NEWS

MAYOR SALUTES SHARCON’S NEW YORK AVENUE HOTEL DEVELOPMENT
First New Hotel Construction in 40 Years Launches New York Avenue Revitalization

Washington, DC, April 2, 2007--- Mayor Adrian Fenty joined Councilmember Harry Thomas, Councilmember Kwame Brown, a host of community leaders and hundreds of well wishers in saluting William Conway and his partners, Tony Rocks and Rocky Conway, of SharCon Hospitality of DC, for their leadership in building two new hotels at New York Avenue and Bladensburg Road, NE. The hotels, Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott & Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites by Intercontinental Hotels are the first new hotels constructed on New York Avenue in nearly forty years and signal the launch of the New York Avenue Gateway, a multi-year, multi-million redevelopment of a commercial and industrial strip along one of the busiest intersections in the District. The $40 million project, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2008, will create 250 moderately priced hotel rooms to accommodate tourists, students, and families visiting the Washington region.

Mayor Fenty said, “We are proud of SharCon for its leadership and vision in investing in the revitalization of a major thoroughfare in the nation’s capital. This project creates jobs, generates tax revenue and revitalizes a neighborhood. More importantly, the development launches the redevelopment of this important gateway for residential, retail and commercial uses. This is our vision for New York Avenue.”

A seasoned hotel developer, William Conway has developed multiple hotels over a multi-state area. He said, ” We are enthusiastic about creating something that is in short supply in the District. . .moderately priced hotel rooms targeting families, student, and tourists. Now, visitors can stay in the District and spend their tourist, restaurant and entertainment dollars here. This is true economic development benefiting this neighborhood and the District as a whole.”

With a 30-year career in hotel development, William Conway has a reputation for skillfully leading teams to deliver quality customer accommodations. He serves as chairman of the board of Howard Johnson International for INOC.

SharCon is one of the fastest growing hospitality companies in the Washington region and the New York Avenue Gateway Project is a result of the company’s extensive work with ANC 5B, civic associations, the National Arboretum, District agencies and a host of supporters working diligently for several years to revitalize the neighborhood.