Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: HOT) and Crown Center Redevelopment Corporation today announced that the Hyatt Regency in Kansas City will fly the Sheraton flag and undergo an $13 million renovation to bring the 733-room property up to Sheraton brand standards. Sheraton Crown Center is scheduled to make its debut on January 1, 2012 and following an extensive renovation effort will feature all the brand’s signature offerings including the Sweet Sleeper bed, Club Lounge, Link@Sheraton(R) experienced with Microsoft(R), Link@Sheraton Café and Sheraton Fitness programmed by Core Performance.

Sheraton Crown Center is one of more than 60 new hotels and over 20,000 rooms Starwood expects to add to the Sheraton portfolio over the next three years as part of a multi-year strategic expansion plan. It will join The Westin Crown Center as the second Starwood property in the popular, upscale lifestyle center that is less than a mile from the city’s Power and Light entertainment district. Starwood will also operate the Crown Center Exhibit Hall and two restaurants in Crown Center shopping center.

“We are delighted to grow our portfolio in Kansas City with the upcoming opening of Sheraton Crown Center. The successful completion of our multi-billion re-branding effort continues to drive conversion opportunities like this one in key markets across North America,” said Hoyt Harper, Senior Vice President, Sheraton Hotels & Resorts. “Sheraton Crown Center will exemplify the new look and feel of Sheraton and showcase all our signature brand offerings.”

The hotel’s newly refurbished lobby will feature the “Link@Sheraton(R) experienced with Microsoft(R)” - a social hub where connections, whether face-to-face or webcam-to-webcam take place. All guest rooms will be equipped with an oversized work desk, custom-designed ergonomic chair, high-speed Internet, LCD flat panel television, MP3 docking station and the all-white Sheraton Sweet Sleeper(R) bed, designed to meet AAA’s Five Diamond Award(R) criteria.

Ideal for business meetings and social functions of all sizes, Sheraton Crown Center will feature more than 95,000 square feet of flexible meeting space with all the latest in meetings technology. Additional amenities will include an indoor and outdoor pool and a Sheraton Club Lounge. The hotel will also feature a fully equipped fitness facility featuring the brand’s revolutionary new health and fitness program designed exclusively for Sheraton guests through its partner Core Performance.

“We are experiencing a surge in conversions to the Sheraton brand in cities throughout North America,” said Allison Reid, Senior Vice President of North America Development, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. “The brand’s recently completed comprehensive revitalization significantly improved guest satisfaction and loyalty and has prompted growing numbers of owners and developers to choose Sheraton.”

“We are very pleased to have Starwood operating both hotel properties at Crown Center,” said Bill Lucas, president of Crown Center Redevelopment Corp. “This will greatly simplify group negotiations and provide significant efficiencies that improve the customer experience. Crown Center will truly be a one-stop convention destination.”

Located on the southern edge of downtown Kansas City, Sheraton Crown Center is adjacent to the 53,000 square foot Crown Center Exhibit Hall and less than a mile from the city’s convention center. A city within the city, Crown Center’s 80 acres features shops, restaurants and theaters and the worldwide headquarters for Hallmark Cards. A Sea Life aquarium and LEGOLAND Discovery Center will open there in 2012. Also nearby are the River Market and the Union Station, Country Club Plaza. Arrowhead Stadium and Kauffman Stadium are ten miles from the hotel.

Starwood has spent the last few years renovating and rebuilding one of the hotel industry’s most iconic brands and Sheraton now stands stronger than ever with the strongest portfolio in its history. The brand is gaining market share, RevPAR continues to rise, guest satisfaction scores are the highest in the brand’s history and likelihood to return, likelihood to recommend and meeting planner and associate engagement scores are also at all-time highs - signaling that guests are taking notice and rediscovering the new Sheraton.

Sheraton Hotels & Resorts, like all brands within Starwood’s robust portfolio, is proud to offer the Starwood Preferred Guest(R) program, which made headlines when it launched in 1999 with a breakthrough policy of no blackout dates on Free Night Awards. SPG(R) offers members the ability to redeem awards at more resorts, more luxury properties, more European hotels and more golf properties than any other hotel program.