<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> CAPSTAR HOTEL COMPANY FINANCIAL DATA SCHEDULE AS OF AND FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1996 THE SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS OF CAPSTAR HOTEL COMPANY AS OF SEPTEMBER 30, 1996 AND DECEMBER 31, 1995 AND THE RELATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS, AND CASH FLOWS FOR THE NINE MONTHS ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 1996 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> SEP-30-1996 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1996 <CASH> 9,161 <SECURITIES> 0 <RECEIVABLES> 8,146 <ALLOWANCES> 125 <INVENTORY> 650 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 24,102 <PP&E> 222,516 <DEPRECIATION> 6,692 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 247,105 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 13,334 <BONDS> 73,554 <COMMON> 0 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <OTHER-SE> 159,464 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 247,105 <SALES> 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 77,128 <CGS> 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 63,647 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 0 <LOSS-PROVISION> 34,000 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 10,428 <INCOME-PRETAX> 3,073 <INCOME-TAX> 1,092 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 1,981 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 1,956 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 25 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0 <EPS-DILUTED> 0