AT&T, Starwood, Marriott Poised to Complete Cuba Deals

[flamingdem]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-starwood-marriott-to-announce-cuba-deals-1457729013

WASHINGTON—Three major U.S. corporations are preparing to complete deals to do business in Cuba as an approving President Barack Obama gets ready for a historic presidential trip to the island later this month.

With just over a week until Mr. Obama’s March 20 visit, at least three companies— AT&T Inc., Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, Inc. and Marriott International —are expected to announce agreements with Cuban government-run entities, according to company and U.S. officials.

They will be among the high-profile first deals notched since Mr. Obama said in December 2014 that the U.S. would move to restore ties with Cuba after more than 50 years of Cold War enmity. Since then, the Obama administration has loosened travel and trade restrictions for a variety of industries, betting that closer business ties between the U.S. and Cuba will cement the administration’s policy of normalization.

President Obama will be the first sitting president since Calvin Coolidge in 1928 to visit Cuba. WSJ's William Mauldin discusses what to expect from the president's March visit. Photo: AP

White House officials expressed hope some of these deals would come together before Mr. Obama arrives in Havana March 20 to showcase the value of closer ties, but the timing is still uncertain and some could be announced after the presidential visit.

Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson, vice chair of the President’s Export Council, will travel to Cuba with Mr. Obama.

[underpants]

1. Meyer Lansky's dream is coming true again

"Havana Nocturne" by TJ English

[flamingdem]

2. Yes, but I think Cuba always will maintain 51% of ownership

Let's hope so!

[Judi Lynn]

5. You've got that right. n/t

[Marksman_91]

3. Well, got nobody else to blame but the Castros

They're the ones who are allowing this to happen, after all. I guess at this point they've effectively abandoned their friendly ties with Venezuela's Chavista government as well.

[flamingdem]

4. This is Obama's plan to make the opening to Cuba permanent

To do so he's getting US businesses to start making plans to be there and this can blunt any attempts by Republicans to roll things back.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Surely hope it works. The kind of business Republicans love is what brought on the revolution

in the first place.

Cubans KNOW how things work under that kind of system, and they hate it.

They are getting off quickly. Hope they do things right, with an eye to a long term association, not to drain the economy dry and rip them off and leave them broken and impoverished just as they used to be before they couldn't take it any longer and overthrew the filthy US butcher puppet, Fulgencio Batista.