Marty Belz Honored at 2010 CFHLA Hospitality Gala

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. December 14, 2010

Orlando, FL - December 13, 2010 - On Saturday, December 11, the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association (CFHLA), in partnership with The Peabody Orlando hosted Orlando's largest black-tie holiday gala for the hospitality industry. As part of the festivities, the CFHLA presented numerous awards, including the 2010 CFHLA Charles Andrews Memorial Hospitality Award for Community Leadership, to Marty Belz, president and CEO of the Peabody Hotel Group. The 2010 CFHLA Hospitality Gala was held at The Peabody Orlando in conjunction with the hotel's grand re-opening of its $450 million expansion and hosted over 1,200 hospitality executives and several Central Florida elected officials.

“I am honored to receive this year's Charles Andrews Memorial Hospitality Award,” stated Belz. “In 1986 when we opened The Peabody Orlando, our intention was to change Orlando's meetings and conventions industry. Now, we look to further establish Central Florida as a top destination for meeting planners with our expansion. I'm thrilled by the response and positive feedback we have received thus far from our valued meeting planners, vendors, industry leaders and the surrounding community.”

Each year, the CFHLA presents the Charles Andrews Memorial Hospitality Award to an individual in recognition of their achievements and contributions to the Central Florida hospitality industry, as well as the community at large. The award is named after the founding father of CFHLA, Charles Andrews, and exemplifies perseverance and dedication to a cause.

“Marty has contributed tirelessly to the Central Florida community and hospitality industry for over two decades,” said Alan Villaverde, president of Peabody Hotels Division and managing director of The Peabody Orlando. “This year, he was a driving force behind the hotel's $450 million expansion and I can't think of a more deserving individual to receive this recognition.”

Marty Belz and the Belz family have been visionaries in Central Florida since 1981, when the family built the Belz Factory Outlet, providing International Drive with a different kind of attraction that appealed to both tourists and residents. A few years later, the Belz family was the only hotel company to design and build a four-star hotel directly across from the newly built Orange County Convention Center. When The Peabody Orlando opened in November 1986, it was the only hotel in what is now the second largest convention district in the country.

In addition to serving as an influencer in the hospitality industry, Belz encouraged The Peabody Orlando to give generously to various charitable organizations throughout Central Florida, including sponsorship of the Give Kids The World Black & White Gala for over 20 years. Most recently, Belz was instrumental during The Peabody Orlando's expansion and renovation, which during its construction phase was considered the largest privately funded construction project in Florida. Over the past two years, the project maintained employment for over twelve hundred construction workers and with its opening on September 23, 2010, added over 400 new jobs.

About The Peabody Orlando: The Peabody Orlando, opened in November 1986, is a staple in the Orlando-area convention and tourism industry and famous for its Peabody Ducks. The hotel has received the prestigious Forbes Travel Guide Four Star rating for 22 consecutive years. Located directly across from and adjacent to the Orange County Convention Center and in the heart of the International Drive entertainment district, The Peabody Orlando currently offers 1,641 ultra-luxurious guestrooms, 300,000 total square feet of state-of-the-art, flexible function space, a 22,000-square-foot, full-service spa & fitness center and ten delectable dining and entertainment options. Peabody Hotels, comprising The Peabody Orlando, The Peabody Memphis and The Peabody Little Rock (all Forbes Travel Guide Four Star rated hotels) is a division within the portfolio Peabody Hotel Group of Memphis, Tennessee. To learn more, please visit www.PeabodyOrlando.com, connect on Facebook or follow on Twitter.

About the Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association:
The Central Florida Hotel & Lodging Association is the world's largest regional hotel association, representing approximately 80% of the hotels in Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties and over 117,000 of their employees.