NASHVILLE, TENN. — Home2 Suites by Hilton has opened its newest hotel in Nashville. The five-story, 105-suite hotel is located at 832 Royal Parkway, one mile from Nashville International Airport. It features an indoor saltwater swimming pool, walking trails, a laundry and fitness area, and a convenience store. Pinnacle Nashville Airport GP owns the hotel, and Pinnacle Hospitality Partners manages it. The Home2 Suites by Hilton Nashville-Airport is the 19th U.S. location for the brand. Later this year, new Home2 Suites hotels will open in Querétaro, Mexico, and Edmonton, Canada. Future hotels are slated for the Houston, Atlanta, and Washington, D.C., markets.
LOUISVILLE, KY. — A joint venture between Rosemont, Ill.-based First Hospitality Group and Louisville-based City Properties has announced plans to construct a new hotel in downtown Louisville. The new Hilton Garden Inn will be located in the Clay Commons District. It will feature 156 guestrooms over eight stories along with a rooftop bar and restaurant containing an open-air patio and meeting rooms. The hotel is scheduled to open in summer 2014.
JEKYLL ISLAND, GA. — The new Westin Hotel under development on the beachfront of Jekyll Island has received $25 million in construction financing. PNC Bank provided $10 million in conventional financing for the project. In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture provided $15 million in Rural Development loans for the project. The 200-room, convention-class hotel is slated to open in September 2014. Atlanta-based Davis, Pickren, Seydel and Sneed represented PNC Bank in the deal.
BOSTON— Rockpoint Group LLC and its affiliates have completed two hotel sales during the last three weeks and generated $375 million in proceeds. The most recent transaction was the sale of the 1,053-room Boston Park Plaza Hotel & Towers to a public lodging REIT for $250 million, or $237,400 per key. Boston-based Rockpoint owned the hotel for two years and added 112 guest rooms and ground-floor retail. The firm also sold its interest in the Courtyard by Marriott Waikiki Beach to Highgate Hotels Inc., which was managing the hotel, in a $125 million transaction. Lodging Capital Partners LLC was Rockpoint’s partner when the hotel was acquired in June 2011 for $85 million. The Courtyard by Marriott Waikiki Beach is a 401-room hotel located in the Waikiki submarket of Oahu in Hawaii.
SARASOTA, FLA. — HREC Investment Advisors has completed the sale of the Holiday Inn Express & Suites located in Sarasota. The 101-room hotel is situated just off Interstate 75. HREC’s Scott Stephens, Monty Levy and Paul Sexton represented the seller, a joint venture between an affiliate of DeBartolo Development and Banyan Investment Group. The buyer’s name and the sale price were not released.
MINNEAPOLIS — Capital Advisors has arranged a $57.5 million loan for the refinancing of the 229-room W Minneapolis – The Forshay. The borrower is a partnership between RWB Holdings Inc. and Ryan Cos. US Inc. The 32-story hotel is located at 821 Marquette Ave. in downtown Minneapolis and features 212 guest rooms and 17 suites, which include private dining areas, fireplaces, wet bars and other amenities. After acquiring the 1920s-era Art Deco tower in 2006, the ownership group converted the property from its former office use to a five-star hotel. Ridge Stafford of Capital Advisors’ Charlotte office arranged the 10-year loan, which includes a 30-year amortization schedule. CMBS lender Jefferies LoanCore LLC provided the loan.
SAN FRANCISCO – The 338-room Ritz-Carlton San Francisco has sold to Thayer Fund VI for an undisclosed sum. The hotel is located at 600 Stockton Street. Thayer plans to invest up to $17 million into the property within its first 24 months of ownership. The fund worked on behalf of Thayer Lodging Group. This was the fund’s first investment. It is targeted as a $300-million fund. Thayer also owns the nearby J.W. Marriott San Francisco.
SAN FRANCISCO – The 338-room Ritz-Carlton San Francisco has sold to Thayer Fund VI for an undisclosed sum. The hotel is located at 600 Stockton Street. Thayer plans to invest up to $17 million into the property within its first 24 months of ownership. The fund worked on behalf of Thayer Lodging Group. This was the fund’s first investment. It is targeted as a $300-million fund. Thayer also owns the nearby J.W. Marriott San Francisco.
ASHEVILLE, N.C., AND HOT SPRINGS, VA. — Omni Hotels & Resorts has acquired two resort hotels from KSL Capital Partners. The newly christened Omni Grove Park Inn is located in Asheville. It contains 514 guestrooms and features restaurants, a golf course, a tennis and fitness center, a 40,000-square-foot spa and convention facilities. It is currently undergoing a $25 million renovation, which will be complete this summer. The second property is the renamed Omni Homestead Resort, which is located on 2,000 acres in Hot Springs. The 483-room resort features 72,000 square feet of meeting space, restaurants, golf courses, a water attraction, a downhill ski area and an equestrian center. It is currently in the midst of a $26 million renovation. The two resorts were part of a five-property, 2,362-room portfolio purchase that also included resorts in Texas and California. The acquisition price was not disclosed.
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Omni Hotels & Resorts has purchased and reflagged the Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa in Austin from KSL Capital Partners LLC, a private equity firm. The property is heralded as the No. 1 golf resort in Texas with four championship level courses and Texas' only Callaway Performance Center. The property also features 318 guest rooms, full-service spa, meeting/wedding facilities and several dining options. The seller recently upgraded the property's guest rooms and meeting spaces.