Bay Area Hotel and Hospitality Leaders Look to Raise $200,000 for New Orleans Hospital Rebuilding Efforts During March 9 Gala.

Oxford Lodging and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurant:

WHAT:    Oxford Lodging and Kimpton Hotels & Restaurant, both of
             San Francisco, have rallied the Bay Area hotel and
             hospitality industry for a March 9 fundraising gala to
             benefit the LSU Health Sciences Center rebuilding
             efforts following Hurricane Katrina.

             Event organizers hope to raise $200,000 to help reopen
             the LSU hospitals and teaching facilities in downtown
             New Orleans, where 70 percent of Louisiana's doctors
             are trained.

    WHEN:    Thursday, March 9, 2006
             Cocktails at 6 p.m. / Dinner and auction at 7 p.m.

    WHERE:   Sir Francis Drake Hotel - 450 Powell Street, S.F.

    VISUALS:

             --  A sold-out crowd of 225 Bay Area leaders raising
                 upwards of $200,000 for New Orleans rebuilding
                 efforts.

             --  First-hand stories from Hurricane Katrina
                 survivors including David Kline, chief of
                 neurosurgery at LSU and one of the doctors who
                 stayed behind at Charity Hospital; and Florence
                 Andre and Melissa Ogden, president and VP of the
                 LSU Foundation, respectively.

             --  Bay Area resident and Zydeco artist Queen Ida,
                 formerly from New Orleans

             --  Larry Flax, co-founder/co-CEO of California Pizza
                 Kitchen, and Greg Simon, president of FasterCures,
                 will present an oversized check to LSU Chancellor
                 Larry Hollier. Both firms provided rescue and/or
                 relief work following Hurricane Katrina.

    MEDIA:   Denise Kline (onsite event host) - 415-320-2288
             Bob Ochsner for Oxford Lodging - 949-233-0984