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20  VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES

We currently consolidate a holding company that holds 100 percent interest in four entities that are variable interest entities under FIN 46, "Consolidation of Variable Interest Entities-revised" ("FIN 46(R)"). At year-end 2007, the combined capital in the four variable interest entities is less than $1 million, which is used primarily to fund hotel working capital. Our equity at risk was $3 million and we held 55 percent of the common equity shares of the holding company. The creditors of the holding company do not have general recourse to our credit.

We are party to a venture that develops and markets fractional ownership and residential interests. During the 2007 second quarter, we issued a guarantee to the senior lender of the venture in support of the senior loan facility and reevaluated our variable interests in the venture under FIN 46(R). At that time, we determined that we were the primary beneficiary and as such, we also consolidated this venture. During the 2007 third quarter, the guarantee was replaced with the issuance of a loan facility for $40 million, of which $36 million is receivable and outstanding at year-end 2007. Our issuance of the loan facility was a reconsideration event under FIN 46(R); we again determined we were the primary beneficiary and continue to consolidate the joint venture. At year-end 2007, the carrying amount of consolidated assets that are collateral for the variable interest entity's obligations totaled $141 million and comprised $24 million of accounts receivable, $106 million of real estate held for development, property, equipment, and other long-term assets, and $11 million of cash. The creditors of the variable interest entity do not have general recourse to our credit.

In conjunction with the transaction with CTF described more fully in Footnote No. 8, "Acquisitions and Dispositions," under the caption "2005 Acquisitions" we manage certain hotels on behalf of four tenant entities 100 percent owned by CTF, which lease the hotels from third-party owners. At year-end 2007, the number of hotels totaled 14. The entities have minimal equity and minimal assets comprised of hotel working capital. CTF placed money in a trust account to cover cash flow shortfalls and to meet rent payments. The terms of the trust require that the cash flows for the four tenant entities be pooled for purposes of making rent payments and determining cash flow shortfalls. At year-end 2007, the trust account held approximately $38 million. The entities are variable interest entities under FIN 46(R). We do not consolidate the entities because we do not bear the majority of the expected losses. We are secondarily liable for rent payments for eight of the 14 hotels in the event that there are cash flow shortfalls and there is no money left in the trust. Future minimum lease payments through the end of the lease term for these eight hotels total approximately $122 million. In addition, we are also secondarily liable for rent payments of up to an aggregate cap of $44 million for the six other hotels in the event that there are cash flow shortfalls.

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