British hospitality company InterContinental Hotels Group announced Tuesday that it would operate the hotel atop the $1.1 billion Wilshire Grand project in downtown Los Angeles.

The publicly traded company, which has more than 4,700 hotels worldwide under brands such as InterContinental, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn, signed a multi-decade contract to operate the 900-room hotel as an InterContinental. It will be the largest by room count for the luxury brand in the Americas.

The 73-story project by Korean Air and Hanjin Group will be the tallest building in the Western United States when it opens in 2017. The hotel will occupy the uppermost levels of the building, with a “sky lobby” on the 70th floor. The building will also have 400,000 square feet of Class A office space and 45,100 square feet of restaurant and retail space. Hotel guests will also have use of a spa, fitness center and 60,000 square feet of meeting space in the building.

Kirk Kinsell, president of the Americas region for IHG, said the company was eager to have a prominent hotel in downtown Los Angeles again. InterContinental had flagged what is now the Omni Los Angeles Hotel on Olive Street until about 15 years ago. It’s other Los Angeles hotel is in Century City on Avenue of the Stars.

“Los Angeles is a world gateway city,” he said. “With everything going on and downtown being the epicenter of Los Angeles County and Southern California, having a hotel in the middle of all that is key.”