Driftwood Hospitality Opens Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel

600+ Guests Gather to Celebrate July 15th Grand Opening

North Palm Beach, FL –– 07/21/08 – More than 600 Jacksonville residents joined the NFL’s winningest coach, Don Shula, to celebrate the opening of the new Sheraton Jacksonville and Shula’s 347 Grill, which took place on July 15th, 2008. The event included a cocktail hour and dinner as well as a silent auction, which raised $10,000 for the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation benefiting the NFL YET Program and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Florida.

“We are proud to partner with Shula’s and the Jacksonville Jaguars not only to celebrate the opening of the new Sheraton, but to also give back to a worthy cause,” said Carlos Rodriguez, EVP of Driftwood Hospitality Management.

Attendees stopped traffic for much of rush hour as they clamoured to enter the star-studded event. Guests dined on a variety of fares offered at Shula’s 347 Grill, including the restaurant’s Certified Angus Beef© and the renowned SHULA CUTS. The silent auction offered an assortment of sports memorabilia, including the highest bid of the night - a Miami Dolphins’ football helmet signed by the entire 1972 team, the only NFL team in history to achieve a perfect record.

After rubbing elbows with Don Shula, Shula’s Vice President David Shula, Jacksonville Jaguars’ quarterback coach Mike Shula, former Dolphin great Mark Duper and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ cheerleaders, the evening ended with the grand prize drawing of a Costa Rica vacation. As the night progressed, guests were able to tour the new property and its many amenities.

The newly constructed Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel benefits from prime positioning, located in the heart of Deerwood Park – a high-traffic, central area that has experienced significant growth over the past three years. Combining comfort and style, all 159 guestrooms offer slick, wall-mounted flat screen HDTVs, wireless internet and Starbucks Coffee©. Select Sheraton Club guestrooms will be designated to preferred floors with access to additional Club Lounge benefits.

A first for the Jacksonville area, the new Sheraton Jacksonville features Shula’s 347 Grill. A casual venue in the tradition of Shula’s Steak Houses, the restaurant honors famed Coach Don Shula’s record breaking 347 career wins. Decked in the casual atmosphere of flat screen TVs and sports memorabilia, the restaurant exclusively serves Certified Angus Beef© and the renowned SHULA CUTS as part of its gourmet menu with three private dining rooms available for special occasions.

“Jacksonville is a great new location for the Shula’s Steak House brand and we are very excited to partner with Driftwood Hospitality Management to make this happen,” says Don Shula.

The hotel also includes a new Sheraton brand standard – the Link. Adjacent to the lobby, this specially designed communal lounge features plasma televisions and multiple broadband internet-enabled workstations complete with complimentary Wi-Fi connectivity, printing capabilities and other perks, such as games and refreshments.

The Sheraton Jacksonville Hotel provides 856 sq. ft. of meeting space in two meeting rooms as well as related service, including AV, catering and event planning. The 24-hour fitness center has been outfitted with state-of-the-art cardiovascular equipment, weight training facilities and an indoor pool with spa jet technology. For more information on the property, please visit www.sheraton.com/jacksonville.


About Driftwood Hospitality Management

Driftwood Hospitality Management, based in North Palm Beach, Florida, is one of the fastest growing independent hospitality management and development firms in the country today. Established in January 1999 by David Buddemeyer, Driftwood or its affiliates owns and/or manages more than 40 hotels comprising approximately 8,833 rooms throughout the U.S., Bahamas and Central America. The company manages a variety of lodging types, from destination resorts to downtown convention hotels to suburban hotels and inns. Many of the company's hotels are affiliated with nationally recognized hospitality franchises, including Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Doubletree, Radisson, Sheraton, Hampton Inn, Courtyard by Marriott and Hotel Indigo. For more information, see www.driftwoodhospitality.com.