Essence.com - Comfort INN® Ultimate Family Reunion Vacation Sweepstakes

ULTIMATE FAMILY REUNION VACATION SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SWEEPSTAKES.

A PURCHASE WILL NOT IMPROVE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.

The Ultimate Family Reunion Vacation Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) begins at 12:01 AM Eastern Time (“ET”) on 3/13/09 and ends at 11:59 PM (ET) on 5/10/09 (“Sweepstakes Entry Period”).

ENTRY INTO THIS SWEEPSTAKES CONSTITUTES ACCEPTANCE OF THESE SWEEPSTAKES OFFICIAL RULES. All decisions by Sponsors pertaining to the Sweepstakes are binding and final.

Sweepstakes is open to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia, age 18 or older at time of entry. Void where prohibited by law. Employees of Essence Magazine, a Division of Time, Inc. and Choice Hotels International (the “Sponsors”) and their respective parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies and members of their immediate families (parent, child, sibling and their respective spouses) and same households of each, whether or not related, are not eligible to enter or win. Sweepstakes governed by U.S. law. Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state, local laws and regulations.

There are two ways to enter:

Method #1: To enter online, visit www.essence.com/choicehotels and follow all online instructions to complete the Online Entry Form in its entirety and click the submit button to enter. Online entrants are subject to all online notices including, but not limited to, these Official Rules and Sponsors’ privacy policies. Online entries generated by a script, macro or use of automated devices will be disqualified. Limit one (1) online entry per person or e-mail address per day. Although subsequent attempts to enter may be received, only the first entry received from a particular individual email account will be eligible; subsequent attempts to enter will be disqualified. Online entries must be received by 11:59 PM ET on 5/10/09.

Method #2: To enter via U.S. mail, hand print your name and address on a postcard and mail to: Ultimate Family Reunion Vacation Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 9235, Medford, NY 11763-9235. Mail-in entries must be postmarked between 3/13/09 and 5/11/09 and received by 5/18/09. Postcard entries pertaining to several different individuals may not be combined. Each entry must be mailed separately.

All entries become the property of the Sponsors. They will not be returned or acknowledged. Sponsors are not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, mutilated, incomplete, undelivered, delayed, postage-due, or illegible entry materials, or for any computer-related, online, telephonic, or technical malfunctions that may occur. Entries are void if they are in whole or in part illegible, incomplete, damaged, irregular, altered, counterfeit, produced in error, forged, mechanically reproduced, whether by photocopy, script, macro or other automated device, or obtained through fraud or theft. If you are entering on behalf of your employer, these rules are binding on you, individually, and your company.

By entering you may be contacted by the Sponsors with future promotional offers. Information provided by you to participate in this Sweepstakes is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policies located at www.essence.com and at http://www.choicehotels.com/ires/en-US/html/PrivacyPolicy?sid=0aHMi.R8MDNgsiwg.1

Prize and Approximate Retail Value ("ARV"): One Grand Prize: 4 days/3 night trip for winner and up-to nine (9) guest to New Orleans (ARV: $8,765.00). Prize includes hotel accommodations (up to 5 rooms) at the sole discretion of the Sponsors, up to 30 tickets (ten tickets will be awarded per night for 3 days for winner and his/her guests) to attend the Essence Music Festival (“Event”), plus $5,000 to purchase airline tickets for winner and up to nine guests. The $5,000 will be awarded as a check payable to winner and s/he will be responsible for making all transportation arrangements and the Sponsors shall not have any other obligation to winner than to award the check in said amount. All meals, airfare, ground transportation, taxes, gratuities, incidentals, upgrades, service charges, insurance or other expenses not specified herein are not included and are the winner’s sole responsibility. Odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received, estimated at 1:14,316.

Winner and guests must travel on dates specified by Sponsors (tentatively scheduled for July 3, 2009 – July 5, 2009) or forfeit all rights to the trip. Winner and guests must comply with any security procedure or measures imposed by the Sponsors, and/or Event coordinator(s), and/or representatives who reserve the right in their sole discretion to suspend or cancel the participation of winner and/or his/her guests due to non-compliance with any security procedure or inappropriate behavior or misconduct. If the Event is postponed, canceled, or has occurred, no compensation or substitution will be provided and the Sponsors shall have no further obligation to the winner (and guests) other than to supply the remaining portion of trip. If for any reason whatsoever, winner is unable to attend the Event or if winner elects not to attend Event after all travel arrangements have been made and paid, the Sponsors shall have no further obligation to the winner. If Grand Prize is forfeited prior to Sponsors’ finalization and payment for any portion of prize, and there is sufficient time to notify an alternate winner, the prize will be awarded to an alternate winner in a separate random drawing from among all non-winning eligible entries. Winner and guests are responsible for obtaining the proper travel documentation (e.g., valid photo ID) prior to travel. Each guest must be 18 years or older and will be required to execute and return a Liability/Publicity Release prior to travel, unless prohibited by law.

Potential winner will be selected in a random drawing from all eligible entries received on or about 5/27/09 under supervision of an independent judging organization (“judges”) whose decisions are final and binding. Winner will be notified by mail or email (depending on method of entry at the Sponsors’ sole discretion) and will be required to complete and return a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability and where permissible, a Publicity Release (“Affidavit/Release”), within seven (7) days of date specified on notification, or an alternate winner will be selected. If Affidavit/Release is returned as undeliverable or if the selected winner cannot accept or receive the prize for any reason, or he/she is not in compliance with these Official Rules, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected in a separate random drawing. Sponsors reserve the right to: (i) permanently disqualify from Sweepstakes any person they believe have intentionally violated these Official Rules; and (ii) cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes in any way.

Winner will be notified of prize within 30 days after receipt and verification of completed Affidavit/Release. Prize is not redeemable for cash (other than as noted). Prize is non-assignable or transferable. No substitution is permitted by winner. Sponsors reserve the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value if prize or prize component is unavailable. Any incidental expenses on prize not specified herein are the winner’s sole responsibility. Winner is responsible for all federal, state, local and income taxes associated with winning prize. Winner will be required to furnish his/her social security number for the sole purpose of preparation of any tax forms as required by law. Except where prohibited by law, entry and acceptance of prize constitute permission to use winner's name, prize won, hometown, likeness, video tape, photographs, and statements for purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity (including online posting) in any and all media now or hereafter known throughout the world in perpetuity, without additional compensation, notification or permission.

Participating entrants agree to these Official Rules and the decisions of the judges and the Sponsors, as final and binding. Winner and entrants agree to release, defend and hold harmless the Sponsors, and their respective affiliated companies, and all other businesses involved in this Sweepstakes, as well as the employees, officers, directors and agents of each, from all claims and liability, including but not limited to injury to person or damage to property, relating to their participation, acceptance and use or misuse of prize or participation in any Sweepstakes-related activity. Sponsors are not responsible if Sweepstakes cannot take place or if any prize cannot be awarded due to travel cancellations, delays or interruptions due to acts of God, acts of war, natural disasters, weather or acts of terrorism. Winner assumes all liability for any injury, including death, or damage to property caused or claimed to be caused, by participation in this Sweepstakes or use or redemption of any prize. Sponsors are not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Sweepstakes or in the announcement of the prize.

LEGAL WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN INDIVIDUAL, WHETHER OR NOT AN ENTRANT, TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE, DESTROY, TAMPER OR VANDALIZE THIS WEB SITE OR INTERFERE WITH THE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES, IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SPONSORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND DILIGENTLY PURSUE ALL REMEDIES AGAINST ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

For winner’s name (available after 6/26/09), send a self-addressed, stamped envelope by 6/26/09 to: Ultimate Family Reunion Vacation Sweepstakes Winner, c/o: Essence Magazine, 15 W. 50th Street, Attn: SB, New York, NY 10020.

Laws: This Sweepstakes shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the State of New York, U.S.A. without regard to its conflicts of laws provisions. By participating, entrants agree that any and all disputes arising out of or relating in any way to this Sweepstakes shall be litigated only in courts of competent jurisdiction located in New York, NY, U.S.A.

Sponsors: Essence Magazine, a Division of Time Inc., (1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020) and Choice Hotels International (10750 Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20901).

SWEEPSTAKES FACTS
PRIZE	RETAIL VALUE	NUMBER OF PRIZES	ODDS
GRAND PRIZE	$8,765.00	1	1 in 14,316
You Have Not Yet Won. All entries have the same chance of winning. No one will know who the winner is until after the Sweepstakes ends.
ENTRY IS FREE. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. See instructions on form on how to enter free.
Enter As Often As You Like. Additional entries may be submitted by mailing a postcard with your name and address to: Ultimate Family Vacation Sweepstakes, P.O. Box 9235, Medford, NY 11763-9235. Each postcard must be mailed separately. It is not necessary to await receipt of an entry form.
Buying Won't Help You Win. Chances of winning without a purchase are the same as the chances of someone who buys something.
Entry Deadline/Sweepstakes Closing Date. To be eligible to win each prize offered in this Sweepstakes, your entry must be received by the applicable Entry Deadline stated in this communication. If there is no Entry Deadline stated, your entry must be received by the Final Sweepstakes Closing Date of 5/18/09.