A former Sumner Suites hotel in north Austin is one of 27properties in 12 states being re-branded. Also in Texas are threeDallas-area hotels in Grand Prairie and Las Colinas/Walnut Hillnorth; two in San Antonio's Crossroads Mall Riverwalk market; andone each in the El Paso airport submarket and Houston's HobbyAirport. The re-branding represents a 30% expansion for the chain.The portfolio now consists of 132 AmeriSuites in 31 states.

Sholodge Inc. has recently completed the hotels. Prime hasacquired the leaseholds, which are about three years of age onaverage. The planned conversion has occurred on schedule, saysSteve Kronick, AmeriSuites senior vice president ofoperations.Minimal renovations and service packages have beenrequired to make the properties conform to AmeriSuites'offerings.

The Sholodge-Prime transaction delivers three futuredevelopments to the builder's pipeline. Sholodge will beconstructing AmeriSuites in Mt. Laurel, NJ, Utica, MI and Sterling,VA. Sholodge will finance two projects and Prime, one.