BRIEFLY IN BUSINESS

Hilton Orange County part of $6.6-billion deal

The Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa was bought by Ashford Hospitality Trust as part of a $6.6-billion deal that included the sale of 51 hotels.

The deal was announced Friday that the Dallas real estate investment trust will take over 70% of the hotel’s equity. The remaining 30% will remain in the hands of the Hilton brand.

CNL Hotels and Resorts sold its entire hospitality portfolio to Ashford and Morgan Stanley, which includes “iconic” properties like the Arizona Biltmore Hotel and Spa and the Grand Wailea Resort Hotel and Spa in Hawaii, Hilton Costa Mesa general manager Shaun Robinson said Friday.

Hilton will continue to manage the Costa Mesa hotel, which is coming off its best year in its history, Robinson said.

Robinson expects no change in the hotel’s everyday operation.

New restaurant at South Coast to open in spring

South Coast Plaza announced Wednesday its newest restaurant, Marche Moderne, will open this spring.

The French restaurant will replace Troquet on the third level in the Nordstrom wing of the shopping center.

The restaurant partners Florent Marneau, who formerly was executive chef of Pinot Provence at the Westin South Coast Plaza, and his wife, Amelia Marneau, a patisserie and graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

The restaurant will feature an exhibition kitchen with a wood burning oven and will also feature a patio with cabanas, a fountain and small herb garden.

Lunch and dinner will be served daily.

IRS Free File program begins

The IRS has partnered with the private sector and announced last week the opening of a Free File program, the fifth year of the initiative.

The program includes free tax preparation and filing that 75% of taxpayers can quality for. About 20 Free File Alliance companies are participating in the program, which is available through the government agency’s website.

Those who are eligible must have an adjusted gross income of $52,000 per year or less, and each company participating sets additional criteria for use of the service

Two companies will offer the service in Spanish. For more information, go to www.irs.gov.

‘06, ’05 JWA passenger numbers consistent

John Wayne Airport’s passenger numbers in 2006 were almost the same as the previous year, with only a difference of about a half a day’s worth of passengers.

The airport experienced a decrease of 13,692 passengers in 2006 compared with 2005, a 0.1% decrease.

In 2006, 9,613,480 passengers flew in and out of John Wayne.

“We have basically tried to maintain the level of passengers over 2005 as our facilities are operating beyond their design capacity, and until we can get our Improvement Program built (more gates, more parking), we are trying to maintain a passenger level just above 9.5 million, while also trying to balance the quality of services and needs of the traveling public,” spokeswoman Jenny Wedge wrote in an e-mail to the Pilot.

Hilton Costa Mesa gets executive chef

The Hilton Orange County in Costa Mesa announced Friday that it’s hiring Chad Krahling as its new executive chef.

Krahling will be responsible for the hotel’s culinary operation, which includes the Bristol Palms Restaurants, the banquet and kosher kitchens, room service and other restaurants.

Most recently Krahling worked as the executive chef of the Disneyland Resort at the Golden Vine Winery and Paradise Pier Hotel. He is also a level one certified Court of Masters sommelier.

Local lawyer defends Ford in rollover suit

A partner at the Costa Mesa office of Snell & Wilmer LLP led Ford Motor Co. to a court victory Jan. 10 in an $18-million vehicle rollover lawsuit, Fidelia Pillado v. Ford Motor Co.

Robert “Hoot” Gibson defended Ford in the four-month trial in Barstow’s Superior Court, which included four separate claims against the car manufacturer.

Pillado argued that his Ford Aerostar had design and manufacturing defects and that the car company had failed to warn consumers of such designs, as well as other issues. The $18-million suit included $5 million in punitive damages.

Pillado sued the company after he was injured and another passenger was killed in a rollover accident in the minivan in 2000.

The jury began deliberation Dec. 15 and came back with a verdict last week, finding Ford not liable.