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Fort Wayne's new Holiday Inn Gives Meaning to Concept of a "Theme Hotel"
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Close Ties to IPFW, Holiday Inn Past and Future Apparent Throughout Hotel


FORT WAYNE, IND., (Sept. 23, 2008) � The new, full-service Holiday Inn on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW) and across from the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, gives new meaning to the concept of a �theme hotel.�  Not only are the close ties between the hotel and IPFW apparent throughout, but the facility offers guests a look at the history of the Holiday Inn brand while proudly revealing the chain�s new look.
 

New Holiday Inn Logo

Early Holiday Inn Sign.

Scheduled to open in early October with a Grand Opening slated for the 23rd of that month, the city�s first new full-service hotel in 20 years offers several examples of its partnership as a mentoring facility for IPFW students.  A specially designed wing at the hotel with its own entrance serves students with its own kitchen, food preparation area and classroom.  Artwork created by students in the university�s fine arts department will be displayed in areas of the hotel; the sixth floor includes a luxurious Chancellor�s Suite; the Faculty Club and Mastodon Grill are situated on the hotel�s main level; the oversized pool area sports a replica mastodon �Swimmer Don.�  The IPFW mascot is a mastodon.

Those close to Fort Wayne and the university recall the city�s first community art project, �Mastodons on Parade,� that was a celebration of IPFW�s 40th anniversary.  In 2005 that event placed 102 decorated mastodons on street corners and near businesses throughout the city.  Swimmer Don is one of those animals, artistically created by Boyden & Youngblutt and sponsored by Three Rivers Federal Credit Union.

Carrying the concept of a theme hotel even further, the facility is the first property in the nationwide chain to sport a new decorating scheme, new Holiday Inn sign and logo, and specially designed outdoor lighting that ultimately will grace similar hotels nationwide.  The fresh logo and outdoor sign are a simple yet elegant departure from the Holiday Inn signs of the 50s and 60s, and at night, the soft yellow exterior of the hotel will be uplighted with soft green spotlights.

The hotel exemplifies the new and welcoming image of the redesigned Holiday Inns, and artwork in the facility�s individual rooms provides a nostalgic feel.  Black-and-white photos trace the chain�s progress, and include shots of founder Kemmons Wilson, and his wife, Dorothy Lee, and other signs and scenes that capture the rich history of early Holiday Inns.   

According to the new hotel�s general manager, Rob Evans, the hotel and its décor are reflective and dynamic.  �Much like the windshield of a car looks forward, the new look for this Holiday Inn is a forward vision of the chain�s look for the future.� �And,� Evans noted, �Just as a rear-view mirror provides a view of the past � where you have just driven �the artwork in some of the guest rooms and suites document much of Holiday Inn�s past.�

About Holiday Inn Hotels & Resorts
With nearly 1,400 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, and 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.�  For more information about Holiday Inn Hotels and Resorts or to book reservations, call 1-800-HOLIDAY or visit www.holidayinn.com.

InterContinental Hotels Group PLC (IHG) of the United Kingdom [LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is one of the world's largest hotel groups by number of rooms.  IHG owns, manages, leases or franchises, through various subsidiaries, almost 4,000 hotels and more than 585,000 guest rooms in nearly 100 countries and territories around the world. IHG owns a portfolio of well recognized and respected hotel brands including InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts, Holiday Inn® Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn Express®, Staybridge Suites®, Candlewood Suites® and Hotel Indigo®, and also manages the world's largest hotel loyalty program, Priority Club® Rewards with over 37 million members worldwide.The company pioneered the travel industry�s first collaborative response to environmental issues as founder of the International Hotels and Environment Initiative (IHEI). The IHEI formed the foundations of the Tourism Partnership launched by the International Business Leaders Forum in 2004, of which IHG is still a member today. The environment and local communities remain at the heart of IHG�s global corporate responsibility focus.With more than 1,600 hotels in its development pipeline, IHG will be recruiting around 130,000 people over the next few years to meet its global expansion plans.

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Contact:

Rob Evans 
 Holiday Inn 
 [email protected] 
 260-452-7754 

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Also See: Rob Evans Named General Manager of the Holiday Inn Hotel in Fort Wayne, Indiana / May 2008
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