Hilton Hotels Corporation Makes $3 Million Commitment to Annual Scholarship Fund

Business Wire, August 27, 2008

Unveils $200,000 Donation at Hilton Baltimore Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Hilton Hotels Corporation ("Hilton"), presented to CollegeBound Foundation the first installment of a $3 million 15 year commitment towards the Hilton Baltimore Convention Center Hotel Scholarship Fund at the Hilton Baltimore's official opening and ribbon cutting ceremony. The $200,000 check was presented to launch the program increasing educational opportunities for students in Baltimore to pursue a career in the hospitality industry.

"Hilton is pleased to play an integral role in increasing educational opportunities for the young people of Baltimore City, and especially Baltimore City public high school graduates who intend to enroll or are enrolled in a college hotel, hospitality, and/or restaurant management program," said Ted Ratcliff, Senior Vice President - Americas Operations - Eastern US, Canada, Caribbean & Central America. "This aligns with Hilton's Diversity commitment which encompasses the support and advancement of minority youth."

As the scholarship fund administrator, CollegeBound will award scholarships to qualified and eligible students in Baltimore City public high schools with the first priority to the National Academy Foundation. These students intend to enroll in hotel, hospitality, and/or restaurant programs at two or four year colleges. The National Academy Foundation High School is a Baltimore City public high school located on the Federal Hill campus of Digital Harbor High School. NAF Baltimore is a high school which integrates three academies to form one high school: Information Technology, Finance, and Hospitality & Tourism.

Hilton Baltimore features 883,000 square feet of interior space, including 757 deluxe guest rooms, and is the only hotel in the city providing an enclosed pedestrian sky bridge to the Baltimore Convention Center. The hotel offers planners 60,000 square feet of flexible function space, including the 25,000 square foot Francis Scott Key ballroom, 15,000 square foot Billie Holiday ballroom, and an additional 20,000 square feet of flexible meeting space. All meeting rooms provide wired and wireless high-speed Internet access, data, voice and visual transmission. A professional audio/video staff and expert conference and event services team are available to help ensure a memorable experience for meeting planners and their guests. A 24-hour business center is equipped with computer workstations, copiers, printers and fax machines.

About Hilton Hotels Corporation

Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with more than 3,000 hotels and 500,000 rooms in 74 countries, with more than 135,000 team members worldwide. The company owns, manages or franchises some of the best known and highly regarded hotel brands including Hilton([R]), Conrad([R]) Hotels & Resorts, Doubletree([R]), Embassy Suites Hotels([R]), Hampton Inn([R]), Hampton Inn & Suites([R]), Hilton Garden Inn([R]), Hilton Grand Vacations[TM], Homewood Suites by Hilton([R]) and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection[TM].

Hilton Hotels Corporation is an Official Sponsor of the U.S. Olympic Team, which will extend through the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London, the 2010/2012 U.S. Paralympic Team and the 2011 U.S. Pan American Team.

The Hilton Family of Hotels adheres to founder Conrad Hilton's philosophy that, "It has been, and continues to be, our responsibility to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality." The company put a name to its unique brand of service that has made it the best known and most highly regarded hotel company: be hospitable[R]. The philosophy is shared by all brands in the Hilton Family of Hotels, and is the inspiration for its overarching message of kindness and generosity.

For more information about the company, please visit www.hiltonfamily.com.