Crowne Plaza Denies Rumor That Was Never Reported

A couple of weeks ago, Jon Show reported that Crowne Plaza would back out as sponsor of the PGA Tour stop at Colonial after 2010.

Crowne Plaza is contracted to spend roughly $7 million a year on sponsorship and media commitments for title sponsorship to the tournament. The deal was announced as a six-year term from 2007 through 2012, but sources said the company can exit after the 2010 event, likely to be played next May.

So, the tournament director of the Colonial event went ahead and told Leslie Wimmer at the Fort Worth Business Press that they were still title sponsor ...for this year.  Which no one reported that I have heard or seen.

Contrary to reports in some media outlets, Crowne Plaza has not pulled its title sponsorship from the Colonial Country Club’s Crowne Plaza Invitational PGA event, according to officials at the event.

Peter Ripa, tour director of the Crowne Plaza Invitational, said reports that Crowne Plaza rescinded its title sponsorship of the event are inaccurate.

I mean, that's great that Crowne Plaza is still on board for this season and next.  But I haven't seen it said anywhere they were quitting before then.  So, yeah.