IHG and Las Vegas Sands Corp Sign Strategic Agreement

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- IHG [LON: IHG, NYSE: IHG (ADRs)], the world's largest hotel company by number of rooms, today announced the signing of a ten-year license agreement with Las Vegas Sands Corp. to affiliate The Venetian and The Palazzo with the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts global portfolio.

The Venetian and The Palazzo will maintain their independent and established identities. Both resorts combined offer more than 7,000 luxurious all-suite accommodations, as well as world-class gaming and entertainment, convention and exhibition facilities, luxury shopping and celebrity chef restaurants that define the Las Vegas experience.

The Venetian and The Palazzo will gain access to IHG's global operating system, which includes the hotel industry's most visited websites in 13 different languages, 10 worldwide call centers, powerful global sales force, as well as Priority Club Rewards, the world's largest hotel loyalty program with 52 million members.

"This alliance with Las Vegas Sands Corp. and IHG's InterContinental brand creates a shared opportunity to give our guests access to leading luxury resorts in Las Vegas," said Jim Abrahamson, president, the Americas, IHG.  "Las Vegas is the most requested destination for our Priority Club Rewards and Ambassador members, and these resorts epitomize the glamour of Las Vegas and provide world-class experiences that perfectly fit with what our guests want from InterContinental Hotels & Resorts."

Members of IHG's Priority Club Rewards and Ambassador loyalty programs will have the opportunity to enjoy for the first time membership benefits and recognition at two award-winning flagship resorts in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip.  And The Venetian and The Palazzo Resorts guests will benefit from IHG's loyalty programs, by earning points at these resorts that they can redeem for stays at any of IHG's 4,500 hotels worldwide, including 168 InterContinental hotels and resorts.

"This is a perfect marriage between two world-class resorts and one of the most prominent hotel companies in the world," said Michael Leven, president and chief operating officer, Las Vegas Sands Corp.  "We are especially excited by the opportunity to provide more than 52 million IHG Priority Club members the ability to earn and redeem their points at two of Las Vegas' most luxurious and exciting destinations."

The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino Las Vegas, the largest resort complex in the US to receive AAA's Five Diamond Award, is one of the world's most luxurious resort and convention destinations, with more than 4,000 all-suite accommodations. Re-creating Venice's legendary landmarks, the resort offers unmatched service and quality for leisure and corporate guests. Located in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, The Venetian features The Grand Canal Shoppes, an indoor streetscape complete with gondolas and singing gondoliers, the Canyon Ranch SpaClub, world-class gaming, exquisite restaurants, and a wide variety of entertainment such as Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular.

The Palazzo Las Vegas Resort, also a AAA Five-Diamond property, has over 3,000 suites, luxury shopping and world-class dining and entertainment. The $1.9 billion Silver LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified resort is highlighted by a flagship, 85,000 square-foot, Barneys New York store, with The Shoppes at The Palazzo featuring more than 60 luxury boutiques, featuring brands such as Chloe, Christian Louboutin, Diane von Furstenberg and Anya Hindmarch. The Palazzo also offers a variety of cuisines from award-winning chefs such as Carnevino by Mario Batali, CUT by Wolfgang Puck and Table 10 by Emeril Lagasse. Other unique offerings include Tony Award winning Broadway musical Jersey Boys and the chic dining and nightlife club LAVO.

About IHG

InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) is the world's largest hotel group by number of rooms. IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, over 4,500 hotels and more than 650,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. The Group owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected 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®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards with 52 million members worldwide. IHG has nearly 1,400 hotels in its development pipeline, which will create 160,000 jobs 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 www.ihg.com and information for the Priority Club Rewards program at www.priorityclub.com. For the latest news from IHG, visit our online Press Office at www.ihg.com/media

About InterContinental Hotels & Resorts

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has 168 hotels, located in more than 60 countries with local insight that comes from over 60 years of experience. At InterContinental we believe that superior, understated service and outstanding facilities are important, but what makes us truly different, is the genuine interest we show in our guests. Our desire is to help guests make the most of their time. We connect our well-travelled guests to what's special about a destination, by sharing our knowledge so they enjoy authentic experiences that will enrich their lives and broaden their outlook. For more information, visit www.intercontinental.com.

About Las Vegas Sands Corp

Las Vegas Sands Corp. (NYSE: LVS) is the leading global developer of destination properties (integrated resorts) that feature premium accommodations, world-class gaming and entertainment, convention and exhibition facilities, celebrity chef restaurants, and many other amenities.

The Venetian and The Palazzo, Five-Diamond luxury resorts on the Las Vegas Strip, are among the company's properties in the United States. In Singapore, the iconic Marina Say Sands is the most recent addition to the company's portfolio.

Through its majority-owned subsidiary Sands China Ltd, the company also owns a collection of properties in Macau, including The Venetian Macao, Four Seasons Hotel Macao and the Four Seasons-branded serviced-apartments at its Cotai Strip development, as well as the Sands Macao on the Macau peninsula.

SOURCE IHG Hotels & Resorts