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Terranea Resort: Connection to History

Writing a New Chapter for a Historic Site Along the Southern California Coastline

The Setting
June 2009 will welcome an exceptional resort that cares deeply for itsenvironment, embraces its natural shoreline setting and promises to deliver a distinctive, classic California lifestyle experience.

Built over time and magnificently poised along one of southern California's most scenic and coveted coastlines, comes:

Set in the grandeur of a Mediterranean estate, on the spectacular Palos Verdes Peninsula, Terranea rests on a stunning and irreplaceable site with unobstructed views overlooking the Pacific Ocean and Catalina Island. Strategically located just 20 miles south of Los Angeles International Airport, no other coastal California resort combines such ease of access with the secluded ambiance of a private estate and truly breathtaking vistas.

Once a part of the Channel Islands, the Palos Verdes Peninsula shifted slowly over millions of years and fused to the mainland coast of California. As a result, a unique collection of rocks and plant species can be found only in this area and the Islands.

The Past
Terranea's location, Palos Verdes, takes its name from Canada de Palos Verdes, or canyon of green trees. Prior to Juan Cabrillo's Spanish discovery of the peninsula in 1542, the Gabrielino Indians lived prosperous lives as seafarers, traders and fishermen on this land's terraced hills and sheltering coves. Years later, a Spanish land grant was given to Don Dolores Sepulveda from the Governor of Mexico California. Through misfortune and mishaps, stewardship of much of the land passed to Jotham Bixby of Rancho Los Cerritos. In 1913, a consortium of New York investors led by Frank A. Vanderlip bought 16,000 acres of Bixby's land.

Vanderlip, considered the founding father of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, built the first homes on the land in 1924. His grand vision of bringing a magnificent Mediterranean village to the coast, shattered by the start of World War II, is finally being realized with the creation of Terranea Resort which evokes the historic character of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and the grand estates that once dotted the coastline.

Japanese farming communities, developed in the early 1900s, influenced and helped cultivate the rural character that the peninsula embraces. On the northwest hillside adjacent to Terranea remains one of the last Japanese farms, growing fresh cut flowers and prickly pear.

A Star-Studded History
The Palos Verdes Peninsula has been a Hollywood hot spot for decades and the Terranea site has been featured in numerous television and feature film productions. Some favorites include:

Fun with Dick 'N Jane (Jim Carrey)
Pirates of the Caribbean 1, 2 & 3 (Johnny Depp)
The Aviator (Leonardo DiCaprio)
Pearl Harbor (Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale)
Charlie's Angels (Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, Drew Barrymore)
GI Jane (Demi Moore, Anne Bancroft)
Con Air (Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich)
Face/Off (John Travolta, Nicolas Cage, Joan Allen)
The O.C.

Shot four seasons at the Terranea site with 155 episodes, the popular television series Sea Hunt was premiered on the 4th of January 1958 and ended on the 23rd of September 1961. The series was created by Ivan Tor and starred Lloyd Bridges. It was said to be the first television series that focused around underwater adventures and was an early advocate of protecting the Earth's resources.

Growth Milestones
In 1954 the site became home to Marineland of the Pacific, a seaside animal theme park. When it opened, Marineland was the world's largest oceanarium. Opening one year before Disneyland, many considered it California's first major theme park and was best known for its performing Orcas or "killer whales." The park was prominently featured in several television shows, including two episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies, The Partridge Family, Hart to Hart, and Sea Hunt. In one episode of the Lucy Show, Lucille Ball falls into a Marineland animal exhibit.

The City of Rancho Palos Verdes was incorporated in 1973.

Marineland was sold and closed in 1986 when acquired by Sea World in San Diego (which had opened in 1964).

Monaghan Development Company purchased the property in 1987 and began the process to develop a hotel on the site. Monaghan abandoned its efforts in 1994 and property ownership was transferred to the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC).

Jim York purchased the land in 1995 from the RTC and began efforts to have the property approved for residential and hotel use.

In 1997 Lowe Enterprises began a ten-year journey to bring the site to fruition as Terranea Resort.

• Summer 2002: The City of Rancho Palos Verdes approved the project
• Summer 2003: The California Coastal Commission (CCC) approved the project
• Summer 2004: The City of Rancho Palos Verdes approved the CCC's modification
• Fall 2004: Lowe purchased the property
• Summer 2007: Groundbreaking for Terranea Resort

The Future
In 2009, Terranea Resort will open, creating approximately 700 new jobs. Artfully sculpted above the Pacific on 102 pristine acres with 270 degree oceanfront views, Terranea offers luxurious accommodations in 400 spacious hotel rooms, suites and bungalows. To the enviable few who acquire ownership status at Terranea, a limited collection of ownership opportunities include 50 private casitas and 32 private villas.

Arguably the only luxury resort destination to grace the Los Angeles coast, Terranea's architecture and design aim to complement its greatest natural asset - the Pacific. Rising from the water's edge, Terranea Resort preserves its inseparable relationship with the ocean, protecting and enhancing opportunities to bond with the Pacific. All elements of the Resort will embrace radiant oceanviews.

All of the resort amenities are designed to inspire reverence for the natural beauty of the place. Amenities include three signature restaurants, three sparkling pools, a 25,000 square foot oceanfront spa with breathtaking views of Catalina Island, children's center, retail shops and a secluded, shore line cove. Offering over 135,000 square feet of exceptional indoor and outdoor meeting and event space, and boasting function rooms with spectacular ocean view settings, Terranea is the new choice for meeting planners. With a clear commitment to the communities of the Palos Verdes Peninsula, it also will become a welcome refuge for romantic weddings and spectacular social events.

At Terranea, one can walk among the indigenous plants and trees that inspired the explorers to call the land "Rancho de los Palos Verdes:" the canyon of green trees. Guests can sharpen their short game on a 9-hole par three golf course, or challenge themselves on championship links at the Trump National Golf Club, just minutes away. One can also admire the work of local artisans, walk and hike along miles of nature trails, or observe whales, sea lions and dolphins at play in their natural habitat. At Terranea, guests will find heart-melting beauty and unrivaled experiences.

The Team
Lowe Destination Development:
Los Angeles-based Lowe Enterprises is a leading national real estate development, investment and management firm. Over the past 35 years, it has developed, acquired or managed more than $8 billion of real estate assets nationwide. Through Lowe Destination Development, Lowe's hospitality and resort community development subsidiary, the firm is currently developing in excess of $1 billion of hospitality properties nationwide, including the 102-acre Terranea Resort in the Los Angeles' area of Palos Verdes, the 1,040-acre Grizzly Ranch in Portola, Calif., the 700-acre Stone Eagle Golf Club in Palm Desert, Calif., the 600-room SilverRock Resort in La Quinta, Calif, the 136-unit Stowe Mountain Lodge in Vermont and the 6,000-acre Suncadia project near Roslyn, Wash. Lowe Enterprises maintains regional offices in Denver, Irvine, Phoenix, San Francisco, Sacramento and Washington D.C. and project offices nationwide. www.LoweDestinationDevelopment.com.

Hotel Management:
Destination Hotels & Resorts is a privately held lodging management company headquartered in suburban Denver, Colo. With more than 30 independent, luxury and upscale hotels, resorts and golf clubs, Destination is the fourth largest hospitality management company in the country. The company's portfolio features more than 6,000 guest rooms, 10 golf courses and 12 full-service spas. Destination Hotels & Resorts properties are located in key independent metropolitan and resort markets including Washington, D.C., Houston, Denver, San Diego, Santa Fe, Aspen, Austin, Phoenix, Portland, Palm Springs, Maui and Lake Tahoe. For more information on the properties in the Destination Hotels & Resorts collection, please visit www.destinationhotels.com.

Both LDD and DH&R are wholly owned subsidiaries of Lowe Enterprises at www.LoweEnterprises.com.

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