IN ITS LATEST drive to convince Wyndham Hotels & Resorts stakeholders to accept its proposed acquisition of the company, Choice Hotels International has
released a detailed presentation accusing Wyndham of making misleading statements regarding the antitrust aspects of the deal. The specific accusations include
that Wyndham is manipulating data on how the hotel industry works, the competition a Choice-Wyndham combination would face and the benefits of the merger for
franchisees.
Choice filed the presentation with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and is also available at CreateValueWithChoice.com, the company said in a statement.
Choice's presentation was released nearly three weeks after Wyndham's latest statement in which it said Choice was not being forthcoming with Wyndham shareholders
regarding its offer.
"We are disappointed Wyndham is pushing this disinformation campaign. Their take on the antitrust risk on our proposed combination is misleading and further reflects
the board's apparent entrenchment," said Patrick Pacious, Choice's president and CEO. "Wyndham's characterization of the lodging industry's competitive landscape
and relevant regulatory criteria is incorrect. Our pro-competitive combination is well positioned to obtain approval, and we remain committed to completing it for
the benefit of both companies' franchisees, shareholders and guests."