ATLANTA, May 2, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- InterContinental
Hotels Group (IHG), one of the world's leading hotel
companies, today announces a milestone in the construction of a new InterContinental® Hotels &
Resorts property at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. The project, made possible by a partnership led by Graves Hospitality
and Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation, a Boston-based real estate investment firm, broke
ground in October 2016, and the concrete foundation was recently completed. The hotel is on track
to open summer of 2018.
Joel Eisemann, Chief Development Officer, The Americas, IHG said: "We are very enthused
to be working with Graves Hospitality and Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation on this new-build InterContinental hotel,
which will be an outstanding addition to the brand. We look forward to continuing to grow our partnership with Graves, which has
a reputation for developing and managing great hotels."
This will be the second InterContinental Hotels & Resorts property in the Twin Cities,
and joins the InterContinental Saint Paul Riverfront hotel located in downtown Saint Paul.
The InterContinental Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport hotel will connect to Terminal 1-Lindbergh, the airport's largest and most
recently renovated terminal, via a climate-controlled sky bridge to Concourse C – where it will intersect with the A
and B Concourses. The hotel will have its own TSA security checkpoint, and the sky bridge will offer guests direct and easy
access to their flights. The 12-story building will offer 291 rooms, including nine suites, two restaurants, a penthouse-level
observation bar, a signature InterContinental Club Lounge, a business center, a fitness center and a world-class spa. The
InterContinental Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport hotel will offer 20,000 square feet of meeting space with a 10,800 square foot
ballroom. Located in front of the hotel will be an Art Park designed to provide a visual art
experience as cars enter the airport. The hotel has been carefully designed to guarantee ease of access for all guests, whether
arriving from the airport via the sky bridge or from the surrounding area via a direct roadway. The hotel will also have its own
convenient, dedicated parking.
Benjamin Graves, president and CEO of Graves Hospitality, said: "Based on our
experience, we know that the InterContinental brand is the perfect fit for this high-profile airport location. We are excited to
establish a new, signature destination with an ultra-luxury flagship property, which will become the crown jewel of our already
exceptional MSP Airport."
The property's design establishes a strong sense of place, featuring local influences and natural elements. Renderings
created by RSP Architects, a Minneapolis-based firm, showcase exterior finishes of stone and
wood encasing a visually-evocative glass curtain wall that mimics the water patterns of Minnesota lakes, rivers and waterfalls. Warm woods and local materials like Kasota stone and Cold Spring granite, along with integrated architectural
art, create an inviting and unique environment for all guests. Guest rooms, including a presidential penthouse, will be designed
with spa-like bathrooms and full, private bars.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport (MSP) is located 12 miles from downtown Minneapolis, eight
miles from downtown St. Paul, and less than five miles from the Mall of America – the
largest shopping complex in North America – with a light rail line that runs directly from the
airport to the Mall. MSP offers non-stop service to 155 destinations including 128 domestic and 27 international markets. The
airport is in the process of a five-year, multi-phase expansion and improvement plan designed to accommodate the growing numbers
of travelers at MSP. Improvements include expanding the size of arrival and departure facilities, constructing a new parking
facility, adding four new gates at Terminal 2-Humphrey, adding dozens of new restaurant and retail shops, and the addition of the
InterContinental Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport hotel.
In 2016, the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand celebrated its 70th anniversary, and the brand is now twice the size
of any competing luxury hotel brand globally. In January 2016, the landmark InterContinental London - The O2 hotel opened, and the InterContinental New York Barclay hotel reopened earlier last year following an extensive renovation. There
are four InterContinental Hotels & Resorts properties currently under development in the U.S., in downtown Los Angeles, in the North Embarcadero area of downtown San Diego, in Houston adjacent to the Texas Medical Center, and on the southwest waterfront in Washington, D.C. With 187 hotels open worldwide and more than 60 in the global development pipeline, IHG
continues to expand the InterContinental Hotels brand portfolio in the most sought-after destinations around the world.
About InterContinental® Hotels & Resorts
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts
has 187 hotels located in more than 60 countries with local insight that comes from 70 years of experience. As a brand, 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-traveled
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 http://www.intercontinental.com, https://twitter.com/InterConHotels or http://www.facebook.com/intercontinental.
About Graves Hospitality
Graves Hospitality turns ideas into action and Real Estate into enterprise. GH offers a comprehensive range of development and
management services adeptly tailored to answer the unique needs of independent and branded hotels, resorts and restaurants as
well as residential and commercial projects. The company's development skills and management services, including sales,
marketing, distribution, human resources and accounting, are honed by over 35 years of continued success. Consistently recognized
as an industry leader, GH has developed and managed more than 100 hotels and restaurants, as well as residential and commercial
developments. GH is passionate about providing owners, guests and associates with an unparalleled level of service and expertise.
Partnering with smart, creative and sincerely enjoyable people and then fiercely maintaining those relationships,
results in a positive synergy that naturally fosters success. GH takes great pride in being able to identify, develop, build and
manage projects that create great profits for our investors. To learn more information about GH visit www.graveshospitality.com.
About Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation
Intercontinental Real Estate Corporation is an SEC Registered Investment Adviser with decades long experience
in real estate
investment, finance, development, construction management and asset management. Since 1959, Intercontinental and its affiliates have managed, developed, or owned
collectively over $10 billion in real estate property. Today, Intercontinental manages a real
estate portfolio of approximately $6 billion for its clients. The Intercontinental portfolio is
diversified both by robust property mix and by geography. Fund strategies actively seek opportunities to invest in both Core and
Core-Plus properties, as well as in Value-Add operating properties and development projects.
Notes to Editors:
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group)
[LON:IHG, NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad portfolio of hotel brands, including InterContinental® Hotels &
Resorts , Kimpton® Hotels &
Restaurants , Hotel Indigo® , EVEN® Hotels , HUALUXE® Hotels and Resorts , Crowne Plaza® Hotels & Resorts ,
Holiday Inn® Hotels
& Resorts , Holiday Inn Express® , Staybridge Suites® and Candlewood Suites® .
IHG franchises, leases, manages or owns nearly 5,200 hotels and 770,000 guest rooms in almost 100 countries, with nearly
1,500 hotels in its development pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club , the world's first and largest hotel loyalty
programme, with more than 100 million enrolled members worldwide.
InterContinental Hotels Group PLC
is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in Great Britain and registered in
England and Wales. More than 350,000 people work across IHG's
hotels and corporate offices globally.
Visit www.ihg.com
for hotel information and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news, visit: www.ihgplc.com/media and follow us on social media at:
www.twitter.com/ihg , www.facebook.com/ihg and www.youtube.com/ihgplc .
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SOURCE IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group)