(Davis, California) – Sushil Patel, Managing Principal of Presidio Companies, has announced that the company’s affiliate, University Hospitality Group, will be on site at the University of California, Davis on Thursday, April 30, to celebrate the official construction launch of the landmark $13 million development: a Hyatt Place hotel, to open just across from the Mondavi Center on the UC Davis campus in early 2010.

    The invitation-only event will include, among others, local civic leaders and principals involved in the project.

    University Hospitality Group will develop the property and selected Tricorp Construction, Inc., a Sacramento general contractor, to build the hotel and Tony Moayed Construction Services to oversee construction. Presidio Companies, a hospitality development and management company, will operate the new Hyatt Place hotel once it is open.

    “The university community is excited about the progress on the hotel project,” commented John Meyer, vice chancellor for Resource Management and Planning for UC Davis. “The hotel will complement the new home for the Graduate School of Management, Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. Hall, and the conference center that are both scheduled to open this fall.”

    When open, the new Hyatt Place hotel will be conveniently located adjacent to the campus's south entry off Interstate 80. The hotel will be close to the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts, Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science, and the Buehler Alumni and Visitor Center. The full development will include the Graduate School of Management’s Gallagher Jr. Hall, a conference center, a future art gallery, and an already completed parking garage.

     “Presidio Companies has breathed new life into this development with their unique, strategic, and innovative decision-making and planning,” said Mary Hayakawa, executive director of Real Estate Services for UC Davis. “Because of their dedication, Hyatt Place will complete the new public gateway to the university, one that will benefit UC Davis, local businesses and the county.”

    UC Davis leadership envisions a gateway that will welcome visitors, alums, and the general public to the campus and encourage university and public connections and interaction.

    The Hyatt Place hotel will have 75 rooms, a strategic decision made by Presidio Companies and its affiliate when assessing best fit for the development and management of the project in the university environment.

    “This 51,000 square foot hotel will reflect the character of the beautiful surrounding UC Davis campus,” said Sushil Patel, Managing Principal of the Presidio Companies.

    “We’re proud to be a part of this unique public/private partnership,” said Tony Moayed, principal of Tony Moayed Construction Services.

    Equity partner is Colleyville, Texas-based Realty Capital Partners. Financing for the UC Davis Hyatt project has been provided by First Northern Bank in Davis.

    Headquartered in Fairfield, Calif., Presidio Companies seeks and acquires under-performing, franchised properties in the United States to redevelop and transform them into successful, sustainable properties. Presidio also selectively develops new build hospitality projects in high-barrier-to-entry markets. Presidio Companies has developed over $300 million of hospitality projects in the past eight years, always focusing on consistent high levels of achievement in every endeavor. The Presidio Companies services include development and construction supervision, brokerage, investment, and hotel management.

    Presidio Companies: Structuring ingenuity. Perfectingopportunity. For more information, visit www.PresidioCo.com.

    Hyatt Place, a new kind of Hyatt for today’s relaxed lifestyle, combines The Hyatt Touch® with stylish design, purposeful amenities and forward-thinking technology. Catering to today’s discerning travelers, Hyatt Place is a newly developed brand of Global Hyatt Corporation that currently offers more than 130 locations nationwide. For Hyatt Place information or to make a reservation, call 1-888-HYATT-HP (888-492-8847) or visit www.hyattplace.com. From the U.S. and Canada, reservations for Hyatt Hotels & Resorts worldwide may be obtained by calling 1-800-233-1234 or logging onto www.hyatt.com.

    Hyatt Place received the highest numerical score amongmid-scale hotel chains with full service in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates2008 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction StudySM. Study based on responses from 53,453 guests measuring 12 mid-scale hotels with full service and measures opinions of guests who stayed in a hotel May 2007-June 2008. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed June 2007-June 2008. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com.

    The Principals of Tricorp Construction, Inc. have over 15 years of experience working on the UC Davis campus. Tricorp Construction, Inc. works in private and public sectors, most recently completing an extensive remodel project on the State Capitol building.

    For 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has 31,000 students, an annual research budget that exceeds $500 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science — and advanced degrees from six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.