EXHIBIT 99.1


                  ATLANTA, GA--December 20, 2001. Today, Lodgian, Inc.
voluntarily filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in
Federal Court in New York.

                  The filing was precipitated by the weaker U.S. economy, the
decline in travel since the events of September 11, and the company's heavy debt
load. Lodgian, Inc. and most of its operating subsidiaries were included in the
filing. The company announced that it has received a commitment for up to $25
million for debtor-in-possession financing, subject to court approval, from a
group of lenders led by Morgan Stanley and Lehman Brothers, Inc. This financing
will allow the company to operate in the normal course during the bankruptcy
proceedings.

                  David E. Hawthorne, the company's CEO since October 1, 2001
said: "The Chapter 11 filing brings us closer to completing the operating and
financial restructuring begun by the company in June, 2001. We intend to emerge
from bankruptcy in 2002 with strong prospects for revenue and earnings growth.
We appreciate the continued support of our many vendors, employees and lenders."

                  Lodgian, Inc. is one of the largest owner/operators of full
and mid-priced hotels in the United States, with 106 hotels located in 32 states
and one hotel in Windsor, Canada. The company operates hotels under nationally
recognized hospitality franchises such as Marriott, Holiday Inn, Hampton Inn,
Sheraton and Radisson.

                  This release includes forward-looking statements related to
Lodgian's operations that are based on Management's and third parties' current
expectations, estimates and projections. These statements are not guarantees of
future performance and actual results could differ materially. These statements
involve risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, Lodgian's ability
to successfully fund the plan of reorganization, obtain debtor-in-possession
financing, generate sufficient working capital from operations and other risks
detailed from time to time in the Company's SEC reports. The Company undertakes
no obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements to reflect changed
assumptions, the occurrence of unanticipated events or changes to future
operating results over time.


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