Holiday Inn® "Pays It Forward" With a Triple Play for Major League Baseball's Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities (RBI)

PHOENIX, July 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Holiday Inn® Hotels & Resorts, Major League Baseball's (MLB) Official Partner of Road Trips, continued its support of MLB's 'Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities' (RBI) program at the 2011 MLB All-Star Game. After launching the "Pay It Forward" campaign in April, Holiday Inn and MLB are now donating 5,000 tickets to the RBI program as a result of the good deeds posted on the Holiday Inn Facebook page. To round out the "triple play," Holiday Inn and MLB also will donate $1,000 to RBI for every on-base hit during the All-Star Game, up to $20,000, and last night rewarded three lucky RBI athletes with the ultimate baseball dream -- the chance to field balls as a "shagger" during the State Farm Home Run Derby.

"We are thrilled with Holiday Inn's support this baseball season," said Tim Brosnan, executive vice president, business, Major League Baseball. "Through their generous donations, we are providing children with tremendous opportunities. Whether it's taking part in the excitement of watching a Major League Baseball game in-person, or being able to take the field with today's great players, these are experiences they'll never forget."

Holiday Inn began its partnership with RBI through the "Pay It Forward" campaign, which launched on International Pay It Forward Day, April 28.  Holiday Inn and MLB paid it forward by donating one ticket to RBI for each act of kindness posted on the Holiday Inn Facebook page. Thanks to the kindness and generosity of the public, 5,000 children will see a Major League Baseball game in person this season. Additionally, Heather Morrow from Washington, who paid it forward and posted her good deed, was selected by random drawing to attend the All-Star game as a guest of Holiday Inn.  

After tonight's All-Star game, Holiday Inn and MLB also will make a monetary donation which will support RBI. For every on-base hit during the All-Star Game, $1,000 will be donated to the youth initiative. The donation will help purchase new equipment and uniforms.

"Holiday Inn is all about celebrating the everyday hero, including the children who will define our future," said Wayne Hamilton, business travel marketing director, IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group).  "We applaud MLB and RBI for providing these boys and girls with an opportunity to reach new heights."

For three lucky Jr. RBI players, the highlight of All-Star weekend took place last night when they showed off their golden gloves fielding balls at the State Farm Home Run Derby. Nathan Fockler of Avondale, Ariz., Daltzwer Oliveros of San Francisco, Calif., and Marielle Hilton of Dorchester, Mass., all won the once-in-a lifetime opportunity to take the field with this season's best sluggers and "shag" balls by entering an essay contest conducted by Holiday Inn. Each submitted an essay about a challenge they faced and how they overcame that obstacle.

RBI was founded in 1989 and has served more than one million youth in its 22 year history.  In 2010 alone, 300 RBI leagues served more than 170,000 baseball and softball participants, and the program continues to provide children with opportunities on and off the field.

About Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts

With over 1,200 hotels worldwide, Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts is the most widely recognized lodging brand in the world.  In fact, Holiday Inn was one of the first international hotel brands to establish a presence in China in 1984. Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts provides the services that business travelers need, while also offering a comfortable atmosphere where all people can relax and enjoy amenities such as restaurants and room service, swimming pools, fitness centers and comfortable lounges.  The casual atmosphere and amenities such as meeting and on-site business facilities, KidSuites rooms, Kids Eat and Stay Free programs demonstrate the long-standing commitment of Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts to serving travelers and have helped to establish the brand as "America's Favorite Hotel."  Holiday Inn recently completed a $1 billion global brand relaunch, the biggest ever project of its kind in the history of the hospitality industry. The relaunch includes a renewed focus on quality, improved arrival and welcome features, enhanced bedding and showers, a "Stay Real" service culture and a new and an up-to-date look, including a redesigned logo and signage. For more information about Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts, including IHG's new timeshare brand Holiday Inn Club Vacations, or to book reservations, call 1-800-HOLIDAY or visit www.holidayinn.com.

About Major League Baseball Properties

The Major League Baseball Clubs formed Major League Baseball Properties (MLBP) in 1966 as the Clubs' agent for marketing and trademark licensing and protection. Major League Baseball Properties is responsible for managing consumer licensing activities, developing national advertising campaigns, cultivating sponsorship opportunities with major consumer brands and corporations, growing the game and the business of baseball outside the United States and creating national marketing programs in conjunction with Clubs, broadcast rightsholders and national sponsors. MLBP also operates a full-service video and audio production unit (Major League Baseball Productions), a publishing division and stock photo licensing agency, and manages logistics for the All-Star Game and World Series as well as all other special events. For more information on Major League Baseball, log on to www.MLB.com.

Notes to editors:

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) [LON:IHG,NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global company operating seven well-known hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Hotel Indigo®, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites® . IHG also manages Priority Club® Rewards, the world's first and largest hotel loyalty program with 58 million members worldwide.

IHG is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms and IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns, through various subsidiaries, a portfolio of over 4,400 hotels and more than 652,000 guest rooms in 100 countries and territories around the world.

IHG has more than 1,200 hotels in its development pipeline and expects to recruit around 160,000 people worldwide over the next few years.

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 http://www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards program at www.priorityclub.com. For our latest news visit www.ihg.com/media, Twitter www.twitter.com/ihgplc or YouTube http://www.youtube.com/ihgplc

SOURCE IHG