Hospitality

BH Properties Buys Three Hotel Leases in Manhattan for $338.2M

by Nellie Day October 10, 2016

NEW YORK — BH Properties has purchased a portfolio of three New York City hotel leases for $338.2 million. Lexington Realty Trust sold the leased fee positions, which give the owner rights to the rent revenue without actually owning the property, similar to a ground lease. The acquisition is BH Properties’ first transaction in Manhattan and the largest transaction in the firm’s history. The deal was structured as a reverse 1031 exchange. BH Properties restructured its balance sheet to acquire the assets. The firm plans to divest up to 25 properties throughout the country in the next six months. Acquiring the leased fee positions in New York provided the firm with an opportunity to dispose of some properties that are either outside its target market or are no longer a focus for its investment strategy, according to Steve Gozini, the firm’s president. Ascott Residence Trust owns the Element, a 411-room hotel on 311 W. 39th St., and the 369-room Sheraton Tribeca at 370 Canal St. Magna Hospitality owns the 399-room Doubletree Hotel at 8 Stone St. Magna also manages all three assets. The three hotels were built in 2010, opened in 2011 and stabilized in 2012. Magna was the original developer of …

October 10, 2016

Hospitality Nevada Retail Top Stories Western

Boyd Gaming Acquires Aliante Casino Hotel and Spa in Las Vegas for $380M

by Haisten Willis September 28, 2016

NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEV. — Boyd Gaming Corp. (NYSE: BYD) has completed the acquisition of ALST Casino Holdco LLC, the holding company of Aliante Casino Hotel and Spa. Boyd bought the property for $380 million, according to the Las Vegas Sun. Aliante is Boyd Gaming’s first casino property in North Las Vegas, and its 10th property in the Las Vegas Valley. The company now owns and operates 22 casino properties in Nevada, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. “As the premier gaming asset in North Las Vegas, Aliante provides a tremendous opportunity to participate in the long-term growth of the northern part of the Las Vegas Valley,” says Keith Smith, president and CEO of Boyd Gaming. Aliante opened in November 2008 at a cost of more than $660 million under the name Aliante Station, and was originally a joint venture between Station Casinos and the Greenspun family. A group of banks and private equity companies became the new owners in 2011 as a result of the property’s bankruptcy restructuring. Boyd’s plan to purchase the property was first announced in April 2016. Aliante Casino Hotel and Spa includes an 82,000-square-foot casino floor, 170-seat race and sports book, 202-room hotel, 16-screen …

September 28, 2016

Hospitality Market Reports Michigan Midwest Midwest Market Reports

I-94 Corridor From Detroit to Ann Arbor Piques Hotel Investors’ Interest

by Christina Cannon July 28, 2016

Even as hotel operators continue to report steady gains in revenue per available room (RevPAR) nationally, Wall Street execs have begun to downgrade the lodging outlook, painting an entirely different picture. This disconnect is rooted in fears that the year-over-year growth in RevPAR is not sustainable in the current climate and that a spate of high-profile mergers and acquisitions among national operators must dictate a lower assessment of the industry. In spite of these concerns, demand continues to outpace new supply, both of which are occurring at a strong clip. Though industry observers may point to tepid occupancy as a concern, robust increases in average daily rates are leading to continued growth in RevPAR nationwide. How does Detroit stack up? Similar to the national hotel industry, Detroit is registering these same trends. On one hand, the market has recorded an increase in supply and a decrease in occupancy. On the other hand, average daily rates are steadily rising and RevPAR is growing overall, a sign of a strong hotel market. STR’s April 2016 report on the U.S. hotel pipeline indicated 1,046 rooms under construction in metro Detroit, or approximately 2 percent of the existing supply. This supply increase is at …

July 28, 2016

California Hospitality Loans Top Stories Western

Next Century Partners Receives $1B in Construction Financing for Century Plaza Mixed-Use Project in Los Angeles

by Nellie Day July 11, 2016

LOS ANGELES — Next Century Partners has received $1 billion in construction financing for the Century Plaza mixed-use project in Los Angeles. The $2.5 billion project will include two residential towers, restaurants and retail shops. The existing, five-star Century Plaza Hotel on the site will also undergo a renovation. The project is located at 2025 Avenue of the Stars in the Century City submarket. Construction is scheduled to commence later this summer. The hotel closed for renovations in March, and is set to reopen in early 2018. It will include a redesigned open-air lobby that connects public plazas and fountains to a two-acre garden surrounded by restaurants and retail. The hotel has hosted a number of notable events over its 50-year run, including the Grammy Awards and the “Dinner of the Century” in 1969, which honored the first astronauts to reach the moon. The full, mixed-use project will feature about 100,000 square feet of retail. The 46-story residential towers will include 290 luxury residences. A variety of loans provided the $1 billion in financing, including a $446 million senior loan from J.P. Morgan Chase; $120 million mezzanine financing from an investment vehicle managed by Colony Capital; and $450 million of …

July 11, 2016

District of Columbia Hospitality Southeast Top Stories

The Watergate Hotel Reopens Following $125M Renovation

by Haisten Willis June 15, 2016

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following a nine-year renovation process, The Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. has reopened its doors after $125 million in upgrades. New York-based developer Euro Capital Properties owns the famous hotel property, which had been closed for renovations since 2007. The hotel consists of 336 guestrooms, half of which include balconies, and 32 suites. Located on the banks of the Potomac River at 2650 Virginia Ave. N.W., The Watergate Hotel was originally designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti in 1961 to look like a sail on the river. It opened in March 1967, and its name is synonymous with the political scandal that started with a break-in at the Democratic National Convention headquarters, which was located in an office complex connected to the hotel. The scandal would eventually lead to the 1974 resignation of President Richard Nixon. For the renovations, Ron Arad and Italian design firm Moroso added curves and mid-century modern design, while restoring some of the hotel’s original structures such as its staircase and indoor pool. Architectural and interior design firm BBGM was the architect for the project. “The Watergate is undoubtedly one of the most glamorous and illustrious hotels in the world,” says Rakel Cohen, …

June 15, 2016

Hospitality Top Stories

Wyndham Plans Rebranding for Its 16 Hotel Chains

by Haisten Willis June 8, 2016

PARSIPPANY, N.J. — Wyndham Hotel Group (WHG) has unveiled a rebranding plan for all 16 of its brands, including Days Inn, Travelodge, Howard Johnson, Dolce Hotels and Resorts, Wyndham Grand, Wyndham Garden, TRYP by Wyndham, Wingate by Wyndham, Hawthorn Suites, Microtel Inn & Suites, Baymont Inn & Suites, Super 8, Knights Inn and Ramada Worldwide. All of the brands will see a revitalization effort aimed at younger, middle-income travelers. The Parsippany-based company conducted an 18-month study with brand strategy firm Siegel+Gale to assess the hotel landscape and the needs of business and leisure travelers. Changes will begin as early as this summer. The rebranding targets what WHG describes as the “everyday traveler,” as the global middle class grows from a population of 2 billion to 4.9 billion over the next decade, according to the company. WHG has a portfolio of nearly 8,000 hotels worldwide in the economy, midscale and upscale segments. WHG is also refreshing its loyalty program, Wyndham Rewards, and aims to more clearly define each brand in its portfolio. Super 8 will have a new slogan of “An American Road Original.” Travelodge’s new slogan will be “Your Basecamp for Adventure.” The new slogan for Microtel Inn & Suites …

June 8, 2016

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Features Hospitality Top Stories

Highland Group: Extended-Stay Hotels Continue to Outperform Overall Hotel Industry

by Haisten Willis May 12, 2016

Extended-stay hotels had a very good start to 2016 as they maintained higher growth in revenue per available room (RevPAR) than the overall hotel industry, according to the Highland Group’s First Quarter U.S. Extended Stay Lodging report. Extended-stay demand continues to increase at about 5 percent quarterly, and there appears to be no significant change to that trend on the horizon, according to the report. Occupancy also remains high compared with historic averages and there is more than enough supply growth to accommodate increasing demand, the researchers conclude. However, the accelerating increase in supply is reducing occupancy, and for the first time in more than five years all three extended-stay segments reported a quarterly decline in occupancy. Overall extended-stay occupancy has now declined slightly for four consecutive quarters and is likely to continue declining throughout 2016. At the same time, room revenues are up more than 10 percent and gains in average daily rate (ADR) are strong enough to continue positively impacting RevPAR, which is up 3.5 percent year over year in the extended-stay sector. RevPAR grew at 2.7 percent for the hotel industry overall. There were 397,003 extended-stay hotel rooms open at the end of first quarter 2016, which is an increase of …

May 12, 2016

Hospitality New York Northeast Top Stories

SBE Entertainment Agrees to Purchase Morgans Hotel Group In High-End Niche

by Haisten Willis May 11, 2016

LOS ANGELES AND NEW YORK CITY — SBE Entertainment has agreed to purchase Morgans Hotel Group Co. (NASDAQ: MHGC). The deal has a reported equity value of about $82 million. Morgans is the operator of high-end hotels, including the Mondrian in Los Angeles and the Royalton in New York City. When the transaction closes, Los Angeles-based SBE will acquire Morgans’ portfolio of 13 owned, operated or licensed hotel properties in London, Los Angeles, New York, Miami, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Istanbul, including its Hudson New York and Delano South Beach properties. The $82 million purchase price equates to $2.25 per share in cash, according to a statement from Morgans. Under terms of the agreement, SBE will acquire all of the outstanding shares of Morgans common stock in cash, which, together with the exchange of Morgans’ Series A preferred securities, the assumption of debt and transfer of capitalized leases, represents a total enterprise value of approximately $794 million The per share price represents a 69 percent premium over Morgans’ unaffected closing price on May 5, and a 54 percent premium to Morgans’ volume weighted average price for the 30 days up to and including May 5. “Morgans’ board of directors carefully …

May 11, 2016

Hospitality Loans Office Retail Top Stories Western

Developers Receive $225M Loan to Finance The Bloc Mixed-Use Project in Downtown Los Angeles

by Nellie Day April 5, 2016

LOS ANGELES — The developers of The Bloc, a 1.1 million-square-foot office, retail and hospitality redevelopment in downtown Los Angeles, have received a $225 million permanent loan to finance the project. The Bloc is located at 700 S. Flower Street. The site was originally built in 1973 as a traditional mall. The redevelopment will transform the space into an open-air urban complex. It will be the largest mixed-use property in Los Angeles, according to developers The Ratkovich Company, National Real Estate Advisors and Blue Vista Capital. The Bloc is scheduled to open this summer. A renovated flagship Macy’s will anchor the center. The Bloc will also offer a variety of artisanal retailers and restaurants, as well as creative-leaning office space and a newly renovated, 496-room Sheraton Los Angeles Downtown. The new loan replaces an existing CMBS loan inherited when the property was purchased in 2013, with a final payoff amount of about $121.6 million. It also provides additional proceeds to finalize the redevelopment and fund leasing costs at the property. “This financial commitment lends further credence to the vibrant revitalization underway in downtown and lays the foundation for continued growth in the decades ahead,” says Jeff Kanne, president of National …

April 5, 2016

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Features Hospitality Southeast Feature Archive Top Stories

Coordination Between Hotel Renovation Team Members Is Key to Achieving ‘Wow’ Factor

by Haisten Willis March 22, 2016

ATLANTA — There are many moving parts when refreshing or renovating a hotel property, and the key is engaging everyone involved early and often. This was the message delivered on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17, by a panel of hospitality experts during the 28th annual Hunter Hotel Conference held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis. Titled “Design to Inspire: Creating the Unexpected,” the breakout session featured a four-member panel that included Libby Patrick, president of Atlanta-based interior design firm Sims Patrick Studio; Bethany Warner, director of design management for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide; Sam Cicero Jr., president of Plainfield, Ill.-based Cicero’s Development Corp., a general contractor specializing in commercial renovation; and Alan Benjamin, president of Boulder, Colo.-based Benjamin West, a furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) purchasing firm. Johnathan Nehmer, chairman and founder of Rockville, Md.-based architecture firm Jonathan Nehmer + Associates, served as moderator. The session was the first design-focused panel in the conference’s history. “How do we create the unexpected in design?” asked Nehmer. “How do we put that ‘wow’ factor out there and what role does design play in the hospitality experience? What we’re going to talk about today is how designers and contractors and purchasing agents do that.” …

March 22, 2016

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