Contact: Helen Morton Dianne Murphy, APR DNC Parks & Resorts at Shenandoah PR Counsel for DNC/Shenandoah (O) 540-843-2102 (Cell) 540-742-3454 (O) 703-777-3450 (Cell) 703-927-0394 [email protected] [email protected] www.goshenandoah.com

Skyland Resort in Shenandoah National Park Starts the Season With New Surprises for Guests

From new general manager to new room upgrades, 2014 promises to be a great season

Shenandoah National Park, VA – (April 17, 2014) – Now that the weather has cooperated for the opening season, the team at Skyland Resort in Shenandoah National Park is ready to welcome guests with many changes for the 2014 year. From a new general manager to new pastry chef to grab-and-go snacks and room upgrades, the excitement is spreading throughout the property.

General Manager Charles Friend is thrilled to join the Skyland team. With more than 30 years in the hospitality industry, he joins Skyland most recently from the Holiday Inn University and Conference Center in Charlottesville, VA. He loves the beauty of the national park property and has already added a Grab-and-Go kiosk in the lobby for guest’s convenience. “This is such a special destination,” said Friend, “we are excited to welcome past guests that have frequented the property over the years and show them our commitment to the property with our positive changes and upgrades, and to encourage new guests to discover the wonderful mountain retreat.”

Brandon Long has over five years baking experience and joins the team most recently from the Petticoat Row Bakery in Nantucket, Massachusetts. His desserts have been featured in WellWed Magazine and in the Nantucket Film Festival Documentary. “I took an interest in baking at a young age. My passion is to create foods that are as aesthetically pleasing as they are wholesome and full of good flavors and textures.”

Jennifer Thibodeau, front office manager, has been a member of the Skyland team for more than 15 years and is especially excited about the 2014 season. “This season has already started with great energy going through the property,” said Thibodeau. “We are doing restoration work at the horse stables and we will be adding new carpet and soft goods as well as bathroom renovations in the rooms. The grab-and-go is already a huge hit with guests and we are getting rave reviews about the food in the dining room. Lots of new things for guests to look forward to and enjoy during their stay.”

For reservations and more information on the Skyland Resort and packages call 877.247.9261 or visit www.goshenandoah.com.

- MORE – Described by founder George Freeman Pollock, Jr. as “Beauty beyond description,” the resort is located at mile 41.7 and 42.5 on Skyline Drive and perched 3,680 feet up at the highest point. The breathtaking views of the Shenandoah Valley never cease to amaze guests from around the world.

The Shenandoah River, Shenandoah Valley and Piedmont Region are within a short driving distance of the park’s entrances, making lodging and cabin rentals at Skyland Resort highly coveted. The Resort boasts 28 buildings on 16 acres along the crews and wooded areas of Shenandoah National Park. Lodging accommodations range from small, rustic cabins to comfortable traditional rooms. For those wishing to unplug from their technical devices and reconnect with nature, this is the perfect spot.

Additional lodging promotions, events and activities for planning your Shenandoah getaway are available on our website www.goshenandoah.com or call 877.247.9261 to speak with the reservation office.

About Shenandoah National Park Established by Congress in 1935, Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia contains nearly 197,000 acres of land with over 500 miles of trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail. Shenandoah draws up to 1.2 million visitors a year with its rich history, unique geography and wildlife, as well as the panoramic vistas from the Skyline Drive. This National Scenic Byway, built during the Depression era, winds along the crest of the mountains through the length of the park, providing vistas of the sweeping landscape to the east and west. Lodging options in the park include Skyland Resort (mile 41.7), Big Meadows Lodge (mile 51), and Lewis Mountain Cabins (mile 57.5), which are operated by Delaware North Companies, an authorized concessioner and hospitality provider for the National Park Service. For more information about Shenandoah accommodations, dining and special events, call 877.247.9261 or visit www.goshenandoah.com.

About Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts is an industry leader, providing Stewardship and Hospitality in Special Places SM with hotel, retail, food service, recreation and transportation operations at historic and scenic properties in North America and Australia. The company operates Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida; in Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite national parks, including The Ahwahnee and other Yosemite lodges; Peaks of Otter Lodge on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia; The Lodge at Geneva-on-the-Lake in Ohio; Gideon Putnam Resort in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; and in Niagara Falls State Park. The company also owns and operates Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite; Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa in British Columbia; the Park Gate Lodges at Yellowstone, which are the West Yellowstone Holiday Inn, Gray Wolf Inn and Suites and Yellowstone Park Hotel, all located at the park’s west gate in West Yellowstone, Mont.; and five luxury resorts in Australia: Lizard Island Resort, Heron Island Resort, Wilson Island Resort, Kings Canyon Resort and El Questro Homestead and Wilderness Park. To learn more about Delaware North Companies’ hospitality management expertise, visithttp://www.delawarenorth.com/parks-and-resorts-home.aspx.

About Delaware North Companies Delaware North Companies is one of the largest and most admired privately held hospitality companies in the world. Founded and owned by the Jacobs family for nearly 100 years, it is a global leader in hospitality and food service. Its family of companies includes Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts, Delaware North Companies Gaming & Entertainment, Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services, Delaware North Companies Sportservice, Delaware North Companies International and Delaware North Companies Boston, owner of TD Garden. Delaware North Companies has revenue exceeding $2.6 billion annually and 55,000 associates serving half a billion customers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. For more information, visit www.DelawareNorth.com.