Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts Introduces The Always On Charity Challenge At The 2015 Crowne Plaza Invitational At Colonial

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts today introduces the Always On Charity Challenge at the 2015 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. The Challenge is a new social media promotion that provides fans with the opportunity to show support for their favorite pro golfer during the tournament while simultaneously benefitting charity.

The Always On Charity Challenge invites fans from across the country to vote via Facebook and Twitter from May 18-24, 2015 for their favorite golfer, from a list of nine, using unique hashtags found at alwaysoncharitychallenge.com, with the standings updated daily. The participating golfers are Hunter Mahan, Boo Weekley, Scott Stallings, Kevin Streelman, Ryan Palmer, J.J. Henry, Erik Compton, Jimmy Walker, and Graham DeLaet.

As the longest tenured title sponsor of the Invitational, the Crowne Plaza brand is proud to be a contributor to the $52 million raised for charity through Colonial over the course of this partnership.

Gina LaBarre, Vice President, Americas Brand Management, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, The Americas, IHG said: "We are excited to introduce the Always On Charity Challenge at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial and team up with these nine professional golfers. The Challenge provides fans with the opportunity to celebrate their favorite golfers and reinforces our long-standing commitment to the Fort Worth community with a planned $90,000 donation --- our largest ever --- to the local Fort Worth Birdies for Charity program."

The Crowne Plaza brand will donate $90,000 --- $10,000 for each year of Crowne Plaza's title sponsorship of the Invitational --- to the Birdies for Charity program in the name of the golfer with the most votes. The winning golfer will also receive an additional $10,000 from the Crowne Plaza brand to put towards a charity of his choice. Nine fans who vote in the Challenge will also have a chance to be selected to receive 90,000 IHG® Reward Club points each.

The Crowne Plaza brand has a deep understanding of the evolving needs of career-focused business travelers, and its new Always On enhancements give these individuals the tools they need to be in control of their travel experience. With a focus on connectivity, productivity and wellness, these new features help guests stay Always On through offering single Internet sign- on, free and reliable Wi-Fi, one-click secure wireless printing and enhanced in-room charging of mobile devices. Guests can also stay healthy and re-energize with healthy snacks and drinks for purchase and complimentary fresh water for the essential pick-me-up.

Similar to our guests, the golfers participating in this year's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial are constantly striving to be Always On and on top of their game. The Challenge brings the spirit of these enhancements to life in a fun and engaging way for golf fans, many of whom are also business travelers.

Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts, part of IHG's family of brands, is the Official Hotel and Resort Partner of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Web.com Tour. The 2015 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial will be held May 18-24 at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial is the longest running PGA TOUR tournament still being held at the original site.

About Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts
Part of the IHG global portfolio, the Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts brand is a dynamic upscale hotel brand located in nearly 65 countries around the world in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations. As the fourth largest upscale full-service hotel brand in the world and one of the fastest growing, the Crowne Plaza brand has a solid foundation for future growth.

The portfolio has doubled since 2003 to more than 400 hotels, and the global pipeline has increased fourfold to almost 100 hotels. At Crowne Plaza hotels, we help our guests feel energized and productive, and our Sleep Advantage® program ensures our guests get a great night's sleep to power through their day. For reservations at Crowne Plaza properties, visitwww.ihg.com/crowneplaza or call 1-877-2CROWNE. Connect with us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/crowneplaza or Facebook: www.Facebook.com/crowneplaza.

Notes to Editors:

IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, EVEN™ Hotels, Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®.

IHG manages IHG® Rewards Club, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty programme with nearly 86 million members worldwide. The programme was relaunched in July 2013, offering enhanced benefits for members including free internet across all hotels, globally.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns more than 4,900 hotels and 720,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries, with more than 1,200 hotels in its development pipeline. Over 350,000 people work across IHG's hotels and corporate offices worldwide.

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

Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihg, www.facebook.com/ihg or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

SOURCE IHG Hotels & Resorts

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