What is the deadline for a Crowne Plaza hotel to complete implementing non-hosted updates after notice from FreedomPay?
Crowne_Plaza Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
FreedomPay may implement a hosted update on the FreedomPay Solution at such time as it determines, and Hotel shall have the flexibility to commence implementing non-hosted updates according to the schedule of IHG, which implementation shall be commenced no later than twelve (12) months after notice from FreedomPay and completed no later than twenty-four (24) months after such notice, unless such non-hosted update is required by Law, network requirements or PCI requirements, or other applicable authority, in such case Hotel shall implement such non-hosted update in accordance with the date required in such Law or requirement.
Source: Item 23 — Receipts (FDD pages 100–424)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Crowne Plaza FDD, a Crowne Plaza hotel has up to 24 months to complete implementing non-hosted updates to the FreedomPay system after receiving notice from FreedomPay. The hotel must, however, commence implementing these updates no later than 12 months after the notice. This schedule is aligned with IHG's (InterContinental Hotels Group) schedule, providing some flexibility in the update process.
However, there are exceptions to this timeline. If a non-hosted update is mandated by law, network requirements, PCI (Payment Card Industry) requirements, or any other applicable authority, the Crowne Plaza hotel must implement the update in accordance with the specific date stipulated in the relevant law or requirement. This means that in certain situations, the implementation timeline could be significantly shorter than the standard 24-month period.
Failure to comply with these update requirements can have serious consequences. FreedomPay reserves the right to terminate operational support for the prior software release if a Crowne Plaza hotel fails to implement a required non-hosted update within the specified timeframe. This could leave the hotel without necessary support, even if they continue to use the older software version, potentially disrupting payment processing and other related services.