Wyndham Opens Wyndham Garden Puerto Rico

---

(HUMACAO, PUERTO RICO) -- Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, LLC a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide Corporation welcomed this week its first Wyndham Garden property in Puerto Rico, the 107-room Wyndham Garden at Palmas del Mar in Humacao, expanding its Caribbean portfolio of hotels. The hotel opens as the second Wyndham property on the island, joining Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, A Wyndham Grand Resort in Rio Grande.

Located 30 miles southeast of San Juan and 23 miles from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the hotel is situated within the gates of Palmas del Mar, Puerto Rico's largest resort community, and is just steps away from a six-mile-long beach, nearby shopping and dining.

"It is very exciting to bring the Wyndham Garden flag to Puerto Rico for the first time," said John Green, brand senior vice president of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts. "The addition of this unique property reflects our commitment to grow the Wyndham brand in sought-after travel destinations. Wyndham Garden at Palmas del Mar provides us with the opportunity to provide another high-caliber lodging option and excellent service to guests visiting Puerto Rico."

The hotel's 107 guest rooms, including 14 junior suites and 11 one-bedroom suites, are well-appointed with flat-screen televisions, spacious work areas, free high-speed Internet access and complimentary bottled water. Select rooms offer private balconies with views of the hotel's manicured grounds and room service is available daily.

Guests can enjoy the outdoor infinity-edge pool with swim-up bar, whirlpool and separate children's pool.  The hotel also provides access to a variety of outdoor sports and activities available at the resort community of Palmas del Mar, including 36 holes of golf at nearby Palms and Flamboyán Golf Courses and 16 tennis courts. Additional hotel offerings include business services, fitness center, game room and Casino Real, the hotel's full-service casino spanning more than 6,000 square feet.

Wyndham Garden at Palmas del Mar provides more than 6,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, including lake and garden settings. The hotel's Grand Ballroom, ideal for weddings, business meetings and social gatherings, can accommodate up to 450 people. Meeting planners and event-goers have access to the hotel's on-site, experienced meeting professionals, audio-visual equipment, high-speed Internet access and catering services.

Wyndham Garden at Palmas del Mar is owned and operated by Puerto Rico-based Empresas Santana, which also owns a soon-to-be-constructed Wyndham resort in Barceloneta, expected to break ground this fall, and Wyndham Hotel Group sister property Howard Johnson Hotel - Carolina San Juan in Isla Verde.

"A property bearing the Wyndham name will attract guests who are looking for exceptional service and a trusted, world-renowned hotel company," said Jose Santana of Empresas Santana. "We are very pleased to work with Wyndham Hotels and Resorts to showcase the island's true spirit of hospitality and create a memorable hotel experience for travelers visiting this tropical paradise."

---

Ronto Group Plans New Bonita Springs Golf Community

(BONITA SPRINGS, FL) -- For the first time in years, a new golfing community is planned in Southwest Florida. It's supposed to bring more than 1,000 new homes to Bonita Springs, according to a presentation before the Bonita Spring city council this week.

To most, the hundreds of acres off the eastern end of Bonita Beach Road is just an empty field. But to Bonita Springs leaders, the grass is looking pretty green.

"Council in its entirety has really sent signals out there that we're the place to come and do business and I think it's paying off," Bonita Springs Mayor Ben Nelson was quoted as saying in a report by the ABC affiliate in Fort Myers.

The Ronto Group of Naples is trying to do something that hasn't been done since 2003 - build a golf course community in Bonita. The development group owned land on the eastern end of Bonita Beach Road from 2005 to 2008.

They put in nearly $20-million in improvements, including impact fees and the widening of Bonita Beach Road. Then, the economy tanked and the land went back to the lender. But the developer recently purchased the land back 80-percent cheaper and is taking a swing at the plan again.

The development group says they will possibly put the clubhouse at the east end of Bonita Beach Road - complete with an 18-hole golf course, surrounded by hundreds of homes starting in the mid-$300,000 price range.

With a number that seems high for some to pay for a single family home, Anthony Solomon - The Ronto Group Executive Vice President - says he's confident that price will sell in a few years.

"Inventory for old homes is drying up, and there aren't many opportunities for large scale communities like this and there are certainly guys successful in this market which is good to see," Solomon told the ABC reporter. "So we look a year or two out and we think there will be a robust market for new homes," said Solomon.

Before they break ground, the developer is waiting to get the approval from council to extend its build out through 2035.

---