NEWS & PRESS RELEASES

Memphis Commercial Appeal
Aug 6, 2002

Wireless high-speed Net with check-in?
By Mark Watson
watson@gomemphis.com
August 6, 2002

Sheboygan, Wis., isn't known for its surfing. Germantown-based Pride Hospitality is trying to change that.

The company recently completed installation of wireless high-speed Internet systems at two hotels in that community on the western shore of Lake Michigan. Thus, guests can surf the Net with laptops at poolside, in the lobby or meeting rooms, or even from a boat pulled up to a nearby dock.

"We did it because customers want it," said Mark Zipperer, Pride Hospitality president. "They want high-speed Internet access in hotels simply because they have it in their homes and offices."

But most of the time, the traveling public must use slower Internet connections that pass through a hotel's switchboard, said Zipperer.

Not all Memphis-area hoteliers agree that there's enough demand for high-speed Internet access.

"We've looked at it two or three times over the past three or four years," said John Osborne, vice president of operations and general manager of Hollywood Casino in Robinsonville, Miss. "It's not a service our guests need. We do provide high-speed access through computers located throughout the property, but we don't have it in our guest rooms."

Vacation-oriented hotels are less likely to benefit from high-speed Internet access, said Osborne.

Randy Churchey, president and chief operating officer of Memphis-based RFS Hotel Investors, said his company has wired some rooms for high-speed Internet access in hotels that cater to business travelers.

"We've explored the wireless option," Churchey said. "My understanding is that the wireless offerings are going to be much better in the next year or two."

Rich Mitchell, Equity Inns senior vice president for asset management, said his company has wired a few properties for high-speed Internet access.

"We haven't done much, partly because the technology keeps changing," said Mitchell.

Equity Inns awaits a high-speed Internet access standard from the companies in which it owns franchises, such as Hilton, Marriott, Holiday Inn and Comfort Inn, said Mitchell.

Harrah's has installed high-speed Internet access in guest rooms and certain meeting or convention rooms, but has not installed wireless systems, said Tim Stanley, Harrah's vice president for information technology, in an E-mail interview. He said Harrah's has encountered "no . . . significant interest" in wireless service.



- Mark Watson: 529-5874