To participate in the auction site, Priority Club Rewards members simply use their existing member number and personal identification number (PIN) to register and develop a profile at the auction site, priorityclub.com/auction. Then they need only create a special Auction username and password to start bidding their points for prizes. Many of the same features found in eBay's auction process have been incorporated into the Priority Club Rewards Auction site, including automatic e-mail notification to winning and losing bidders, personalized auction account activity and a real-time bid history for every auction item.

The site features a wide variety of merchandise offerings such as Sharper Image's famous massage chair and a 42" Sony plasma television, in addition to:

• Pole position for "The Great American Race" day with two tickets to the Daytona 500
• Tickets to the Billy Joel and Elton John Concert at American Airlines Center in Dallas
• Tickets to the Final Four NCAA Men's Basketball tournament in New Orleans

"Auction sites are another way for Six Continents Hotels to foster stronger relationships with our most loyal customers," said Gareth Morgan, manager, Internet communications and consumer marketing.

Priority Club Rewards Auction represents the latest Internet innovation from Six Continents Hotels and its portfolio of brands -- InterContinental®, Crowne Plaza®, Holiday Inn®, Holiday Inn Express® and Staybridge Suites® . The company was the first to offer web bookings more than eight years ago, and recently introduced the industry-leading Lowest Internet Rate Guarantee.

With more than 15 million members and 250,000 new travelers joining the program each month, Priority Club Rewards is the fastest-growing hotel loyalty program in the hotel industry. Membership has doubled over the last three years with 14 percent of new members enrolling via the Internet in FY 2002.

Priority Club Rewards features more sought-after features than any other hotel offering. It combines features like Points Transfer, Points Purchase and the fastest way to Elite status with program pillars of no blackout dates and no point expiration to form one powerful program that is simple and easy. Priority Club Rewards also spans more than 3,300 hotels in nearly 100 countries.

Whether traveling for business, out-of-town soccer games or family vacations, members earn their choice of points toward free hotel nights or merchandise, or earn frequent flyer miles with more than 45 domestic and international airline partners. The program offers 10 points or 2.5 miles per U.S. dollar spent on eligible charges including room rate, food and beverage, telephone, laundry and in-room movies at Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express or Staybridge Suites hotels. Members earn 2,000 points or a minimum of 500 miles per stay at InterContinental* hotels.