Carlton Fields represents hotel brands, owners, developers, lenders, and managers. We handle all aspects of the purchase, sale, development, and both brand- and third-party management of hotels. Our services for hospitality industry clients include the following:
Purchases and Sales of Hotel Properties
We represent hotel and hospitality clients in the negotiation, documentation, and consummation of acquisitions and dispositions. We handle transactions of nearly every size and scope for clients that include major resorts, hotel companies, investors, and owners. We collaborate closely with our firm’s real estate practice, which provides planning, permitting, and development counsel.
Hotel Financing
We help hotel owners and developers finance and refinance a wide range of projects. Our representation builds on our extensive experience as counsel to numerous institutional and private lenders and investors. This work includes:
- Secured and unsecured financings
- Mezzanine financings
- Equity investments
- Construction loans
- Permanent loans
- Conduit loans
- Sale leasebacks
- Ground leases
- Equipment lease
- Contingent interest loans
Hotel Development
We structure, negotiate, and document complex real estate and resort developments. We represent developers, foreign and domestic sources of capital, architects, contractors, brokers, marketers, managers, and governmental authorities from the concept phase of a project, through the financing, construction, marketing, sales, and management phases.
Hotel Management and Operations
We advise hospitality industry clients on the full-range of management and operational issues they face daily. Our work includes negotiating and modifying management agreements with both the major brands and third-party management companies; representing owners in franchise agreement negotiations with the brand; and negotiating leases, concession agreements, and service, construction, and renovation contracts.
Hotel Franchise Agreements
We advise hotel owners and developers in the negotiation of franchise agreements with all the major hotel brands, including advising on issues related to special termination options, guaranty caps, areas of protection, transfer rights, PIP negotiations, fee ramps and discounts, reserve fund contributions, “key money,” and scope of brand approval of renovation plans.