Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts® To Donate $60,000 Through "Charity Foursome" Program

ATLANTA, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- PGA TOUR golfers at this year's Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial will be playing for more than the traditional plaid jacket. The entire PGA TOUR field will be working even harder to shoot low scores over the weekend to support the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts "Charity Foursome" program, benefiting four charities – Birdies for the Brave, Shelter In A Storm, Cook Children's Medical Center and The First Tee of Fort Worth, Texas. During Saturday and Sunday rounds, each golf pairing will be playing for one of the four charities with IHG's (InterContinental Hotels Group) (LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)) Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand donating $100 for every birdie and $500 for every eagle made to the pairing's corresponding charity, up to $50,000.

"As the title sponsor, it's important that we celebrate and build upon Colonial's 66-year history of memorable moments in competition and a tradition of charitable giving," said Gina LaBarre, vice president, Brand Management, the Americas, IHG. "We're extremely proud to be joined by this weekend's PGA TOUR golfers in our effort to raise money for such great causes."

To create awareness for the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts "Charity Foursome" program and to help fans identify the corresponding charity for each golf pairing, the players' caddies will wear one of the four charity names on their caddy bibs. 

Fans don't have to be a scratch golfer or a PGA TOUR player to participate in the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts "Charity Foursome" program. From Memorial Day through Independence Day (July 4th), fans can visit Facebook.com/CrownePlaza and select to which of the four charities they would like Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts to donate an additional dollar on their behalf, up to $10,000, making the total donation up to $60,000 for the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts "Charity Foursome" program. Participating fans will automatically be entered to win a golf weekend getaway for two.

Earlier this season, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts announced the launch of a multi-media advertising campaign starring PGA TOUR professional Rickie Fowler. The upscale hotel brand signed Fowler for the 2012 golf season and is executing a multi-channel campaign designed to elevate the fresh, contemporary spirit of Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts. One of the most recognizable golfers on the PGA TOUR, Fowler is currently appearing in television, print and online ads showcasing his unique personality. The broadcast spot titled "It's Good to be Rickie," brings to life the comfortable accommodations, numerous amenities and value propositions offered by Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts for business and leisure travelers alike.

Click here to see a video from Rickie Fowler about the Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts "Charity Foursome" program.

IHG is the Official Hotel and Resort Partner of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour. In addition to the official marketing relationship, IHG's Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts brand is the title sponsor of the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial through 2015. The 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, captured in 2011 by David Toms, will be held May 21-27 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 (since 1946). For more information, visit www.CrownePlaza.com/Invitational.

About Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts
As part of the IHG global portfolio, Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts is a dynamic hotel brand located in nearly 60 countries around the world in major urban centers, gateway cities and resort destinations. As the fourth largest upscale hotel brand in the world, Crowne Plaza was recently recognized by Lodging Hospitality magazine as one of the industry's top-growing brands and travel buyers rated Crowne Plaza as the top upscale/select-service brand in Business Travel News' 2011 U.S. Hotel Chain survey. Truly international, Crowne Plaza offers premium accommodation, designed for the discerning business and leisure traveler who appreciates simplified elegance combined with the practicality of the latest features, as well as value for money. At Crowne Plaza, guests can enjoy a 24-hour business service, wireless high speed internet access in the lobby plus fitness and leisure facilities. For reservations at Crowne Plaza properties, visit www.crowneplaza.com or call 1-800-2CROWNE. 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 organization with nine hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites®, as well as our two newest brands, EVEN™ Hotels and HUALUXE™ Hotels & Resorts. IHG also manages Priority Club® Rewards, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty program with over 63 million members worldwide.

IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns over 4,400 hotels and more than 658,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories, and has more than 1,100 hotels in its development pipeline. 

IHG expects to recruit around 90,000 new people worldwide across its estate over the next few years and is committed to gender balance throughout its business. We aspire to continue retaining a minimum of 25% female representation on the Board.

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.priorityclub.com for more on Priority Club Rewards. For our latest news, visit www.ihg.com/media, www.twitter.com/ihgplc or www.youtube.com/ihgplc.

About IHG Shelter in a Storm Program
When natural and man-made disasters strike, people naturally come to hotels to seek shelter in a storm. This is a key role of hotels in society, and one that is really important to all the communities in which they operate. The IHG Shelter in a Storm Program provides guidance on when and how to react to disasters, ensuring a quick and effective response to crises affecting IHG branded hotels, their employees and the local community. A key element of our disaster response is the IHG Shelter Fund which is built up by fundraising activities throughout the year. As a result, we are able to respond as soon as disaster strikes ensuring we can provide vital assistance right away.

About Birdies for the Brave
Since 2005, the PGA TOUR has proudly supported Birdies for Brave, a national military outreach initiative dedicated to honoring and showing appreciation to the courageous men and women of our U.S. Armed Forces and their families. Together with TOUR players, corporate partners, tournament fans and TPC club members, the TOUR has raised millions of dollars annually for military homefront groups that are supported by TOUR players, which provide critical programs and services to meet the specialized needs of wounded warriors and military families through fundraising events held at TPCs nationwide. Other Birdies for the Brave activities include Military Appreciation Day celebrations and Patriots' Outpost military hospitality chalets during TOUR tournaments, as well as the opportunity for military members and their families to attend many TOUR events on a complimentary basis. To learn more about Birdies for the Brave, please visit www.birdiesforthebrave.org. or follow them on Facebook.

About The First Tee of Fort Worth
The First Tee of Fort Worth is a youth development organization that uses golf as its vehicle to teach Life Skills and The First Tee's Nine Core Values to children in the greater Fort Worth community. The First Tee of Fort Worth is one of over 200 chapters of The First Tee, an organization that is recognized as one of the premier youth character-education programs in the country. Founded in 2004, The First Tee of Fort Worth is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization impacting over 20,000 youth annually in and around Fort Worth.

About Cook Children's Health Care System
Cook Children's Health Care System is a not-for-profit, nationally recognized pediatric health care organization comprised of eight entities – a Medical Center, Physician Network, Home Health company, Northeast Hospital, Pediatric Surgery Center, Health Plan, Health Services Inc., and Health Foundation. Based in Fort Worth, Texas, the integrated system has more than 60 primary and specialty care offices throughout North Texas. Its service region includes Denton, Hood, Johnson, Parker, Tarrant and Wise counties, with an additional referral area encompassing nearly half the state.

Cook Children's traces its roots back to 1918, but throughout its continual change and robust growth, it still embraces an inspiring promise – to improve the health of every child in its region through the prevention and treatment of illness, disease and injury. To live up to this promise, Cook Children's combines the art of caring with the use of leading technology and extraordinary collaboration to provide exceptional care for every child, every day. For more information, please visit www.cookchildrens.org

SOURCE Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts