Latest news: Violence in Mexico; Gencom’s NYC deal price; another PMG tower in Miami

Cartel violence update in Mexico. An updated security alert from the U.S. Embassy in Mexico urged U.S. citizens in several Mexican cities, including resort cities of Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Mazatlan, to shelter in place due to “ongoing security operations and related road blockages and criminal activity.” The directive followed news reports that the leader of the powerful Jalisco New Generation Cartel had been killed Sunday by the Mexican army. According to the Associated Press, the killing of Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho, set off hours of roadblocks with burning vehicles in Jalisco and other places.

Price of Gencom NYC deal. Gencom paid about $320 million for its acquisition a few weeks ago of the 253-key Ritz-Carlton Central Park South in New York City, according to The Real Deal. The report said property records show a sale price of $270 million, but that figure typically does not include fixtures or non-real estate assets. Banco Inbursa provided a $235 million loan for the acquisition, according to records. Gencom Chief Investment Officer Alessandro Colantonio spoke with Hotel Investment Today last week about how the deal came together, the company’s current pipeline, and its investment philosophy.

PMG proposes another Miami tower. Miami-based Property Markets Group is proposing a second skyscraper development down the block from its Waldorf Astoria-branded condo tower (which would be the city’s tallest building) in Miami that would include a Delano hotel-branded residence, an observation desk, swimming pool and “sky restaurant.”

US hotels up last week. The U.S. hotel industry posted year-over-year gains, according to the latest data from CoStar. For the week of February 8-14, occupancy was 61.5% (+2.6%); ADR was $167.98 (+1.9%), and RevPAR was $103.35 (+4.6%). Among the top 25 Markets, Los Angeles reported the largest increases in ADR (+18.2% to $225.66) and RevPAR (+26.5% to $173.40), driven by the NBA All-Star Game. San Diego saw the highest lift in occupancy (+12.5% to 79.7%) and the second-largest gain in RevPAR (+20.2% to $178.12). Last year’s Super Bowl host, New Orleans, posted the most pronounced decreases in ADR (-20.9% to $249.68) and RevPAR (-23.3% to $170.93). Orlando registered the only double-digit decline in occupancy (-10% to 76.4%).

Park names COO, reports Q4 earnings. Tysons, Virginia-based REIT Park Hotels & Resorts has named Sean Dell’Orto as COO, effective February 12. Dell’Orto will also continue to serve as executive vice president, CFO and treasurer, roles he has held since the company’s spin from Hilton in 2017. The REIT also reported a Q4 RevPAR increase of 0.8% year-over-year and a Q4 core RevPAR increase of $210.15, an increase of 3.2% YOY. When excluding the Royal Palm South Beach Miami, a Tribute Portfolio Resort, which suspended operations in mid-May 2025 for a comprehensive renovation, those numbers increase to 2.8% and 5.7% YOY, respectively.  The REIT continues to divest of what it calls non-core assets, including sales of the 316-key Hyatt Centric Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco in May and the 559-room Capital Hilton in Washington, D.C. in November. The REIT also announced a new sale of the 193-key Hilton Checkers Los Angeles in California in January for over $132 million. It also terminated ground leases for the DoubleTree Hotel Sonoma Wine Country and the DoubleTree Hotel Seattle Airport at the end of 2025. Park forecasts a RevPAR increase of 0-2% in 2026.

Financing for Sotherly acquisition. Memphis, Tennessee-based Kemmons Wilson Hospitality Partners (KWHP) and Los Angeles-based Ascendant Capital Partners completed a highly structured $353 million loan in connection with the acquisition and privatization of Sotherly Hotels Inc., a REIT that owns a portfolio of 10 assets across the Southeastern U.S. The capitalization includes a $308 million senior mortgage loan and a $45 million structured mezzanine facility, which was arranged by Berkadia.

Extreme adds in Philadelphia. Scranton, Pennsylvania-based Extreme Hospitality has added the 20-key The Franklin on Rittenhouse, a boutique lifestyle hotel in Philadelphia, to its portfolio of managed properties.

SanRaj acquires 3 in UK. Mumbai, India-based SanRaj Group has acquired a three-hotel portfolio in the U.K. from Ares Real Estate funds and EQ Group for an undisclosed amount. The portfolio, acquired through SanRaj’s hospitality platform, Clearsense Ventures, comprises three Accor-branded hotels in Scotland and northern England: the 196-key Novotel Leeds Centre, the 141-key Novotel Glasgow Centre, and the 141-key Ibis Glasgow. All three hotels are operated by EQ Group and will continue to operate under the Accor brand. The hotels were acquired by Ares and EQ as part of a £400 million 21-asset deal in May 2024.

ISHC Rising Star CALA award. The International Society of Hospitality Consultants (ISHC) and the Hotel Investment Group by Northstar have opened nominations for the 2026 Rising Star Award CALA to be presented at the Americas Lodging Investment Summit Caribbean and Latin America (ALIS CALA). Candidates must be 35 years or younger, currently working in a hospitality-related field, recognized by leaders in the hospitality industry as a rising star, and currently living and working in the Caribbean or Latin America, with a minimum of 2 years’ experience in the market. Click here for more information.