News Release...
ON COMMAND CORPORATION ANNOUNCES IN-ROOM MASTER SERVICES CONTRACT WITH
JOHN Q. HAMMONS HOTELS EXCLUSIVE PACT REACHED WITH HOTELIER FOR ON
Command's Dynamic Multimedia OCX(TM) Technology
SAN JOSE, Calif., Jul 14, 1999 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- On Command
Corporation (Nasdaq: ONCO), the world's leading provider of in-room
entertainment, information, and business services to the lodging
industry, announced today that the Company has entered into a new
exclusive master services agreement with John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc.
(NYSE: JQH), which operates 48 hotel properties and 11,000 guestrooms
worldwide. As part of the agreement, On Command will upgrade the entire
family of John Q. Hammons properties to the company's new, multimedia
OCX(TM) platform.
Similar to On Command's recently announced master contract extension
with Wyndham International, the Company will install its new high-speed
@Hotel(SM) TV Internet product. On Command will also provide an
increased share of the in-room entertainment revenues with John Q.
Hammons in exchange for, among other things, multi-year contract
extensions without television or cable programming subsidies. On
Command was also named the exclusive provider of in-room entertainment
services for all properties acquired or constructed over the term of
the agreement.
OCX is On Command's new, interactive digital services platform. The
multimedia architecture showcases an engaging user interface with audio
and full-motion video components and a broader array of on-demand video
offerings than previously found in the hotel room environment. OCX also
facilitates the integration of a wide variety of new information
services for the business traveler, including the @Hotel TV Internet
service for guestrooms. On Command has already installed the OCX
technology across the United States, as well as in London and Hong
Kong. The Company recently announced the July 1, 1999 transition to the
commercial deployment of the OCXplatform.
"John Q. Hammons is delighted to have the opportunity to present
themost compelling suite of in-room entertainment services to its
guests available today," noted Lonnie Funk, Senior Vice President of
Operations. "The multimedia guest interface with enhanced graphics and
the @Hotel TV Internet product offered by On Command are unique in-room
amenities. While other in-room entertainment vendors offer static
visual images and otherwise simple graphics, OCX offers a visually
dynamic experience for our guests and allows us to showcase this
leading-edge in-room entertainment technology at ourproperties."
Many new OCX installations will showcase the Mitsubishi Media Server
digital video storage system. The Mitsubishi Media Server utilizes
state-of-the-art, rewriteable magneto-optical delivery systems for
providing high-quality, MPEG-2 video-on-demand. OCX upgrades to
existing On Command Video systems will also provide hotel guests with
interactive video-on-demand functionality similar to that in the
digital server installations, utilizing the existing analog storage
systems. On Command will also deploy in-room video games as an
additional programming option to select properties.
"This agreement is another endorsement of our superior OCX technology,"
said Jean deVera, On Command's Senior Vice President, Account
Management. "We are very pleased to deliver our multimedia OCX platform
to another major hotel customer and also increase the scale of our
@Hotel TV Internet business. John Q. Hammons hotels will benefit from
our flexible, OCX technology architecture and receive a larger share of
the revenues, while On Command benefits from the master contract
extension on more favorable economic terms."
Publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange since 1994, John Q.
Hammons Hotels, Inc. is the nation's leading independent builder,
developer, ownerand manager of upscale full-service hotels, resorts and
suites including: Embassy Suites, Marriott, Radisson, Renaissance,
Sheraton, Crowne Plaza, Hampton Inn & Suites, Homewood Suites and
Holiday Inn brands, as well as its own Plaza Hotel signature brand. The
Springfield, Mo.-based company is the leading developer of the new
Embassy Suites hotels and is currently building the nation's first two
Renaissance hotels since the brand was acquired by Marriott Corporation
in 1997. John Q. Hammons Hotels, Inc. owns or manages 48 hotels in 22
states and employs more than 8,000 people.
On Command Corporation is based in San Jose, California with offices
located across the United States and around the world in Bangkok, Hong
Kong, London, Madrid, Mexico City, Seoul, Singapore, Sydney, and
Toronto. The company annually serves more than 200 million guests in
approximately 3,300 hotel properties with 934,000 guestrooms worldwide,
representing more than 100 hotel chains in over 20 countries.
On Command is listed on the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol
ONCOand its warrants are traded under the symbols ONCOW and ONCOZ. On
Command Corporation is a majority-owned subsidiary of Ascent
Entertainment Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOAL).
NOTE: OCX is a trademark and @Hotel is a service mark of On Command
Corporation.
This report contains, in addition to historical information,
forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which reflect the Company's current
judgments of those issues. However, because those statements are
forward-looking and apply to future events, they are subject to risks
and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's results to differ
materially. In addition to the factors discussed herein, which could
cause the Company's results to differ materially, this report should be
read in conjunction with the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 1998 and the quarter ended March 31, 1999
as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
SOURCE On Command Corporation
(C) 1999 PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
http://www.prnewswire.com -0-
CONTACT: Jean deVera, Senior VP, Acct. Mgmt. of On Command,
408-360-4562; or media, Les Luchter of Bender/Helper
Impact, 212-371-0798, for
On Command, or Bill Patterson of MMG Worldwide,
816-472-5988, ext. 137, for
John Q. Hammons
WEB PAGE: oncommand.com |
