Red Roof Inn Celebrates 35 Years

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. October 14, 2008

MARCH 14, 2008. Red Roof Inn, a leader in the economy lodging segment, honors its 35th Anniversary in conjunction with the grand opening of its new headquarters this week in Columbus, Ohio. The brand's new corporate office is located at 605 South Front Street in Columbus' historic Brewery District and houses its accounting, legal, franchising, construction, training and administrative departments.

"Red Roof Inn has a solid history with the City of Columbus," said Joe Wheeling, CEO for Red Roof. "We were founded here 35 years ago and are excited to return to our roots. Columbus is the perfect market for us-the city is centrally-located to our brand, has a great workforce and an exceptional community."

In November 2007, Red Roof announced that it was returning to Columbus-the location of the brand's original headquarters-after a spin-off from Accor and acquisition by Citi's Global Special Situations Group and Westbridge Hospitality Fund II, L.P. in September 2007. Since returning to its hometown, the company has been moving rapidly on a plan that includes growing strategically through franchising, acquisitions and new development. To accommodate this expansion, Red Roof intends to hire an additional 80 employees over the next 18 - 24 months who will occupy the new work space.

Red Roof was incorporated by founder James R. Trueman in 1972 and its first Inn opened in Grove City, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, with a single room rate of $8.50 in February 1973. The brand established its first headquarters in the German Village area of Columbus and then later moved to Hilliard, Ohio. By 1986, Red Roof had become the largest privately owned and operated chain of budget motels in the United States, with 180 motels in 30 states and $148 million in annual revenues. In 1989, Red Roof opened its 200th motel in Orlando, Florida.

In 1993, the Morgan Stanley Real Estate Fund bought Red Roof for $600 million and took Red Roof public in 1995. In 1996, new president and chief executive officer Francis "Butch" Cash announced that Red Roof would begin a franchising program.

In 2001, Red Roof introduced its RediCard(R) loyalty program that offers preferred members express check-in, priority room requests, a generous awards program including Delta Skymiles(R) and more.

Red Roof is considered a leader in economy lodging because of its dedication to guest satisfaction. As part of its ongoing goal to redefine economy lodging, Red Roof has initiated a nationwide renovation plan titled "Redesigned, Rededicated" that implements the brand's award-winning Smart-by-Design(R) amenities. Smart-by-Design products are simple and economic, but also provide guests with what they need without sacrificing quality. Highlights of the renovation include a freshly-ground gourmet coffee service, enhanced bedding with pillow-top mattresses and broader in-room television entertainment.

Red Roof received high marks in the J.D. Power and Associates' 2006 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study. The brand earned the highest score out of the 15 largest hotel brands in "Comfort of Bed" in the Economy/Budget segment and ranked second in overall guest satisfaction in the Economy/Budget segment. In 2004, Red Roof partnered with T-Mobile(R) to provide guests with T-Mobile HotSpotTM wireless broadband service in common areas and guest rooms.

In February of this year, the brand announced the launch of its All-Inclusive King Room, an enhancement of the brand's original King Room that helps travelers stay connected from the comfort of their room with a communications package that includes high-speed Internet, unlimited local and long-distance phone calls, and outbound/inbound fax service.