Aloft Hotel Asheville Downtown Welcomes GM Catherine Harris

Experienced McKibbon Leader to Guide Hotel Team to August 2012 Opening Date

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. February 29, 2012

ASHEVILLE, NC - February 2 2012 - As construction crews work through North Carolina's winter and spring seasons toward an early August opening date, McKibbon Hotel Management, Inc. of Tampa, Florida has selected a general manager for the new Aloft Hotel Asheville Downtown , located in the heart of the city at 51 Biltmore Avenue, one block from Pack Square.

Catherine Harris will serve as Aloft Asheville Downtown's General Manager. Catherine joined McKibbon in 2006 as an Area Director of Sales, and was soon promoted to Market Director of Sales, working first in Gainesville, Florida and later in the Fort Myers, Florida market. She later joined the McKibbon team in August 2009 as the General Manager of the Homewood Suites by Hilton North/University Research Park.

Catherine has many fond memories of Asheville, as she visited every summer as a child, and has a true appreciation for the art, culture and lifestyle that the city has to offer. She will be working closely with the construction team as finishing touches are put on the Aloft Asheville Downtown, and will soon begin the process of recruiting hotel opening team talent, including a director of sales, who will join Catherine in the next month at the hotel's temporary office space at 65-A Biltmore Avenue.

“When recruiting for the general manager of this great addition to the Asheville Downtown community, we looked for the intangible qualities of a leader who will make the Aloft the perfect extension of what Asheville's visitors want when they travel to this beautiful city,” explained Bruce Baerwalde, senior vice president of operations for McKibbon Hotel Management. “Catherine will not only bring together a great hotel and team, but she will also make the Aloft Hotel an active part of downtown Asheville. We look forward to opening day and becoming a part of this vibrant community.”

As a Vision of W Hotels, Aloft is establishing a presence in the lodging industry with urban-influenced design, accessible technology, style and a social atmosphere. The 63,521 square foot hotel will feature 115 loft-style rooms (including four suites) along with unique amenities, including the W xyz® bar and dining with an outdoor deck that overlooks Biltmore Avenue, Starbucks® coffee bar and breakfast, a third floor outdoor pool deck with cabanas and a bar with views of the surrounding mountains, and a comprehensive art collection featuring local artists. Hotel dining will feature fresh products produced at local farms.

The Aloft Hotel Asheville Downtown is scheduled to open in early August 2012. For project updates, visit www.facebook.com/aloftasheville. For more information, contact general manager Catherine Harris** at (828) 232-2838 or [email protected].

About McKibbon Hotel Group, Inc./McKibbon Hotel Management, Inc.
McKibbon Hotel Group, Inc., based in Gainesville, Georgia, is a privately owned enterprise that has grown into an award-winning premier real estate developer and owner of nationally franchised hotel brands for Marriott, Hilton and Starwood Hotels. McKibbon is proud to be a recognized leader for over 84 years in the hospitality industry, and McKibbon Hotel Management, Inc., based in Tampa, Florida, currently operates over 60 mid and upscale brands in 8 states throughout the Southeast. The company has a rich history and culture that promotes a family oriented environment, while holding true to its core values of honesty, integrity and loyalty. For more information, visit www.mckibbon.com.