Competing against a talented field of nominees, U-T San Diego President and COO Mike Hodges won the AAF Silver Medal award and Kevin Acee, sports columnist, received the Media Talent of the Year award.

U-T San Diego proudly announces that two members of its talented team — Mike Hodges and Kevin Acee – were selected from a field of accomplished nominees to receive coveted awards in their respective fields at the

2014 SDX Brand Diego Awards, which took place on Oct. 23 at San Diego’s Port Pavilion.

Mike Hodges, U-T San Diego’s president and COO, won the AAF Silver Medal award. This award is bestowed

annually by SDX on behalf of the American Advertising Federation, the nation’s oldest and most respected

advertising trade association.

Kevin Acee, a U-T San Diego sports columnist who recently teamed up with Chargers’ quarterback Philip

Rivers to lead the “Passing it On” fundraising campaign in support of Ronald McDonald House Charities of

San Diego, received the Media Talent of the Year award.

“When I purchased the U-T, I was so incredibly impressed with the talent that is part of our U-T family,”

commented Papa Doug Manchester, U-T San Diego’s chairman and publisher. And in particular, I would like

to congratulate Mike Hodges and Kevin Acee for winning SDX Brand Diego Awards in their respective fields.

Their accomplishments make the light of U-T San Diego shine even brighter.”

Founded in 1911, SDX (formerly the San Diego Ad Club) is one of the largest and oldest San Diego

networking and professional groups for advertising and marketing executives, with more than 300 companies

representing about 700 members. Each year, the SDX Brand Diego Awards showcase excellence in each facet

of the advertising and marketing business, including agencies, brands, media and affiliated companies. More

information on SDX is available at sandiegox.org.

For all other information, including media inquiries, contact Stephanie Brown, U-T San Diego’s senior director

of marketing and public relations, at stephanie.brown@utsandiego.com or 619-293-2175.

About U-T San Diego

The San Diego Union-Tribune, LLC, owner of the 146-year-old U-T San Diego, is San Diego’s leading media

company and its most comprehensive source of news, entertainment and information in the region. Each week,

products are delivered to more than 96 percent of all San Diego County households through its integrated media

portfolio: the Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper, U-T San Diego; the website, UTSanDiego.com; Sunday’s

Best; The Night + Day, DiscoverSD and DiscoverSD.com weekly entertainment guides; Spanish-language

products Enlace and Vida Latina-San Diego; U-T TV, an Emmy award-winning on-demand video news source;

and hyper-local community papers, U-T Community Press. For more information visit www.utsandiego.com.

Austin, Texas (March 19, 2014) – The developer of the Fairmont Austin hotel has selected Hunt Construction Group as the project’s construction firm.

Manchester Texas Financial Group LLC (MTFG), the developer of the hotel, notes Hunt Construction Group is the same firm that was successfully contracted for two other large projects its parent company’s developed in San Diego. MTFG, based in Austin, is a subsidiary of San Diego-based hotel industry powerhouse Manchester Financial Group. Hunt Construction Group’s relationship with Manchester Financial Group dates back to 1982, when it constructed the 1,360 room San Diego Marriott Marquis Hotel and Marina. Hunt Construction also participated in the construction of the 1,630 room Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, the world’s second largest Hyatt hotel.

Hunt Construction Group has been awarded a $247 million contract for its role in the upcoming Fairmont Austin. Construction is anticipated to take 32 months to complete. For more than four decades, Hunt Construction Group has been providing construction services for the hotel industry nationwide that includes over 60 specific projects totaling more than $6.5 billion.

“Trust means a great deal to our family, and our successful history with the Hunt Construction Group gives us great confidence in the firm’s ability to once-again deliver an outstanding hotel,” said Douglas F. Manchester, founder and chairman of Manchester Financial Group.

The $370 million Fairmont Austin is slated to feature more than 1,000 rooms, stand 47 stories tall and showcase an “aerial promenade” providing a direct connection for its patrons into the Austin Convention Center. The site is located at the Northeast corner of Cesar Chavez and Red River Streets – just across the street from the Austin Convention Center.

“Hunt is all about building lasting relationships and is excited to continue a long-established relationship with Manchester Financial Group,” said R.G. Hunt, president and CEO of Hunt Construction Group.

Douglas W. Manchester, president of MTFG, the project’s developer, said: “Given our long-standing relationship with Hunt Construction Group and the firm’s excellent track record in developing two outstanding, convention hotels for us in San Diego, we feel confident the same team will produce an exceptional hotel here in Austin as well.”

He notes all aspects of the Fairmont Austin are being designed to embody Austin in an authentic, upscale way.

“A great deal of attention is being paid to every detail, which will help us meet our high expectations that the Fairmont Austin will be a premiere convention center hotel here in Austin,” Douglas W. Manchester said.

Locally sourced materials will be used on the exterior and the interior of the building, including Texas limestone, walnut and mesquite woods, granite and ‘hand-tooled’ leathers. Green building features will also target achieving the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification and Austin Energy’s Green Builder rating.

“The Fairmont Austin has reached another important milestone, selecting a construction contractor with a proven track record and extensive experience in high rise builds,” said Greg Doman, senior vice president, development, Americas & Residential, FRHI Hotels & Resorts. “With more than a century’s worth of experience, Fairmont is the steward of some of the world’s most iconic buildings and we know the importance of strong partnerships and industry expertise. We look forward to working with Hunt and Manchester on what will assuredly be Austin’s most celebrated address and another iconic Fairmont building.”

The Fairmont Austin will have approximately 1,054 hotel rooms in all, plus 100,000 square feet of convention center/meeting space – which are anticipated to help Austin attract additional convention center business and meet pent up demand. From 2006 to 2012, Austin lost an average of more than 1.3 million room nights per year “as a result of an overall lack of room supply” in the Central Business District, according to a market analysis performed by Hospitality Valuation Services (HVS).

About Manchester Texas Financial Group, LLC

Manchester Texas Financial Group, LLC manages all Texas-based holdings in commercial real estate and hotel development for Manchester Financial Group. The company’s first project is a luxury convention center hotel in Austin, Texas, where the firm is based. It is a subsidiary of Manchester Financial Group, a San Diego-based hotel and commercial property development firm. Founded in 1970, Manchester Financial Group has developed more than $2 billion in assets in 11 states, employing approximately 3,000 people nationally. For more information: http://manchesterfinancialgroup.com/.

About Hunt Construction Group

In the construction business, no one serves the hospitality industry with more experience and project leadership than Hunt Construction Group. For more than four decades, Hunt has been providing construction services for the hotel industry nationwide that includes over 60 specific projects totaling more than $6.5 billion. In total, Hunt completes approximately $1.4 billion of work annually and averages between $4 billion and $6 billion of work under contract at any given time. Hunt has been in business for almost 70 years and takes great pride in turning their clients’ dreams into reality by focusing on their specific needs and consistently exceeding their expectations. For more information: http://huntconstructiongroup.com/.

 

About Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

Fairmont Hotels & Resorts connects guests to the very best of its destinations worldwide, reflecting each locale’s energy, culture and history. Passionate travelers choose the luxury hotel brand for its ability to deliver memorable travel experiences, personalized and thoughtful service, and hotels that are one-of-a-kind. Serving as genuine gateways to their destinations, Fairmont hotels offer locally-inspired cuisine and spirited bars and lounges, distinctive design and décor, and a steadfast responsibility to sustainability. With more than 65 hotels globally, and many more in development, landmark hotels in the Fairmont collection include The Plaza in New York, London’s The Savoy, Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai and Quebec City’s Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. Fairmont is owned by FRHI Hotels & Resorts, a leading global hotel company with over 105 hotels under the Fairmont, Raffles, and Swissôtel brands. The company also manages Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel branded luxury private residences club, whole-ownership residences and serviced residences properties. For more information: fairmont.com.

 

82 Participants, including local celebrities, gather their courage to rappel 365 ft. from the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego to raise critical funds for brain tumor research in San Diego, CA

SAN DIEGO, Calif. (September 9, 2014) – On October 31^st and November 1^st, 2014, brave participants fighting to end brain cancer will
rappel 365 ft. and go Over the Edge for Brain Cancer (@OTE4BrainCancer). In
its second year, @OTE4BrainCancer has received overwhelming response from the San Diego community, generating a sold-out event. 82 participants,
known as “edgers”, will raise $200,000 for Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure to be directed to San Diego-based brain cancer
research.

The two-day event springs into action on Halloween as this impressive list of courageous VIPs join the fight against brain cancer and rappel down
the Manchester Grand Hyatt, the city’s tallest waterfront hotel:

• Papa Doug Manchester, Chairman, and Stephanie Brown, Snr. Director, Marketing and Public Relations, U-T San Diego
• Hannah and Susie Nancarrow, family of FOX 5 Anchor, Loren Nancarrow
• Maria Parker, record setting long-distance cyclist, rappelling in Google Glass
• Dr. Bob Carter, Chief of Neurosurgery, and Dr. Clark Chen, Co-Director of Neurosurgical Oncology, UC San Diego Health System; both in their 2 ^nd year as participants @OTE4BrainCancer
• Monika Carlson: San Diego brain tumor survivor featured in SELF magazine issue re: tutu fashion; also going over for the 2^nd
  time

This event is all about forming a united front to fight a terrible disease. “We believe that finding a cure to brain cancer takes a strong collaborative
effort. Since 2001, we have partnered with over 40 medical research institutions and companies in our efforts to develop better treatment for patients. We
are grateful to the San Diego community for joining with us to go Over the Edge and show fearlessness in the face of brain cancer,” Max Wallace, President
and CEO, Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure.

On November 1^st, 72 participants will show their fearlessness as they make their rappel. Spectators and supporters are invited to gather on the
pool deck of the Manchester Grand Hyatt to cheer on participants while enjoying high-energy entertainment and partaking in fun, food and fitness
opportunities available.

As rappel spots for this year’s event are sold out, the team at Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure encourages San Diegans to try their luck at winning the last
spot available by participating in the opportunity drawing! Interested parties can obtain their tickets at the following locations, and the winner must be
present to rappel at 3:00 p.m. on November 1, 2014.

• October 16, 2014 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Mesa Rim Climbing and Fitness Center
: Raffle and Rappel Night (10110 Mesa Rim Rd, SD, CA 92121)

• November 1, 2014 from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Over the Edge for Brain Cancer at the Manchester Grand Hyatt
(1 Market Place, SD, CA 92101)

Confirmed sponsors and partners for this year’s @OTE4BrainCancer include presenting sponsor, The Rick Oehme Foundation, as well as the Manchester Grand Hyatt, U-T San Diego, Heritage Senior
Care, Brain Bash, The Case Foundation, Genentech, Araiza Melange Photography, The Tug McGraw Foundation, Mesa Rim Climbing and Fitness Center, SDSU KCR
College Radio, The Beer for Brains Foundation, The BraveCort Foundation and Over the Edge.

When:

Friday, October 31, 2014: 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

VIP/Media Day: Manchester Grand Hyatt; 1 Market Place, San Diego, CA 92101 – 4^th Floor Pool Deck

Media interested in covering the VIP/Media day on Friday, October 31, 2014 are asked to contact Stephanie DiStefano at 619-630-6305 or sdistefano@abc2.org.

Saturday, November 1, 2014: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Main Event Day: Manchester Grand Hyatt; 1 Market Place, San Diego, CA 92101 – 4^th Floor Pool Deck

Rappel Opportunity Drawing at 3:00 p.m.

What:
Over the Edge for Brain Cancer is a unique and exciting opportunity in which participants or “edgers” rappel down the Manchester Grand Hyatt, the tallest
building on the waterfront! Edgers raise a minimum of $1,500 to participate, and all event proceeds benefit San Diego-based brain cancer research.

Why:

Brain cancer is:

• the second leading cause of cancer deaths among children and young adults.

• extremely heterogeneous, with 120 different types of tumors, all of which have unknown causes.

• not as rare as you might think. Today there are more than 600,000 people in the US living with a brain tumor diagnosis and another 66,000 new diagnosis
are expected this year.

###

About Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure

Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (ABC²) is a venture philanthropy 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that drives cutting-edge research and treatments for brain tumors. Through strategic partnerships with medical research centers, early-stage biotechnology companies and large multi-national pharmaceutical companies ABC² has awarded more than $20 million in brain tumor research funding to highly qualified investigators and physician-scientists from 42 institutions and companies. For more information, please visit: www.abc2.org

 

About Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego

Located on the Gaslamp Quarter’s waterfront, Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego overlooks San Diego Bay and many rooms offer spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean too. This urban resort defines San Diego’s skyline and is comprised of two stylish towers, the 33-story Seaport Tower and the 40-story Harbor Tower, the latter of which is 497-feet tall, making it the tallest building on the west coast waterfront. Connecting the two towers is a four-story building that boasts a rooftop pool with a 25,000 square-foot deck. The stylish Hyatt includes 76 newly renovated one-and-two-bedroom suites, spa with a full-service salon and an adults-only pool, tennis courts, bay-view pool and deck, a fitness center and several award-winning restaurants and lounges – most all overlooking the bay. It is adjacent to Seaport Village, near Horton Plaza and convenient to San Diego International Airport, San Diego Zoo and Sea World. In 2013, the hotel began a multi-million dollar renovation, with the transformation of all 1,628 guest rooms and suites. The property continued with additional updates to suites, meetings spaces and fitness center in 2014. The next phase of renovations will include food and beverage outlets including the iconic Top of the Hyatt; spa, meeting space and more. The entire project is scheduled to be complete by 2016. To keep up to date with the renovation and see how it’s unfolding, visit manchestergrandhyattrenovation.com or follow #NewMGHyatt. For additional information, please visit the Company’s website at www.manchestergrand.hyatt.com

Manchester Texas Financial Group has secured financing to build a 1,066-room convention hotel in Austin, clearing the way for construction to begin next month on the $370 million project.

Los Angeles-based Colony Capital will be providing financing for the new hotel, which, at 595 feet tall, is slated to be the second-tallest structure in downtown Austin. Manchester Texas Financial is a subsidiary of Manchester Financial Group, which is U-T San Diego Publisher “Papa” Doug Manchester’s San Diego-based development firm.

The planned Fairmont Austin, expected to open by June 2017, will be the first to have direct access to the Austin Convention Center, made possible via an aerial promenade. The hotel’s architect, Gensler, noted that the building was designed to be highly sustainable, incorporating an energy-efficient exterior “skin”’ and building materials.

Austin, particularly the downtown area, is poised for significant growth. A number of other hotels are already under construction, including the 1,012-room JW Marriott convention hotel, a Westin hotel and the 16-story Hotel Van Zandt, a project being developed by JMI Realty, the real estate arm of former Padres owner John Moores.

“We are extremely bullish as to our 1,066-room hotel providing the critical mass of convention center hotel rooms to accommodate the growing demand for citywide conventions,” said Manchester.

The combined equity contribution of the developer and the financing from Colony Capital will allow construction to get under way Nov. 3. Colony is a private international investment firm that has made investments in some 4,300 hotels in more than 100 countries. Overseeing the Austin project is Manchester’s son, Douglas W. Manchester.

“Having had the privilege of working with both ‘Papa’ Doug Manchester and the Manchester Group for over a decade, we see this as a continuation of a great and valued relationship,” Thomas J. Barrack Jr., CEO and founder of Colony Capital, said in a prepared statement. “We are looking forward to yet again working with ‘Papa’ Doug, his son Doug and Fairmont in the dynamic, growing city of Austin.”

Manchester, who has extensive experience in hotel development, is responsible for both the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina and the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego, which are now owned by Host Hotels & Resorts. Manchester currently owns the Grand Del Mar.

The Fairmont Austin, beyond its nearly 1,066 rooms, will feature more than 106,000 square feet of meeting space, a 19,000-square-foot outdoor deck, and four levels of parking totaling nearly 1.4 million square feet.

Earlier this year, Hunt Construction Group, which also built the San Diego Marriott, was awarded a $247 million contract to build the Austin hotel.

Construction to get under way in early November

The planned Fairmont Austin will rise nearly 600 feet and link to the convention center via an aerial promenade. — Rendering courtesy of Gensler

Manchester Texas Financial Group has secured financing to build a 1,066-room convention hotel in Austin, clearing the way for construction to begin next month on the $370 million project.

Los Angeles-based Colony Capital will be providing financing for the new hotel, which, at 595 feet tall, is slated to be the second-tallest structure in downtown Austin. Manchester Texas Financial is a subsidiary of Manchester Financial Group, which is U-T San Diego Publisher “Papa” Doug Manchester’s San Diego-based development firm.

The planned Fairmont Austin, expected to open by June 2017, will be the first to have direct access to the Austin Convention Center, made possible via an aerial promenade. The hotel’s architect, Gensler, noted that the building was designed to be highly sustainable, incorporating an energy-efficient exterior “skin”’ and building materials.

Austin, particularly the downtown area, is poised for significant growth. A number of other hotels are already under construction, including the 1,012-room JW Marriott convention hotel, a Westin hotel and the 16-story Hotel Van Zandt, a project being developed by JMI Realty, the real estate arm of former Padres owner John Moores.

“We are extremely bullish as to our 1,066-room hotel providing the critical mass of convention center hotel rooms to accommodate the growing demand for citywide conventions,” said Manchester.

The combined equity contribution of the developer and the financing from Colony Capital will allow construction to get under way Nov. 3. Colony is a private international investment firm that has made investments in some 4,300 hotels in more than 100 countries. Overseeing the Austin project is Manchester’s son, Douglas W. Manchester.

“Having had the privilege of working with both ‘Papa’ Doug Manchester and the Manchester Group for over a decade, we see this as a continuation of a great and valued relationship,” Thomas J. Barrack Jr., CEO and founder of Colony Capital, said in a prepared statement. “We are looking forward to yet again working with ‘Papa’ Doug, his son Doug and Fairmont in the dynamic, growing city of Austin.”

Manchester, who has extensive experience in hotel development, is responsible for both the San Diego Marriott Marquis & Marina and the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego, which are now owned by Host Hotels & Resorts. Manchester currently owns the Grand Del Mar.

The Fairmont Austin, beyond its nearly 1,066 rooms, will feature more than 106,000 square feet of meeting space, a 19,000-square-foot outdoor deck, and four levels of parking totaling nearly 1.4 million square feet.

Earlier this year, Hunt Construction Group, which also built the San Diego Marriott, was awarded a $247 million contract to build the Austin hotel.