GRAND-AM and IHG Announce New Partnership

GRAND-AM Road Racing announced today that IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) has been named the official hotel partner for GRAND-AM Road Racing beginning in 2012. This marks the first time the sanctioning body has had an official hotel partnership.

 

IHG 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®, Holiday Inn Club Vacations™, Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites®. IHG also manages the world’s largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards with more than 61 million members worldwide.

“IHG is a fantastic addition to our growing family of official partners,” said GRAND-AM CEO Ed Bennett. “This relationship will further strengthen IHG’s connection within the world of premier sports car racing. It will also give GRAND-AM, our competitors, and partners a recognized standard of quality accommodations to call home during event weekends. IHG has properties in all of the markets where the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series and Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge races.”

As the official hotel of GRAND-AM Road Racing, IHG will assist in securing rooms for the governing body, its racing teams and partners. Additionally fans will be able to book their lodging for races through the GRAND-AM website. Future plans also include identifying host hotels in each of the respective race markets. IHG looks to gain exposure for its upscale InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand through GRAND-AM’s marketing channels.

“This partnership gives us the opportunity to raise awareness of InterContinental Hotels & Resorts among a dedicated fan base that aligns well with our target audience of upscale travelers,” said Debbie Grant, director, Americas Brand Management, InterContinental Hotels & Resorts.

“We strive to offer rich, authentic experiences at our hotels, which is exactly what GRAND-AM does for its 20 million fans in the U.S. through premiere hands-on experiences and personal connections with drivers, teams and cars.”

ICH PR