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8  ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

2007 Acquisitions
During 2007, we acquired one full-service property, one limited-service property, and one extended-stay property for cash consideration of $199 million. These three properties were acquired in conjunction with a land assemblage for a large hotel complex that is still in the formative development stage. In addition, we acquired certain land parcels in 2007 for cash consideration of $52 million. Also during 2007, we acquired the fee simple interest in the improvements of three properties and the leasehold interest in the ground underlying the three properties for cash consideration of $58 million. The purchase included one full-service property and two limited-service properties, which were each sold later in the same year.

During the first half of 2007, we were party to a venture that developed and marketed fractional ownership and residential interests. In the second half of 2007, we purchased our partner's interest in the joint venture for $6 million. In conjunction with that transaction, we acquired assets and liabilities totaling $90 million and $84 million, respectively, on the date of the purchase. During the first half of 2007, we were party to another venture that was established to develop and market timeshare and residential interests. In the second half of 2007, we purchased our partner's interest in that joint venture, and concurrent with this transaction, we purchased additional land and assets from our partner as well. Aggregate cash and notes payable issued for these transactions totaled $106 million, and we acquired assets and liabilities totaling $182 million and $76 million, respectively, on the date of purchase.

At year-end 2007, we were party to a venture that developed and marketed fractional and whole ownership interests. Subsequent to year-end 2007, we purchased our partner's interest in that joint venture and concurrent with this transaction, we purchased additional land from our partner as well. Cash consideration for this transaction totaled $37 million and we acquired assets and liabilities totaling $74 million and $37 million, respectively, on the date of purchase.

2007 Dispositions
In 2007, we sold nine properties for cash proceeds of $601 million and recognized gains totaling $24 million. We continue to operate eight of the nine properties under long-term agreements. We sold two parcels of land for $55 million in cash proceeds that were under development and recognized a gain of $2 million. We also sold the fee simple interest in the improvements of three properties and the leasehold interest in the ground underlying the three properties, initially acquired in early 2007, for book value and received $58 million in cash proceeds. We continue to manage the properties under long-term agreements. Each of the aforementioned sales was accounted for under the full accrual method in accordance with FAS No. 66. During the year, we also sold our interests in five joint ventures for cash proceeds of $30 million and recognized gains totaling $13 million. We had other asset sales during the year, which generated proceeds totaling $1 million. Cash flows totaling $745 million for all the preceding dispositions in 2007 are reflected in the "Dispositions" line in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

In 2007, we also sold land that was under development. Due to a contingency in the sales contract, this sale was accounted for under the deposit method of FAS No. 66. Accordingly, the cash proceeds, totaling $90 million, were reflected in "Other investing activities" in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

2006 Acquisitions
During 2006, we acquired one full-service property for $130 million including aggregate cash consideration of $46 million plus the assumption of debt. In addition we acquired three other full-service properties for aggregate cash consideration of $134 million. We sold each of the four properties to third-party owners during the 2007 fiscal year.

2006 Dispositions
In 2006 we sold our interest in the 50/50 joint venture with Whitbread PLC ("Whitbread"), which held 46 hotels consisting of more than 8,000 rooms and we received approximately $164 million in cash, net of transaction costs, which was approximately equal to the investment's book value. We continue to manage the hotels under the Marriott Hotels & Resorts and Renaissance Hotels & Resorts brands. We also sold our minority interest in five other joint ventures during 2006 for cash proceeds of $64 million and recognized gains of $43 million. Additionally, one cost method investee redeemed the preferred stock we held for $81 million in cash consideration and we recognized income of $25 million on the redemption.

During 2006 we also sold 10 full-service properties for cash proceeds of $487 million and recognized gains totaling $14 million. We accounted for each of the sales under the full accrual method in accordance with FAS No. 66 and will continue to operate eight of the properties under long-term management agreements. The sold properties included eight properties purchased in 2005 from CTF Holdings Ltd. and certain of its affiliates (collectively "CTF"). For additional information regarding the CTF transaction, see the "2005 Acquisitions" caption later in this footnote. Prior to the sale of one property, balances associated with that property were reclassified in conformity with other "held and used" properties, in the first half of 2006 as the property was not expected to be sold, within one year of its classification as "held for sale." In conjunction with that reclassification, we recorded depreciation expense of $2 million in the first half of 2006 that would have been recognized had the asset been continuously classified as "held and used." Cash proceeds of $26 million for one hotel sold in 2006 are not reflected in the disposition proceeds of $487 million as the proceeds were initially recorded as a deposit because of a contingency and impacted the "Other investing activities" section of our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows rather than "Dispositions." The contingency was subsequently resolved and sale accounting was achieved in 2006. Other asset sales generated cash proceeds of $2 million.

Late in 2006, we sold a 75 percent interest in a joint venture to a third party for its book value of $14 million. At the time of the sale, the joint venture's only asset was a parcel of land. In conjunction with the sale, we made a $25 million bridge loan to the joint venture, which matured in early 2007. Following the guidance found in EITF 98-8, "Accounting for Transfers of Investments That Are in Substance Real Estate," and FAS No. 66 due to our continuing involvement with the joint venture, we consolidated the joint venture for the period of time that the bridge loan was outstanding. Subsequent to the bridge loan's repayment, we account for our remaining interest in the joint venture under the equity method as required by APB Opinion No. 18, "The Equity Method of Accounting for Investments in Common Stock."

In 1988, the Company as landlord, entered into a 59-year ground lease with a lessee for land that was improved with a hotel that is owned by the lessee. The hotel was previously branded a Marriott property. The lease contained contractual rental increases over the term of the lease and annual ground rent on the land totaled approximately $5 million in 2006. The lease also contained a provision that permitted the lessee, under certain circumstances, to purchase the land for a fixed price. We and the lessee had various discussions in 2006 concerning the land as well as the hotel. During the 2006 second quarter, it became probable that none of the proposed transactions were acceptable to both parties and the lessee indicated its intent to exercise its option to purchase the land. Accordingly, in the 2006 second quarter, we reclassified the land from the "Property and equipment" caption in our Consolidated Balance Sheets to the "Assets held for sale" caption and recorded a $37 million non-cash charge to adjust the carrying amount to net realizable value. We completed the sale of the land, at book value, to the lessee in 2007 and this transaction is reflected in the figures noted earlier for dispositions in 2007.

2005 Acquisitions
During the third quarter of 2005, we purchased from CTF and certain of its affiliates 13 properties (in each case through a purchase of real estate, a purchase of the entity that owned the hotel, or an assignment of CTF's leasehold rights) and certain joint venture interests from CTF for an aggregate price of $381 million. Prior to the sale, all of the properties were operated by us or our subsidiaries.

At the purchase date, we planned to sell eight of the properties to third-party owners and the balances related to these full-service properties were classified within the "Assets held for sale" and "Liabilities of assets held for sale" captions in our Consolidated Balance Sheets at year-end 2005. All eight properties were sold in 2006. One operating lease terminated in 2005. At the purchase date we operated four remaining properties under leases, three of which expire by 2012. Under the purchase and sale agreement we signed with CTF in the second quarter of 2005, we were obligated to purchase two additional properties for $17 million, the acquisition of which was postponed pending receipt of certain third-party consents. We did not purchase these additional two properties and the obligation expired.

On the closing date we and CTF also modified management agreements on 29 other CTF-leased hotels, 28 located in Europe and one located in the United States. We became secondarily liable for annual rent payments for certain of these hotels when we acquired the Renaissance Hotel Group N.V. in 1997. At the closing date, we continued to manage 16 of these hotels under new long-term management agreements; however, due to certain provisions in the management agreements, we account for these contracts as operating leases. CTF placed approximately $89 million in trust accounts to cover possible shortfalls in cash flow necessary to meet rent payments under these leases. In turn, we released CTF from its guarantees in connection with these leases. In 2007, the lease agreement associated with one of these properties was terminated. In 2007, we also entered into a transaction whereby the landlord allowed us to assume the lease agreement for another of the properties for which we then became the primary obligor. In conjunction with becoming the primary obligor, we received a $16 million distribution from the trust, and the balance of the funds was distributed to the landlord. We accounted for our receipt of trust funds as a lease incentive, the reduction of which will be recorded on a straight-line basis as an adjustment to lease expense over the term expiring in 2033. At year-end 2007, approximately $38 million remained in these trust accounts for the 14 properties we still manage and account for as leases. Minimum lease payments relating to these leases are as follows: $30 million in each of 2008, 2009, and 2010; $26 million in 2011; $17 million in 2012; and $33 million thereafter, for a total of $166 million.

For 13 European leased hotels, of the 29 properties mentioned in the preceding paragraph, CTF may terminate management agreements with us if and when CTF obtains releases from landlords of our back-up guarantees. Pending completion of the CTF-landlord agreements, we continue to manage these hotels under modified management agreements and remain secondarily liable under certain of these leases. We are also secondarily obligated for real estate taxes and other charges associated with the leases. Third parties have severally indemnified us for all payments we may be required to make in connection with these obligations. Since we assumed these guarantees, we have not funded any amounts and we do not expect to fund any amounts under these guarantees in the future. CTF had originally made available €35 million in cash collateral in the event that we were required to fund under such guarantees. At year-end 2007, we still managed five of the original 13 properties. Approximately €7 million ($11 million) of cash collateral remained available at year-end 2007. Our contingent liability exposure at year-end 2007 associated with the five remaining properties totaled $77 million as also noted in Footnote No. 17, "Contingencies." As CTF obtains releases from the landlords and these remaining hotels exit the system, our contingent liability exposure will decline.

At the closing date, we continued to manage three other hotels in the United Kingdom under amended management agreements with CTF and continued to manage 14 other properties in Asia on behalf of New World Development Company Limited and its affiliates. CTF's principals are officers, directors, and stockholders of New World Development Company Limited. At the closing date, the owners of the United Kingdom and Asian hotels agreed to invest $17 million to renovate those properties.

We and CTF also exchanged legal releases effective as of the closing date and litigation and arbitration that was outstanding between the two companies and their affiliates was dismissed.

Simultaneously with the closing on the foregoing transactions, CTF also sold five properties and one minority joint venture interest to Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. ("Sunstone") for $419 million, eight properties to Walton Street Capital, L.L.C. ("Walton Street") for $578 million, and two properties to Tarsadia Hotels ("Tarsadia") for $29 million, in each case as substitute purchasers under our purchase and sale agreement with CTF. Prior to consummation of the sales, we also operated all of these properties. At closing, Walton Street and Sunstone entered into new long-term management agreements with us and agreed to invest a combined $68 million to further upgrade the 13 properties they acquired. At the closing date, the two properties purchased by Tarsadia were operated under short-term management and franchise agreements.

When we signed the purchase and sale agreement for the foregoing transactions in the 2005 second quarter, we recorded a $94 million pretax charge primarily due to the non-cash write-off of deferred contract acquisition costs associated with the termination of the existing management agreements for properties involved in these transactions. As described above, we entered into new long-term management agreements with CTF, Walton Street, and Sunstone at the closing of the transactions.

In 2005 we also purchased two full-service properties, one in Paris, France and the other in Munich, Germany, for aggregate cash consideration of $146 million. We planned to sell these two full-service properties to third-party owners and the balances related to these properties were classified within the "Assets held for sale" and "Liabilities of assets held for sale" line items on our Consolidated Balance Sheets at year-end 2005. The property in Paris, France, was sold in 2006 and the property located in Munich, Germany, was sold in 2007. The balances associated with the Munich, Germany, property were reclassified, in conformity with other "held and used" properties in the 2006 fourth quarter as the property was not sold at that time, as expected, within one year of its classification as "held for sale." In conjunction with the 2006 reclassification, we recorded depreciation expense of $5 million in the 2006 fourth quarter that would have been recognized had the asset been continuously classified as "held and used."

2005 Dispositions
Late in 2005, we contributed land underlying an additional nine Courtyard hotels, worth approximately $40 million, to CBM Land Joint Venture limited partnership ("CBM Land JV"), a joint venture the majority of which was owned, at the time of the transaction, by a third party on behalf of an institutional investor, thereby obtaining a 23 percent equity stake in CBM Land JV. At the same time we completed the sale of a portfolio of land underlying 75 Courtyard by Marriott hotels for approximately $246 million in cash to CBM Land JV. In conjunction with this transaction, we recognized a gain of $17 million in 2005, we deferred recognition of a $5 million gain due to our minority interest in the joint venture, and we also deferred recognition of a $40 million gain due to contingencies in the transaction documents. As those contingencies expire in subsequent years, we will recognize additional gains. In each of 2007 and 2006, we recognized gains of $4 million, and at year-end 2007, the aggregate remaining deferred gains totaled $37 million.

We also sold a number of other land parcels in 2005 for $38 million in cash, net of transaction costs and recognized gains totaling $6 million, and we sold two minority interests in joint ventures for $14 million in cash and recognized gains totaling $7 million.

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