"We are thrilled to expand our hotel portfolio in the Caribbean with the addition of a Crowne Plaza in San Juan," says Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts VP Gina LaBarre. "Puerto Rico has long been considered a mainstay for international leisure and business travel and we look forward to providing guests with this brand's industry leading amenities."

Part of a 26-acre compound, the Crowne Plaza is slated for completion in 2009. The surrounding mixed-use complex will include a 559,000-sf shopping mall and pair of 11-story office buildings totaling 430,000 sf. The hotel will be constructed in two connecting towers with direct access to the shopping mall.

Hotel rooms will have views of the Atlantic Ocean, and the facility is situated close to such venues as the Puerto Rico Convention Center, historic San Juan and the new Jose Miguel Agrelot Coliseum. The Crowne Plaza will be the fourth IHG property operating in the city, joining such offerings as the InterContinental San Juan Resort & Casino, a Holiday Inn and a Holiday Inn Express.