Many thanks to the OP to bringing this to our attention!
This list proves the lie that Marriott foisted upon us that hotels go up and down each year based upon redemptions because no way that not one of the hotels that went from Cat 4 to Cat 5 last year apparently fell back! And it is clear that with no megabonus redemptions at those hotels because they were then elevated to a Cat 5, did they see as much redemption traffic as in the previous years.
Second, with this second round of elevations from Cat 4 - Cat 5, I believe that there are hardly any decent properties left close in to major metropolitan population centers let alone in a city, itself!
Third, is there any Category 4 worth staying at now, or phrased another way, is it even worthwile to earn Megabonus Certs, anymore?
Finally, with the latter answer in the negative, it seems to me that I am going to take a hard look at Hilton again as it is simple to obtain Gold in their program with their new Reserve Visa card, and it holds out the prospect of Diamond status with a $40,000 spend. In addition, even though IHG recently devalued their program, it still seems that perhaps judicious spend there might be worthwhile.
This is, indeed, a massacre!
Oh wait, for all you Risk! players, you will be happy to know that the C/Y Irkutsk went down to a Category 2! Woo Hoo!