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Elite At The Forefront Announcing Virtual Top Models

   ILLUSION 2K - WEBBIE TOOKAY - THE FIRST VIRTUAL TOP MODEL
Webbie Tookay, the world's first Virtual Top Model for the Millennium, was introduced at a press conference today in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Created by Swedish artist, illustrator and distinguished animator Steven Stahlberg, Webbie will host a variety of Internet-based entertainment websites including Webbie News, Webbie Fun, Webbie Cine News, Webbie TV News, WWW - What We Wear and Mens@gem Premiada. The project, which is the result of an investment of some $1 million and more than a year of work by a staff of 15 professionals, is the joint creation of Elite Models and Illusion 2K of Brazil, which have formed a new business division at Elite called Illusion 2K - Virtual Models and Actresses Management. Elite's chairman is John Casablancas who has introduced to the world such globally recognized models as Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and, more recently the Brazilian model ....

   ILLUSION 2K - WEBBIE TOOKAY - THE FIRST VIRTUAL TOP MODEL
Webbie Tookay, the world's first Virtual Top Model for the Millennium, was introduced at a press conference today in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Created by Swedish artist, illustrator and distinguished animator Steven Stahlberg, Webbie will host a variety of Internet-based entertainment websites including Webbie News, Webbie Fun, Webbie Cine News, Webbie TV News, WWW - What We Wear and Mens@gem Premiada. The project, which is the result of an investment of some $1 million and more than a year of work by a staff of 15 professionals, is the joint creation of Elite Models and Illusion 2K of Brazil, which have formed a new business division at Elite called Illusion 2K - Virtual Models and Actresses Management. Elite's chairman is John Casablancas who has introduced to the world such globally recognized models as Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and, more recently the Brazilian model ....

  The Company Is Announcing Webbie Tookay, The World's First Virtual Model,
                         And A New Business Division

    SAO PAULO, Brazil, July 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Elite Models, the world's
largest and most prestigious modeling agency, is anticipating the turn of the
millennium by announcing worldwide today its association with Illusion 2K. It
is a new business division at Elite, called Illusion 2K - Virtual Models and
Actresses Management, especially created to manage virtual models and special
projects. The announcement was made here at the World Trade Center/Hotel Melia
through videoconferencing and PR Newswire, the world's leader in the
electronic distribution of global press releases via satellite.
    (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990713/SPTU001-a
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/19990713/SPTU001-b
PR Newswire Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 201-369-3467)
    "We are launching a new concept of beauty for the next millennium," said
John Casablancas, Chairman of the Board of Elite Models. "Following the trend
of Hollywood's process of virtualization, Elite Illusion 2K's virtual models
will be working in several worldwide locations, simultaneously."
    The result of an investment of around US$ 1 million and more than a year
of work by a staff of 15 professionals, Elite Illusion 2K will operate from 25
Elite offices around the world and will represent Virtual Top Models, created
by today's highest regarded digital representative designers. These models
will be working by participating in virtual fashion shows, photo sessions for
fashion and variety magazines, advertisement films, TV programs, short and
long feature films, electronic games and Internet projects. Live presentations
of Elite Illusion 2k's virtual top models will be available through
Interativa.
    The quality and the graphic resources of these Virtual Top Models may be
admired on the company's Virtual Book, which is available through the
Internet, at http://www.elite-illusion2k.com .
    Elite Illusion 2k's first Top Model casting will be Webbie Tookay. She was
created by the Swedish designer, Steven Stahlberg, and customized for Illusion
2K, with aesthetic parameters defined by John Casablancas. Webbie is perfect,
she has the perfect measurements, she does not gain any weight, she does not
have a mom and she does not complain about long hours of work.
    With the objective of encouraging new talents for the creation of 3D
Virtual Models, and for the purpose of extending its casting, Elite Illusion
2K will be promoting an international contest called Elite Illusion 2K Virtual
Model Look. With an additional benefit, this project will generate a database
with major 3D artists worldwide, in addition to detailed information about the
visitors, which are the potential consumers of this product.
    The worldwide announcement of Elite Illusion 2K - Virtual Model Look will
be made in September of this year, during the final phase of the international
Elite Model Look '99 contest, which will take place in Nice, France.
    Webbie may be seen already in a first special action created by Illusion
2K: the website, Webbie Planet. Developed by Insite, Webbie Planet is a new
worldwide project of content, services and relationship for the Internet,
integrating TV and motion pictures. It is the first of a series of
international projects, which will be produced by Illusion 2K, using all the
media outlets as its fundamental principle.

    WEBBIE PLANET
    It is the first project created by Illusion 2K. Webbie Planet is a website
with information, services and entertainment, whose main objective is to
develop a relationship with its visitors, having Webbie as its "hostess". One
of the distinguishing characteristics of the Webbie Planet project is a
database that will have detailed information about its frequent visitors or
"Webbie's close friends", such as buying habits, their cultural and
gastronomic preferences, their clothing measurements, accessories, etc. This
data will enable the frequent visitor to have totally personalized and
interactive surfing, which will be based on the principles of Database
Marketing created by GM2Rocha ( http://www.gm2rocha.com.br ).

    Initially, the Webbie Planet will be composed of four sections:

    Webbie News: It is a digital magazine, where Webbie, the model, will
demonstrate the most interesting information available in the Internet. Webbie
will be giving suggestions about sites, qualifying them and showing only those
that comply with the highest standards of quality. With this, Webbie News will
be a qualified search directory, containing the best available information on
the Internet worldwide.

    WebbieFun: Webbie the Top Model will be the hostess for this directory
which will supply customized information for the visitor, comprising movie
theater, restaurant and bar information. With the knowledge achieved regarding
the visitor's preferences, the data will be presented in a prioritized manner.
It will start with complete information about the feature films being shown,
restaurants and bars, so that the visitor may plan his outings with the help
of Webbie. The visitor will be able to access the system searching by actor,
film casting and/or title, show times, location of the theaters, type of food
offered by establishments or promotions and/or specific events. As an
evolution of the project, Illusion 2K will be integrating information about
theaters, shows, expositions, parks and everything relating with leisure
activity. The frequent visitor will be able to buy tickets, to make
reservations through the website and to participate, giving suggestions and
observations regarding the services being rendered.

    Mens@gem Premiada: Webbie, the Top Model, will be promoting daily contests
through the Internet, distributing several types of prizes (computers, TVs,
videocassettes, automobiles, trips, etc.)

    WWW -- What We Wear: WWW -- What We Wear, will be a virtual sophisticated
store, with Webbie demonstrating her exclusive products, which will only be
found on the Internet. Whoever is interested in seeing and/or buying them will
have to go to the virtual store. Our objective is to make this brand the
"brand" of online surfers, i.e., to create an identification of the
"Generation WEB". The target audience of this project is the 14- to 25-year-
old Internet surfer, who is anxious to be positioned as the "Generation WEB".
WWW's goal is to be so close to its clients in a way that all their needs may
be satisfied. The WWW - What We Wear project will attract the leading
manufacturers as licensees, not only by offering a market and a channel, but
for being the consumers' source of knowledge, their preferences, behaviors,
activities, measurements. Companies taking part on this "pool" of businesses
will have a huge competitive edge at their reach.

    Webbie Cine News (WCN) - Webbie Cine News will be the production of a
variety program to be exhibited exclusively in movie theaters, before the
presentation of the featured film. This program will have an average duration
of 3 minutes and will be updated according to the schedule of featured films
being launched.
    The editorial of each WCN's episode will be composed by what is the most
interesting information available on the Internet. The tripod Technology,
Content and Rhythm will make WCN one of the new references in the market.
    Webbie will suggest the hottest novelties in the Internet; films sites,
transmission of shows, fashion shows, virtual games, e-commerce, etc. The
advertisers will have the opportunity of demonstrating their products for the
spectators through their sites.

    Webbie TV News -- Will be the TV version of the site. It will be produced
with state-of-the-art motion capture technology and will be the pilot for a
30-minute weekly series, which is being planned so that Webbie can have live
interaction with her guests.
    The program will cover technology and digital entertainment releases and
will be based in three concepts: Real Future, Immediate Future and Distant
Future. The Real Future will show the novelties that are available today. The
Immediate Future will cover the new versions and products that are being
launched in the coming months. The Distant Future will show technologies that
are being researched and developed and which will be available in the coming
years.
    With this mix, the program will interest the novice as well as the most
advanced audience. Technology companies will be able to demonstrate their
complete line of products and services.

    Webbie Planet AD (Advertising) -- With the help of specific systems, the
site will allow advertising banners to be displayed according to visitors'
profiles. This way, the advertisers may contract the display of their
advertisements directed to their target audience. The site is prepared to host
specific advertisement activities, a large exhibition of the announced
products and to fully explore multimedia resources. Illusion 2K will
revolutionize the concept of advertising on the Internet. Webbie, the virtual
model, will do the advertisers' products merchandising within the site.
Innovations on the Webbie Planet AD were created by Jorge Carcavallo, one of
the "fathers" of the Internet in Brazil and one of Illusion 2K's partners.

    Webbie Planet DBM (DataBase Marketing) -- Through state-of-the-art
technology, Illusion 2K will perform a multidimensional analysis (unlimited
crossing of information in record speed) of the database containing the
relationship background of users, generating exclusive benefits for the
visitors as well as for the site's sponsors and advertisers.
    Visitors will be provided a distinguished and unique treatment one-to-one,
based on their previous consumption experiences, preferences, profile and
interests. Tempting promotions and offers will be customized for each
consumer. That is, based on the background of individual attributes, Webbie
will know Who to Communicate, When and What to recommend, including leisure
activities, opportunities, fashion, shopping, expositions, entertainment, etc.
Sponsors and advertisers will be able to take advantage of the largest and
most complete consumer database ever created in Brazil for the development of
their actual and future marketing activities (products development, for
example).
    This wealth of information could be used to perform market research, to
implement "instant" campaigns, selection and recognition of segments and
specific market niches, to acquire advertisement spots with high penetration
ratio due to the excellent quality of the auditing data furnished by the
system -- hits, audience, targeted audience profile, predisposition to
purchase, geographical location, purchasing potential, behavior background by
segments, etc. Reports will be compiled daily from the system to give support
to the decision of sponsors and advertisers.

    ABOUT THE COMPANIES

    Elite Models Inc. ( http://www.elitemodels.com )
    Founded in Paris in 1971 by John Casablancas, Elite Models is the world's
largest and most prestigious network of modeling agencies. In 1977, Elite
transferred its headquarters from Paris to New York and successfully
penetrated the USA market of models.
    Elite Models is the unquestionable leader in the international sector of
models. Elite Group, with agencies in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta,
Miami, Toronto, Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, Hamburg, Amsterdam,
Vienna, Copenhagen, Fribourg, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Porto
Alegre, Rio de Janeiro and Santiago, with an annual turnover of over US$ 100
million, represents approximately 500 models in five continents.
    Responsible for a true revolution in the industry of international
"modeling", Elite is responsible for the discovery, launching and development
of the world's most famous models' careers, such as Cindy Crawford, Linda
Evangelista, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer and, more recently,
the Brazilian model Gisele Bundchen.
    Elite produces an annual international contest involving 65 countries and
puts into motion close to 300,000 young candidates, with the objective of
constantly launching into the market a new Look.
    Elite agencies composed several divisions that are responsible for the
different needs of models. There is a division for the development and
promotion of New Faces: Model Management for the models; and the prestigious
Elite Division, for the super stars (such as Gisele Bundchen, Elsa Benitez,
Karen Elson, Maggie Rizer, Jade Parfitt, Valeria Mazza, Daniela Pestova,
Eugenia Silva, Iman, Isabela Rosselini, among others). Elite also has a Direct
Division, which takes care of a catalog of prestigious clients.
    There is also the Elite Special Agent Management Division, which
exclusively represents Linda Evangelista, Amber Valetta and Nadja Auermann.
The Celebrity Division, directed by Monique Pillard, Elite's President,
represents talents such as Paulina, Brooke Shields, Drew Barrymore, Ashley
Judd, Shannon Doherty, Natassja Kinski, and many others.
    Paradigm and C.E.D. are the agencies that represent Elite models for
television commercials, motion pictures and theater exclusively.
    In 1980, Casablancas expanded its operations to include the John
Casablancas Modeling and Career Centers. These schools were designed for
potential models and for the public in general, aiming at the personal
development of models. They are located in the USA and Canada, with branches
in Mexico, Colombia, Italy, Iceland, the Dominican Republic and Peru.
    In 1983, Casablancas launched the "Look of the Year" contest, which later
became "Elite Model Look", the largest international contest for models.
Representatives of all nations participate in this exclusive event, with the
hope of becoming promising Elite's "new faces".

    John Casablancas
    John Casablancas, chairman of the Elite Model Agency Group, founded and
manages the world's largest and most powerful models agency. His creative
vision for the business resulted in a rapid ascension.
Casablancas represents some of the most dazzling and beautiful women who are
presently working in the fashion industry: Gisele Bundchen, Maggie Rizer, Elsa
Benitez, Karen Elson, May Andersen, Jade Partiff and Daniela Pestova.
    John Casablancas was born in Manhattan in 1942. His parents came from
Barcelona, one of the most prominent textile and banking communities in Spain.
His early years were spent in the United States, Mexico and Europe. He
attended college in Switzerland (law and economic sciences) and in Spain. He
worked in share-brokerage, real estate and architecture companies. For four
years, he managed the marketing division of Coca-Cola's franchising operations
in the northeastern part of Brazil.
    In 1969, Casablancas returned to Paris and soon afterwards opened his
first modeling agency. It seemed like he had the incredible ability to
discover and promote talents. John Casablancas discovered many of the Top
Models of today. The Elite Model Management was created in 1971 in Paris.
    In 1977, after being well established in Europe, he was determined to
confront the largest agencies of New York City, the world's capital of models.
His penetration into the market began the so-called "war of models."  Among
them were the "Big 4," the four largest agencies.
    Presently John Casablancas' efforts include the world's largest network of
models, with agencies in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami,
Toronto, Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Madrid, Munich, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Vienna,
Copenhagen, Fribourg, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, Sao Paulo, Porto Alegre,
Rio de Janeiro and Santiago.
    In 1979, he founded the John Casablancas Modeling Centers, for the
franchising of model schools, which have been a great source of talents,
scattered throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, Iceland,
Peru, Dominican Republic and Italy. More than 60 centers are already in
operation.

    About Illusion 2K
    The result of an association with Da Vince New Media and PRO Comunicacoes,
Illusion 2K ( http://www.illusion2k.com ) was created for the development of a new
worldwide market: the representation of virtual models.
    Illusion 2K is directed by Luciana Abreu, Jorge Carcavallo and Ricardo
Bellino:

    Luciana Abreu ( lucianaa@illusion2k.com ), 42 years old -- With a
technical background in data processing, she started her career in 1975. She
worked for companies such as Avon and Digital. After 12 years of experience in
the technical area, she started her career in the commercial area, working for
companies such as Microsoft and Avon. Luciana has developed important
technical and commercial projects throughout her career. A shareholder at Da
Vinci since 1996, she is responsible for the commercial strategy and
relationship with clients.
    Jorge Carcavallo ( jorge@illusion2k.com ), 43 years old -- Founded Da
Vinci New Media in 1995, from his experience acquired during three years of
releasing new technologies and products for companies such as Microsoft,
Compaq and Digital. Since 1990, he has researched the potential of
Communicacao On Demand and Interativa. He worked for 12 years with
advertisement films, television, theater, photojournalism and international
feature films with directors such as John Borman, Stanley Donen, Bruno Barreto
and Hector Babenco.
    Ricardo Bellino ( bellino@illusion2k.com ), 34 years old -- Economist by
accident, Advertiser by vocation. He was responsible for the implementation of
Elite in Brazil in 1987, mainly coordinating the promotional activities
related to "The Look of the Year", today known as the "Elite Model Look". In
1989, he produced the first and only worldwide final phase of the "Look of the
Year" contest in Brazil. For the first time in Brazilian fashion shows, he was
able to place Top Models such as Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Claudia
Schiffer. In 1992, he retired from his activities at the agency, and created
together with John Casablancas the "John Casablancas Promocoes e
Empreendimentos".

    Illusion 2K relies on a board of directors composed of a group of renowned
professionals in the area of world entertainment, such as Gregory Peter Panos.
Panos is the founder and director of "Performance Animation Society", the
world's first group dedicated to the study and development of the digital
segmentation of human beings, theatrical virtualization and motion capture.
    Gregory Panos was the coordinator at NAB'99, one of the most important
fairs in the worldwide entertainment industry, recently produced in Las Vegas
(USA). He was also responsible for the Super Session "Hollywood's
Virtualization", where the most revolutionary projects were presented in the
production of synthetic actors area, virtual scenarios and its applications on
the different media outlets, specially on the Internet.
    Another person on the company's board of directors is Enzo Barone. A
member of the board of directors for feature films at Elite Illusion 2K,
Barone is a feature films producer and one of the shareholders of Cinema
Centro do Brasil since 1971, which produces close to 120 advertisement
films/year. He has received more than 700 Brazilian and international
advertisement awards and Cinema Centro was chosen 5 times as the producer of
the year. In 1997, he began his activities in Italy, with Cinemacentro Italia,
with headquarters in Rome.

    Da Vinci New Media
    Since 1995, Da Vinci ( http://www.davinci.com.br ) is an interactive
communications company, which develops special projects and applies, in a
differentiated manner, the potential of digital technology. Its specialty is
to detect and implement new opportunities and business niches, through
innovative and viable strategies for the short-, medium- and long term, with
measurable results.
    A pioneer, the company has always developed renowned projects for the
public in general. It has already received seven prizes for the development of
Internet achievements (2 Top of Internet Marketing from ADVB and 5 Best).
    Since the beginning of its activities, Da Vinci's core objective is to
achieve optimum results with a better relation cost/benefit, offering quality
services, through resources and qualified products.
    The company is managed by Luciana Abreu ( lucianaa@davinci.com.br ) and
Jorge Carcavallo ( jorge@davinci.com.br ).

    Pro Comunicacoes
    Founded in 1992, with the original name of "John Casablancas Promocoes e
Empreendimentos," by John Casablancas and Ricardo Bellino, PRO was created to
develop special projects in the areas of promotion and licensing for the
Latin-American market, especially projects relating with the activities of
Elite Licensing SA, Holding, which controls all franchise and brand licensing
contracts of the Elite brand throughout the world.
    Among the special projects by PRO, are the Brazilian and Argentinean
versions of the campaign "Fashion Targets Breast Cancer -- O Cancer de Mama no
Alvo da Moda" -- 1995.  In its first edition, the Brazilian campaign surpassed
by more than 50% the results of the same campaign which was carried out in
1994 in the United States, with a total sale of more than 400 thousand T-
shirts and a donation of more than US$ 2 million to the Brazilian Institute on
the Fight Against Cancer - IBCC.

    Optidigit
    Optidigit ( http://www.optidigit.com ) is a "post-production" studio, based in
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. With highly sophisticated video finishing touches,
incredible 3D animation and awesome visual effects, Optidigit has the
necessary infrastructure to give life to great ideas. Its international staff
offers expertise in TVC, films, documentaries, website design, musical
videoclips and much more. Its clients are scattered around North America,
Europe and Asia.
    Optidigit is a strategic component of Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC). MSC
is a region of 15 by 50 Km on the southern part of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia,
where cybernetic cities are being built for the next millennium. MSC includes,
among others, companies such as Microsoft, Intel, Oracle, Sun, Siemens,
Motorola, Erickson, Fujitsu.
    Alain Zaugg is one of its co-founders and is responsible for the 3D
animation services. An expert in 3D applications and also in "post-
production," Zaugg has an international career in engineering and naval
design. He is a perfectionist designer, acclaimed by his creative abilities as
a computer animator.
    Steven Stahlberg is an artist, illustrator and a distinguished animator.
Stahlberg is the art director and consultant in 3D animation for Optidigit. He
finished his studies in Sweden and Australia, working for ten years as a
freelance illustrator for advertising agencies and leading publications in
Europe and Asia. He is internationally recognized as one of the major digital
artists of today.

    GM2Rocha
    Founded in 1996, GM2Rocha ( http://www.gm2rocha.com.br ) is a consultant company
in Relationship Marketing, applying knowledge, marketing database technology
and geographic mapping to help its clients to achieve a strong relationship
with their consumers.
    GM2Rocha offers services in the implementation of marketing database
solutions, including background characterization report, clients' geographic
mapping solutions and Area's Inherent Potential studies.  They also consult in
relationship marketing, DBM/e-commerce solutions and outsourcing of marketing
database operations (segmentation, follow-up of loyalty campaigns, marketing
campaigns, acquisition, profitability and retention of clients, among others).
In Brazil it is responsible for sales and technical support of AnalytiX(R), a
marketing database system, developed by Experian Database Marketing Solutions,
a North American company.
    Founded by its majority shareholder Guilherme Rocha Pinto, the company has
already extended services for major companies such as Andersen Consulting,
Banco Bandeirantes, Banco Pactual, Banco Bozano, Grupo OESP, Banco Sudameris,
Unibanco, Banco Itau, Unibanco Seguros and Grupo Pao de Acucar.
    GM2Rocha is engaged with several national and international partners such
as: ASTech (North-American consulting company, responsible for the
implementation of marketing database for newspapers in the USA), Atlas GIS
(leader in the North-American market in geographic mapping solution), Experian
Database Marketing Solutions (provider of AnalytiX, a Database Marketing
system and credit analysis solutions), Innovative Systems (North-American
provider company of background characterization systems - Merge/Purge) and
SEEC (North-American provider company of e-commerce solutions).

    Insite
    Insite ( http://www.insite.com.br ) is a company dedicated to the resolution of
problems in digital communication, using Internet-based technologies. It
offers projects and services for local participation requirements, e-commerce,
Intra and Extranets. It develops quality projects with specialized personnel,
which allows a greater flexibility and fast and efficient solution of
problems.
    Insite, a pioneer in the Brazilian Internet, has already developed
projects of several levels of complexity, from planning to implementation of
metropolitan networks (MANs) of thousands of points, linking of other
technologies to the Internet, creation of Intranets with linked systems. Among
its clients are: Editora Abril, Universo Online, Graficos Burti, Bradesco,
Zaz-Nutec, Agencia Estado, Banco Santos, Listel, Banco ING, Editora Pini,
Unibanco.
    On the Webbie Planet project, Insite will act as support for the
technological and development of Internet systems, being responsible for the
connectivity, servers, design and development of interactive applications,
which access databases from the site.

    Interativa
    Interativa is a company positioned to execute entertainment projects
during events, using state-of-the-art technological tools. It is a pioneer in
the rental of interactive system of pooling, developing enterprise games
applied to events, conferences, sales conventions, fairs and enterprise
training.
    In 1999, Interativa brought to Brazil the revolutionary 3D characters
animation system in real time (Virtual Hostess) which allows the total
interactivity of these characters in live events and TV programs. Interativa,
with two years of operations in the country, renders services for clients such
as Rede Globo de Televisao, Grupo Multibras, IBM, Grupo Abril, Reckit &
Colman, Pao de Acucar, among other companies that discovered in interactivity
an innovative way of increasing the efficiency and productivity of their
events.
    Interativa was founded in 1997 by Mauricio Bertolini, a graduate from
Escola Superior de Propaganda & Marketing, and an executive with experience in
marketing and business communications with American Express, TV1 and Grupo
Nielsen.

    PR Newswire ( http://www.prnewswire.com and http://www.prninternational.com )
    PR Newswire, which will provide entertainment news content for the Webbie
sites from its EntertaiNet newsfile, is the world's leader and pioneer in the
electronic distribution of news and information for the media and the
financial community. Combining the resources of PR Newswire with leading news
agencies throughout the world, PRN offers its customers the most far-reaching
channels of news distribution available.
    PR Newswire, a United News & Media company, engages in the accurate, fast
and cost-effective distribution of corporate releases to thousands of
newspapers, news service networks, television stations, commercial
publications and databases throughout the world.  With more than 40 years of
experience, PR Newswire has more than 33,000 client companies, PR and IR
agencies and associations throughout the world.

    Gran Melia Sao Paulo Hotel & WTC Convention Center: The Ultimate In Hotel
Accommodations
    The five star Grand Melia Sao Paulo Hotel & WTC Convention Center has
transformed itself, within four years, into a distinguished place for tourism
and business in the city.
    Located in the Southern Region of Sao Paulo and integrated with the World
Trade Center Sao Paulo complex, the hotel has maintained a constant evolution
in its hotel, food and drink services and events. Not by chance, in May of
1998 the hotel captured the ISO 9002 Certification for quality in these three
segments.
    This success was rewarded by Embratur at the end of 1997 with a "five
star" hotel classification for Gran Melia, "Superior Luxury" category. It is
the most impressive category awarded to hotels in Brazil.   And starting in
January of this year, the Sol Melia network is being called Grand Melia Sao
Paulo Hotel in lieu of Melia Sao Paulo Hotel, the most prestigious category of
the Spanish hotel network, which has only been awarded to three of its hotels
in the world. They have in common a distinctive architectural conception,
strategic location, excellence and services customization, plus sophistication
in their installations.
    Integrated into the World Trade Center de Sao Paulo, the most advanced
enterprise complex in Latin America, the Gran Melia Sao Paulo Hotel is linked
to the Convention Center, with a total area of five thousand square meters.
The Convention Center has an auditorium with 542 seats, ample stage, scenic
illumination system, dressing/back-rooms, and perfect acoustics for shows,
seminars and workshops. It also has at its disposal videoconferencing
equipment, heavy load elevator, its own simultaneous translation equipment and
automobile parking with over two thousand spots.

    Contacts:
    Illusion 2K:
    Telephone: (11) 7805-7088
    http://www.illusion2k.com

    Luciana Abreu
    Telephone: (11) 3043-7280
    E-mail: lucianaa@illusion2k.com

    Jorge Carcavallo
    Telephone: (11) 3043-7280
    E-mail: jorge@illusion2k.com

    Ricardo Bellino
    Telephone: (11) 7805-7088
    E-mail: bellino@illusion2k.com

    John Casablancas
    Telephone: (00211) 212-529-9700
    E-mail: johncasablancas@illusion2k.com

    Media Information: Planin -- Planejamento de Informacoes
    Angelica Consiglio -- Debora Freire and staff
    Telephone: (11) 5505-8900     Email: planin@zaz.com.br


SOURCE Da Vinci New Media




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    Illusion 2K, 11 7805-7088; or Luciana Abreu,
    11 3043-7280, or e-mail, luciana@illusion2k.com ; or Jorge
    Carcavallo, 11 3043-7280, or e-mail, jorge@illusion2k.com ; or
    Ricardo Bellino, 11 7805-7088, or e-mail, bellino@illusion2k.com
    ; or John Casablancas (00211) 212-529-9700, or e-mail,
    johncasablancas@illusion2k.com ; Media, Planin, Planejamento de
    Informacoes, Angelica Consiglio, Debora Freire and staff,
    11-5505-8900, or email, planin@zaz.com.br
    NOTE TO EDITORS: Versions of the press release in Portuguese,
    Spanish and French, photos and a 5-minute Video News Release on
    partners in the Elite Virtual Models Project can be found at
    http://www.prnewswire.com/virtualmodels.html