ALIS names deal award winners

LOS ANGELES – The Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) announced its winners for the ALIS Awards. Among these finalists are hotels, companies, and executives who are responsible for the most influential hotel industry deals in 2024. Nominees for the awards are evaluated based on outstanding business performance in various industry sectors.

Evermore Orlando Resort in Orlando, Florida, was named Development of the Year (Full Service) 2024 (includes branded and unbranded - luxury and upper upscale chain scales, and casinos). The Evermore Orlando Resort opened in January 2024 for $1 billion, revolutionizing how families and friend groups vacation in Orlando, Florida. Dart Interests developed a truly groundbreaking luxury destination resort combining 433 hotel rooms at the flagship Conrad Orlando with 316 resort owned short-term rentals where groups can choose options ranging from 2-bedroom villas to 11-bedroom private luxury homes. Families get the private gathering space of a vacation rental with resort amenities and services, onsite dining, and 24/7 security, all set along Orlando’s first and only beach paradise, Evermore Bay, with 20 acres of crystal-clear waters and sandy white beaches. Finalists in this category also included Populus Denver in Denver, CO, and Signia by Hilton Atlanta Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown in Nashville, Tennessee, was named Development of the Year (Select/Limited Service) 2024 (includes branded and unbranded - upscale, upper midscale, midscale, and economy chain scale). On February 15, 2024, the 306-room Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown opened in the Nashville Yards location of downtown Nashville. Opening significantly ahead of schedule and under budget, the Tempo Nashville was only the second Tempo by Hilton branded property to open in the US. The hotel’s extensive program and creative design was developed by HRI Hospitality for an amount more than $100 million and is managed by HRI Hospitality’s affiliate, HRI Lodging. Finalists in this category also included citizenM Boston Back Bay in Boston and Gale Miami Hotel & Residences in Miami.

Arizona Biltmore Resort in Phoenix, Arizona, was named Single Asset Transaction of the Year (Over US$25M) 2024. In May 2024, Henderson Park acquired the Arizona Biltmore Resort for $705 million in partnership with Western & Southern Financial Group and Pyramid Global Hospitality from Blackstone. This sale represented the second largest single-asset transaction of 2024. Opened in 1929, the Frank Lloyd Wright influenced, AAA Four-Diamond resort, spans 39 acres in the heart of Phoenix, featuring 749 guestrooms and villas, 200,000 square feet of meeting space, a 28,000 square foot spa and 7 food & beverage venues. At closing, Henderson Park secured $460 Million CMBS financing and the brand conversion to an LXR Resort by Hilton operated by Pyramid. Finalists in this category also included Hyatt Regency Orlando in Orlando and W Hotel South Beach in Miami Beach.

The Chatham Inn Relais & Chateaux in Chatham, Massachusetts, was named Single Transaction of the Year (US$25M & Under) 2024. On March 1 2024, Inn Partners LLC sold a 95% share of The Chatham Inn Relais & Chateaux, a Forbes Five Star rated luxury 18 room inn, to Noble House Hotels & Resorts, which has assumed all operations and continued participation in Relais & Chateaux. Inn Partners’ co-principal Jeff Ippoliti will oversee the initial integration and final entitlement phase for 6 new luxury suites on the property’s 3rd floor. The $17 million acquisition price ($944,444/room) allows Noble House Hotels & Resorts to enter a strategic, high barrier to entry growth market with rate and expansion upside at this luxury property. Finalists in this category also included Hotel De Anza in San Jose, California, and The Roxbury Experience in Roxbury, New York.

Graduate Hotels acquired by Hilton was named Merger & Acquisition of the Year 2024. In May 2024, Hilton acquired the Graduate Hotels brand, including franchise agreements for existing and future properties, from AJ Capital Partners for $210 million. AJ Capital Partners retained real estate ownership of the existing Graduate properties under new long-term Hilton franchise agreements. Finalists in this category also included G6 Hospitality acquired by Oravel Stays (OYO) and Standard International acquired by Hyatt Hotels Corp.

William Hodges, chairman, CEO and co-founder at Hodges Ward Elliott, was named Jack A. Shaffer Financial Advisor of the Year 2024. Finalists in this category also included Jeffrey Davis, managing director at Eastdil Secured, and Lawrence Kwon, managing director at Moelis & Co.