Wyndham NO Bowl is now the

[MootPoint]

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dw...n.58bdc1ac.html

Cendant to buy Wyndham for $100 million

12:45 PM CDT on Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Bloomberg News

Wyndham Intl "A" 1.14

3:58 PM ET N/A

Previous close: 1.14

Cendant Corp., owner of the Days Inn brand, will acquire the Wyndham hotel brand and franchise system for $100 million to enter the upscale lodging business.

Franchise agreements for 82 hotels and management contracts for 29 hotels are included in the agreement with Wyndham International Inc., an affiliate of the Blackstone Group, New York-based Cendant said today in a statement.

The purchase is the first by Cendant since July, when it completed a plan to shed businesses unrelated to travel and real estate. Cendant, the largest U.S. real estate and travel company, owns brands including Century 21 and Avis Rent A Car.

Cendant agreed July 26 to sell its marketing services unit to Apollo Management LP for $1.83 billion, the final step in its plan to simplify the business. Before that Cendant Chief Executive Henry Silverman divested tax preparation, auto-fleet billing and mortgage units to help fund more than $3.1 billion in acquisitions since 2003.

The agreement with Wyndham also includes the worldwide rights to the Wyndham brand for timeshare development and sales. No properties are being acquired as part of the transaction, Cendant said.

The company yesterday lowered its 2005 profit forecast by 4 cents a share because of damage and lost business from Hurricane Katrina.

Shares of Cendant, which also operates the Orbitz travel service, rose 13 cents to $20.36 at 9:44 a.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. Through yesterday they declined 9.2 percent this year.

[mrsgreengoblin]

I work for the Wyndham corporate office here in Dallas and Cendant is keeping the Wyndham brand. They are actually planning on heavily building the brand so my guess is that the NO Bowl will STAY as the WYNDHAM _________ Bowl, wherever it is held.

[TU Hurricane]

Has the N.O. Bowl decided to play in Lafayette?

If so that would be fantastic. Hit up Lake Charles during the day and watch a TU UNT rematch at night. Then get the heck out of LA and back to Texas!

Edited September 14, 2005 by TU Hurricane

[MootPoint]

Has the N.O. Bowl decided to play in Lafayette?

If so that would be fantastic. Hit up Lake Charles during the day and watch a TU UNT rematch at night. Then get the heck out of LA and back to Texas!

←

Nah, no decision yet. Lots of speculation though

[yyz28]

Something about Lake Charles in the middle of winter that isn't very appealing to me.

...I'll go, but the fun of taking a little mini-vacation in New Orleans will be missed. I hope we're only displaced for a season, but I have my doubts.

This merger is somewhat old news in the industry, but should be a good one. Wyndham has needed some fresh blood, and Cendant is a good solid company, looking for a more polished, high-end image. Should make for a good corporate marriage.

[mrsgreengoblin]

Something about Lake Charles in the middle of winter that isn't very appealing to me. 

...I'll go, but the fun of taking a little mini-vacation in New Orleans will be missed.  I hope we're only displaced for a season, but I have my doubts.

This merger is somewhat old news in the industry, but should be a good one.  Wyndham has needed some fresh blood, and Cendant is a good solid company, looking for a more polished, high-end image.  Should make for a good corporate marriage.

←

Actually the merger isn't old news in the industry. Technically we were bought out (our owned properties) by Blackstone Investment Group last month. That might be what you are thinking of. Cendant didn't even come to Corporate for the presentation until week before last.

[mrsgreengoblin]

On a side note (but still relevant) I know that we already have construction workers in NO working to rebuild/repair our four properties in New Orleans so I would like to think we will only be displaced one year. I sure will miss it this December.

[Guest JohnDenver]

100 Mill seems like a bargain...

[mrsgreengoblin]

They didn't buy any properties. Just the name and franchise, lease agreements. If there had been any real estate involved the price would have been much higher.

Blackstone, who purchased 36 properties (compared to the Cendant 86 lease/franchise agreements) paid a whopping 3.1 bil.

[Guest JohnDenver]

They didn't buy any properties. Just the name and franchise, lease agreements. If there had been any real estate involved the price would have been much higher.

Blackstone, who purchased 36 properties (compared to the Cendant 86 lease/franchise agreements) paid a whopping 3.1 bil.

←

That is more like it. 100 Mill seemed too low...

[Coffee and TV]

Has the N.O. Bowl decided to play in Lafayette?

If so that would be fantastic. Hit up Lake Charles during the day and watch a TU UNT rematch at night. Then get the heck out of LA and back to Texas!

←

what, do you have no faith in your team winning the conference rather than being the 3rd or 4th CUSA pick?

[TU Hurricane]

what, do you have no faith in your team winning the conference rather than being the 3rd or 4th CUSA pick?   

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I'm going to get bashed on my board now

Lafayette is no New Orleans (obviously) but it is still a place to gamble. I still haven't gone to Lauberge Du Lac.

[yyz28]

Actually the merger isn't old news in the industry. Technically we were bought out (our owned properties) by Blackstone Investment Group last month. That might be what you are thinking of. Cendant didn't even come to Corporate for the presentation until week before last.

←

You are correct... I was thinking of Blackstone. Hotel Online only first reported the Cendant thing this week...