Press Releases

Mt. Lakes, NJ, December 23, 2009 – Pinnacle Foods Group LLC (“Pinnacle Foods”), a private equity portfolio company of The Blackstone Group (“Blackstone”), has completed its previously-announced acquisition of Birds Eye Foods, Inc. (“Birds Eye Foods”) from a holding company controlled by Vestar Capital Partners, Pro-Fac Cooperative, and Birds Eye Foods management. The transaction positions Pinnacle Foods as a leader in both the frozen and shelf-stable business segments.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Dec 16, 2009 – PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ – Team Health Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") announced the pricing of its initial public offering of 13,300,000 shares of common stock at $12.00 per share. All of the shares are being offered by the Company. The offering is expected to close on December 21, 2009. The common stock of the Company will be listed on The New York Stock Exchange and will begin trading today under the symbol "TMH" subject to official notice of issuance.

Brussels and New York, 1 December 2009 – Anheuser-Busch InBev (Euronext: ABI) (NYSE: BUD) and The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) today announced that they have closed the previously announced transaction for Blackstone Capital Partners V L.P. (Blackstone) to purchase Busch Entertainment Corporation from Anheuser-Busch InBev, for up to USD 2.7 billion. In accordance with the agreement, the purchase price is comprised of a cash payment of USD 2.3 billion and a right to participate in Blackstone’s return on its initial investment capped at USD 400 million. Busch Entertainment Corporation is now known as SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. BofA Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital, Blackstone Advisory & Restructuring Partners, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. and Goldman Sachs acted as financial advisors to Blackstone. Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP acted as legal counsel to Blackstone.

Mt. Lakes, NJ, November 19, 2009 – Pinnacle Foods Group LLC (“Pinnacle Foods”) announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Birds Eye Foods, Inc. (“Birds Eye Foods”) from a holding company controlled by Vestar Capital Partners, Pro-Fac Cooperative, and Birds Eye management in a transaction valued at $1.3 billion. Birds Eye Foods is a nationally recognized packaged food company with more than $930 million of total sales and leading consumer brands in frozen vegetables and meals, including Birds Eye®, Birds Eye Steamfresh®, and Birds Eye Voila!®, as well as shelf-stable brands including Comstock® and Wilderness® pie fillings and toppings, Nalley® and Brooks® chili and chili ingredients, and snacks from Tim’s Cascade Snacks®, Snyder of Berlin® and Husman®.

London, November 13, 2009 – The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) (“Blackstone”) and Lion Capital LLP (“Lion Capital”) today announced that they have closed on the sale of the Orangina Schweppes Group (“Orangina”) to Suntory Holdings Limited (“Suntory”). The closing follows receipt of a binding offer from Suntory to purchase Orangina and the completion of all the social, regulatory and legal requirements necessary for a sale. Lion Capital and Blackstone have been majority investment partners in Orangina Schweppes since 2006. Under their ownership and led by a largely new management team recruited by Blackstone and Lion Capital, Orangina Schweppes has achieved industry-leading growth, both organically in its core countries and by expansion into new markets, as well as through strategic acquisitions of leading brands. From 2006 to 2009, total group volumes and sales have expanded, supported by a re-launch of each of the core brands and stepped-up investment in trade and consumer marketing. Orangina Schweppes is today the largest producer in the European fruit still soft drinks market.

Blackstone will host a conference call on November 6, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. ET to discuss third quarter 2009 results. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (888) 713-4215 (U.S. domestic) or +1 (617) 213-4867 (international) pass code 80408635.

Brussels, 7 October 2009 – The enclosed information constitutes regulated information as defined in the Royal Decree of 14 November 2007 regarding the duties of issuers of financial instruments which have been admitted for trading on a regulated market.

New York, October 5, 2009 – Sithe Global Power LLC (“Sithe”) announced today that it has applied for a $450MM Department of Energy (“DOE”) grant under the CCPI 3 program to implement carbon capture and sequestration (“CCS”) technology at its Desert Rock Energy Project, a proposed coal-fired power plant to be constructed on Navajo Nation territory in New Mexico.

Friday, 18 September 2009 – The British Land Company is pleased to announce that it has today exchanged contracts to form a £2.13 billion Joint Venture with the Blackstone Group L.P. for its holdings in Broadgate, the 30 acre City of London office estate.

New York, September 9th, 2009 – The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) today announced that Peter Cohen has agreed to join the firm effective September 8, 2009 as a Senior Managing Director in its Corporate Advisory Group and as Head of its Global Media Practice. Mr. Cohen was formerly a Managing Director in the Media Group at JP Morgan. Commenting on the appointment, John Studzinski, Global Head of Blackstone’s Advisory Group, said: “The media sector today is undergoing its most profound transformation since the invention of the printing press. Peter’s exemplary track record and deep expertise will be invaluable to our media clients as they grapple with these changes to their industry.”

Washington, DC, September 8, 2009 – Summit Materials, LLC has been formed to develop a leading business in the aggregates and heavy-side building materials sector through strategic acquisitions. The company was founded by its CEO Tom Hill and a group of investors that include members of its management team, Blackstone Capital Partners (an affiliate of The Blackstone Group), Silverhawk Capital Partners and Charles “Chip” Goodyear, former CEO of BHP Billiton. The investors have made a commitment to Summit Materials of up to $780 million. In conjunction with its formation, Summit Materials has announced its acquisition of Hamm, Inc., a privately-held aggregates, landfill, asphalt and construction company located in Perry, Kansas. Hamm is Summit Materials’ first acquisition and is a platform company for future growth and development in the Midwest.

The newly formed Government of Pudong New Area signed the first important memorandum of understanding in the financial services sector on the 14th of August during a signing ceremony, with the world renowned alternative investment company, The Blackstone Group. The Blackstone Group will establish its first regional Renminbi denominated private equity fund in the Shanghai Pudong New Area – the Blackstone Zhonghua Development Investment Fund. Blackstone Zhonghua Development Investment Fund will raise approximately RMB5 billion. The fund will give priority to investments in Shanghai and neighbouring areas.

New York, August 12, 2009 – The Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE: BX) today announced that Byron Wien will join the firm as Vice Chairman of Blackstone Advisory Services. Mr. Wien was previously Chief Investment Strategist for Pequot Capital and, before that, he served for 21 years as Chief (later Senior) U.S. Investment Strategist for Morgan Stanley. He will act as a senior adviser both to the Firm and its clients in analyzing economic, social and political trends to determine the direction of financial markets and thus helping guide investment and strategic decisions.

Blackstone will host a conference call on August 6, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. ET to discuss second quarter 2009 results. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (888) 680-0860 (U.S. domestic) or +1 (617) 213-4852 (international) pass code 43199368.

New York, July 29, 2009 – The Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE:BX), announced today that it will host its second quarter 2009 investor conference call Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 11:00 am ET. Stephen Schwarzman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Tony James, President and Chief Operating Officer; Laurence Tosi, Chief Financial Officer; and Joan Solotar, Senior Managing Director – Public Markets, will review The Blackstone Group L.P.’s second quarter 2009 earnings. The conference call can be accessed by dialing (888) 680-0860 (U.S. domestic) or +1 (617) 213-4852 (international) pass code 43199368.

New York, July 29, 2009 – The Blackstone Group L.P. (NYSE:BX), announced today that it will host a 9:30 a.m. (EST) conference call for the media on Thursday, August 6, 2009 on its second quarter earnings results.

London, June 29, 2009: The Blackstone Group (NYSE:BX) today announces the final closing of its latest real estate fund, Blackstone Real Estate Partners Europe III (“BREP Europe III”).

New York, June 29, 2009. The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) today announced that Philip Levinson will join the firm, effective July 6, as a Managing Director. Mr Levinson will be responsible for raising capital for Blackstone’s suite of funds, maintaining client relationships and participating in the development of new products for institutional investors across the entire Asia Pacific region. He joins from RREEF, the global real estate, infrastructure and private equity platform of Deutsche Asset Management.

New York, May 26, 2009 – The Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) today announced that Tony James, Chief Operating Officer of The Blackstone Group, is scheduled to present at the Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Diversified Financial Services Conference on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 at 11:00 am EDT.

CORAL GABLES, FL, May 21, 2009 – Investors led by John Kanas announced today that they have invested $900 million in a new depository institution that acquired the operations of BankUnited, FSB from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as Receiver. The investors include funds advised by The Blackstone Group, The Carlyle Group, Centerbridge Partners and WL Ross & Co.