Is there an AT&T Participation Agreement included as part of the Crowne Plaza franchise agreements?
Crowne_Plaza Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
Note 7:
Property Management System: Currently, Crowne Plaza brand group Hotels must use the Opera PMS software. You must also obtain ongoing maintenance and support for the required PMS software, including upgrades and new versions (see Items 8 and 11) and other software including operating system upgrades and endpoint protection software. The endpoint protection software is part of the Total Protection for Network (ToPS), which will be administered and managed by AT&T via the FastConnect SD-WAN solution. The PMS provider will bill you and collect the fee from you for the required PMS software support, and the PMS provider provides the support. You must also obtain ongoing equipment maintenance for the PMS hardware, as arranged through either SCH or an approved vendor. The costs will vary according to your technology needs, and the costs listed on the table are estimates.
The PMS Provider will provide you with a third-party license agreement for the use of the PMS software. (see Items 1, 8 and 11), which will be prepared for you after you complete the Oracle New Account Setup Form, the form of which is attached to this disclosure document as Exhibit G-7. This license agreement includes on-going maintenance and support for the PMS software. The PMS Provider will bill you annually for the support fee. The PMS Provider may not increase the maintenance and support fee more than once during any calendar year. You must also pay support fees for the other components of property-level systems, such as PMS equipment maintenance, and for other systems which interface to the Opera PMS system; such as the telecommunications system, the electronic door locking and keycard system, and the specialized sales software. Hardware and software maintenance fees may vary based on the number of rooms at the Hotel. The fees for local and long-distance telephone service and line charges are not included in the estimated fees on the chart. The costs will vary according to your technology needs, and the costs listed on the chart are an estimate.
Source: Item 22 — Contracts (FDD pages 99–100)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Crowne Plaza FDD, Crowne Plaza brand group Hotels must use the Opera PMS software. As part of the Total Protection for Network (ToPS), endpoint protection software will be administered and managed by AT&T via the FastConnect SD-WAN solution.
The FDD states that franchisees must obtain ongoing maintenance and support for the required PMS software, including upgrades and new versions, as well as other software including operating system upgrades and endpoint protection software. The PMS provider will bill the franchisee and collect the fee for the required PMS software support, and the PMS provider provides the support. Franchisees must also obtain ongoing equipment maintenance for the PMS hardware, as arranged through either SCH or an approved vendor.
The costs associated with these services will vary according to the franchisee's technology needs, and the costs listed in the table are estimates. The PMS Provider will provide a third-party license agreement for the use of the PMS software after the franchisee completes the Oracle New Account Setup Form, which is attached to the FDD as Exhibit G-7. This license agreement includes on-going maintenance and support for the PMS software, and the PMS Provider will bill the franchisee annually for the support fee. The PMS Provider may not increase the maintenance and support fee more than once during any calendar year.