,000 sq. ft. Native American themed spa/salon and exercise facility, a 12,700 sq. ft. retail promenade, an 8,000 sq. ft. children's recreation area and a 100 seat outdoor performance space.

The new state-of-the-art, upscale Las Vegas style casino, to be operated by the Pueblo of Pojoaque's new corporation, Buffalo Thunder Inc., will be 151,000 square feet with 1,200 slot machines 25 table games, a horse and dog simulcast wagering area and a 10-table poker room.

Architects for the project are Thalden-Boyd of Tulsa, OK, a firm specializing in Native American casino design. The destination resort will be built in the traditional Pueblo style.

The Centex Corporation with headquarters in Dallas, TX is the contractor for the project and under a directive from the Pueblo of Pojoaque, will be utilizing local contractors and local labor as much as possible.

The substantial planned infrastructure of the project includes construction of an environmentally responsible, state-of-the-art wastewater treatment facility that will have 100 percent water recycling capability. In addition, the project will "harvest" and purify rainwater through the use of settlement basins. When completed, all irrigation for the Towa Golf Course will come from recycled water.

Access to the new resort is via the Buffalo Thunder interchange on Highway 84/285 that was completed in 2004. The interchange is at the southern border of the Pueblo. On the overpass leading to the Resort is the word Posuwageh. This is the original name of the Pueblo in the indigenous Tewa language.

The Pueblo of Pojoaque currently owns and operates two casinos, two hotels, an apartment complex, a supermarket and various other businesses all located on tribal land.

The current Cities of GoldSM Casino, which opened it doors in 1995, was the first Class III casino in New Mexico. The Sports Bar Race Book and Casino is located near the Cities of Gold. The 124 room Cities of GoldSM Hotel opened in 1999 and the 81 unit Homewood Suites by Hilton opened in 2005. Homewood Suites, which opened in 2005, is the #1 ranked property system-wide in satisfaction and loyalty tracking and has received numerous awards for cleanliness, maintenance and front desk service.