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SKAMANIA LODGE RECEIVES IACC GREEN STAR AWARD

Resort Honored for Increasing Sustainability and Lowering Environmental Impact

SKAMANIA LODGE RECEIVES IACC GREEN STAR AWARD

Resort Honored for Increasing Sustainability and Lowering Environmental Impact

Stevenson, Wash.  - (August 13, 2009) - Skamania Lodge, an all-season mountain resort in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area managed by Destination Hotels & Resorts, has been presented with the International Association of Conference Centers' (IACC) Green Star Award for prioritizing and maintaining a high level of sustainability and environmental awareness. 

In order to qualify for the IACC Green Star Award, Skamania Lodge pledged to uphold the IACC's Code of Sustainability, which includes 59 tenets in the following categories: Education, Awareness and Public Declaration; Waste Management; Recycling and Reusing; Water Conservation; Energy Management; Air Quality; and Food and Beverage.  Skamania Lodge currently ranks in the Gold Tier for having 85 percent of the practices in place, and will continue moving towards the goal of 100 percent adherence.

"At Skamania Lodge we continue to explore ways to expand our "green" initiatives and our practice of sustainability," said Scott Spann, general manager of Skamania Lodge.  "Each improvement brings us one step closer to lowering our impact on the environment and providing our guests with the healthiest experience possible."

Ongoing sustainability efforts at Skamania Lodge include utilizing fresh, local, organic, seasonal and sustainable ingredients and local wines on the menus; a ride share board for staff who wish to carpool; a worm farm and compost system to reduce waste and create fertilizer; hummingbird feeders throughout the property to support the pollination cycle; and an herb garden harvested by Chef Ed Tippel for use in the restaurants.  In addition, the property has an ongoing partnership with the National Forest Foundation (NFF), the non-profit partner of the USDA Forest Service, which has an Information Center in the resort's lobby.

As one of the premier meeting destinations in the Pacific Northwest, Skamania Lodge features 23 state-of-the-art meeting rooms with more than 22,000-square feet of meeting space.  The property's meeting services feature Complete Meeting Packages which include all the standard services of the meeting rooms and Conference Center as well as lodging, three complete meals per day and two deluxe continuous breaks per day.  In addition, guests can take advantage of the "all-season playground" of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area with a wide variety of activities including hiking, biking and Sternwheeler cruises along the Columbia River in the summer; skiing and snowshoeing in the winter; and golfing, fishing and whitewater rafting all year long for outdoor enthusiasts.   

For more information about the conference facilities or meeting services offered at Skamania Lodge or to book a meeting, please visit http://www.skamania.com/ or call (800) 376-9116.

About the IACC Green Star Award

The International Association of Conference Centers has a rigorous Code of Sustainability which includes 59 tenets by which its member properties are evaluated.  By signing the Code of Sustainability, IACC members certify that their organization: (1) has agreed to sustain and support IACC's Environmental Policy; (2) has adopted and currently adheres to at least 75% of the code; and (3) willingly joins other member organizations that have signed the code in an association-wide effort to continually strive for greater sustainability.  Members that have signed the Code of Sustainability are recognized with the Green Star award in three tiers: To qualify for the Platinum tier, they have 100% of the code's practices in place; for Gold tier, 85% of the practices are in place; and for the Silver tier, 75% of the practices are in place.  IACC monitors and updates the code on a periodic basis to ensure that it reflects the current best practices of the industry.

About Skamania Lodge

Surrounded by the waterfalls, peaks, forests and canyons of the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, Skamania Lodge is an all-season mountain resort and conference center, situated on 175 acres, 50 minutes east of Portland, Ore., in Stevenson, Wash.  With 254 guest rooms and a 22,000-square foot, International Association of Conference Centers (IACC) approved conference center, Skamania Lodge offers a destination for outdoor enthusiasts and groups.  Skamania boasts the Waterleaf Spa, indoor swimming pool and whirlpools, a fitness center, onsite hiking, an 18-hole par-70 Golf Course that earned a four-star rating from Golf Digest magazine in their "Best Places to Play" for 2008, the Cascade Room, River Rock Lounge and the U.S. Forest Service Information Center located in the lobby.  Skamania Lodge is centered in a Pacific Northwest playground with hiking, biking and Sternwheeler cruises along the Columbia River in the summer; skiing and snowshoeing in the winter; and golfing, fishing and whitewater rafting all year long for outdoor enthusiasts.  Skamania Lodge is a spectacular location to soak in the natural beauty and to enjoy a vast array of outdoor activities. http://www.skamania.com/.

About Destination Hotels & Resorts

Skamania Lodge is one of more than 30 independent, upscale hotels, resorts and conference centers by Destination Hotels & Resorts, the fourth largest independent hospitality management company in the country. To protect and preserve the unique communities in which the company operates, Destination launched Destination Earth, an environmental sustainability program in 2008. New for 2009 is the 582-room Terranea Resort situated on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in southern California. The 102-acre ocean front resort will feature a 25,000-square-foot destination spa, three swimming pools, three restaurants and a Todd Eckenrode-designed par three golf course. In addition to Terranea in the greater Los Angeles area, Destination operates properties in key metropolitan areas and resort markets including Washington, D.C., Denver, San Diego, Santa Fe, Aspen, Palm Springs, Houston and Lake Tahoe. Destination is a subsidiary of Los Angeles-based investment, development and management firm Lowe Enterprises.  For more information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, please visit http://www.destinationhotels.com/.

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