IHG Announces Joint Crowne Plaza and Hotel Indigo Project in Irving, Texas

By: InterContinental Hotels Group | 0 Shares 201 Reads

Adjoining properties coming to prestigious Las Colinas area

May 22, 2008 // Franchising.com // ATLANTA - IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON: IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)], one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms, today announced plans for a project incorporating a new-build 150-room Crowne Plaza and a new-build 85-room Hotel Indigo in the Las Colinas community of Irving, Texas. Both hotels are expected to open in 2010.

The two hotels will be developed in one striking building, in order to preserve the aesthetic importance of Las Colinas, a master-planned community created in 1973 by Ben H. Carpenter. His original vision called for a community of "unrivaled beauty and aesthetics," and this new development will adhere to his high standards. The hotels will each have separate entrances, but will share public areas including the fitness center and swimming pool.

The hotels will be located near many of the more than 2,000 companies that call Las Colinas home, including global headquarters for such Fortune 500 companies as Commercial Metals, ExxonMobil, Fluor Corp. and Kimberly-Clark. Also nearby are more than one million square feet of retail, numerous art galleries and museums, and four championship golf courses, including the site of the EDS Byron Nelson Championship.

"Las Colinas is a popular area for business due to its central location between Dallas and Fort Worth, and we expect our comprehensive meetings package to be a welcome addition," said Gina LaBarre, Vice President, Brand Management, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, The Americas. "We know our guests have an affinity for golf, so we're especially pleased to be opening a hotel near top-notch golf courses."

"We feel that a community as unique as Las Colinas should have a mainstream alternative like Hotel Indigo," said Jim Anhut, Senior Vice President, Franchise Development, The Americas. "Our branded boutique concept will provide our guests with a unique experience each time they visit, while still offering the conveniences and confidences they expect from a large company like IHG, such as Priority Club Rewards."

The hotels will be owned by Platinum Hospitality, LLC, and managed by Patriot Hospitality, under a license agreement with a company in the InterContinental Hotels Group.

"We're excited about opening our first Crowne Plaza and Hotel Indigo," said Biren Patel, Senior Vice President, Patriot Hospitality. "We currently operate hotels under the Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Staybridge Suites flags, and we look forward to furthering our relationship with IHG."

The Hotel Indigo Las Colinas will feature signature design elements including oversized lobby chairs, which create a personal work or dining space within the public areas of the hotel; cozy, airy and inviting guestrooms with plush bedding, hardwood-style flooring and spa-inspired showers; a Phitness studio with cardio equipment and free weights. The hotel will also offer Phi Bar, serving tempting entrees and starters in the evening; a 24-hour business center; and meeting space for business functions or special events. Complimentary high-speed wireless Internet access is available throughout the hotel.

The Crowne Plaza Las Colinas will feature the Crowne Plaza Sleep Advantage program and the brand's comprehensive meetings package. As a new-build property following the recently-announced prototype design, the hotel will feature meetings-focused design elements including natural light in all rooms; movable partitions/walls to create a variety of flexible function space; multi-zone, controllable lighting; ergonomic chairs; and technology such as backlit projection screens and Wi-Fi access. The physical plan also positions the meeting space apart from busier areas of the hotel, providing a business environment free of distractions. The hotel offers more than 8,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space for business functions or special events.

Guestrooms will provide business traveler-friendly amenities, including a technically enhanced flat screen television; ergonomic leather-upholstered executive-style desk chair; bedside lighting with adjustable reading light; multiple convenient power sources; and Wi-Fi access. The Crowne Plaza Las Colinas will also include a restaurant, lounge, business center and gift shop.

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts and Hotel Indigo participate in IHG's guest loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards. The industry's first and largest guest loyalty program has over 37 million members. Priority Club Rewards membership is free and guests can enroll by logging on at priorityclub.com, by calling 1-888-211-9874 or by inquiring at the front desk of these hotels or any of IHG's almost 4,000 hotels worldwide.

About Hotel Indigo

The newest member of the IHG family, Hotel Indigo is the industry's first branded boutique hotel experience. It is uniquely designed to appeal to guests who desire affordable luxury, personal service and an alternative to traditional hotels without sacrificing any of the businesses amenities they have come to expect. Renewal is the soul of Hotel Indigo's retail-inspired design concept - thoughtful changes that are made throughout the year to keep the hotel fresh. Guestrooms feature signature murals, area rugs, fluffy duvets and slipcovers that will change periodically, while public spaces will be transformed seasonally through changing aromas, music, artwork, murals and directional signage. From relaxed café dining to high-style rooms - Hotel Indigo creates an intriguing, warm and inviting environment for guests. For more information on Hotel Indigo, please visit http://www.hotelindigo.com/.

The Hotel Indigo brand is quickly expanding throughout North America, with 15 locations open and more than 60 under development, either in the pipeline or in final negotiation. The first Hotel Indigo opened in Atlanta in October 2004, followed by Hotel Indigo Chicago Gold Coast; Chicago Schaumburg North; Houston at the Galleria; Hotel Indigo Dallas; Ottawa Downtown City Centre, Canada; Hotel Indigo Scottsdale, Ariz.; Hotel Indigo Sarasota, Fla; Hotel Indigo Buffalo-Amherst, N.Y.; Hotel Indigo Nashville West End; Hotel Indigo Mérida Hacienda Misné, Mexico; Hotel Indigo Boston-Newton Riverside; Hotel Indigo Columbus Downtown, Ind.; Hotel Indigo Fishers-Indy's Uptown, Ind.; and Hotel Indigo Chicago-Vernon Hills. Future sites of Hotel Indigo hotels include Miami, Fl.; St. Louis, Mo.; London, England; San Antonio, Texas; Baltimore, Md.; Las Vegas, Nev.; and New York, N.Y. For more information on Hotel Indigo, or to make reservations, please visit http://www.hotelindigo.com/.

About Crowne Plaza

Crowne Plaza was recently recognized by Lodging Hospitality magazine as one of the industry's top growing brands. As part of the InterContinental Hotels Group global portfolio, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts has more than 300 hotels in 54 countries, and are located in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations. For reservations at Crowne Plaza properties, visit http://www.crowneplaza.com/ or call 1-800-2CROWNE.

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, almost 4,000 hotels and more than 590,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world The Group owns a portfolio of well recognised and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty programme, Priority Club® Rewards with over 37 million members worldwide.

IHG pioneered the travel industry's first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG's global corporate responsibility focus. We're the first major hotel group to have measured our environmental and carbon footprints and we're in the process of setting reduction targets.

With more than 1,600 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG needs to find around 150,000 people over the next few years to meet its global expansion plans.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC is the group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in England and Wales.

IHG offers information and online reservations for all its hotel brands at www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards programme at www.priorityclub.com.

For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media

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