$23,600,000 Non-Recourse Construction Loan for a 118-Key Hotel Project in Downtown Davis, CA

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners successfully arranged $42,200,000 in financing to recapitalize the construction of a 133-key extended-stay hotel on Music Row in Nashville, TN. The Lender disbursed 71% LTC, accompanied by a 12-Month interest reserve.

Multiple challenges were encountered when discussing the transaction with capital providers. The first being that the hotel is unflagged- many hospitality lenders focus primarily on popular hotelier affiliations during this risk-constrained lending environment. The team encountered a second hurdle related to mid-construction refinancing, which presented a challenging proposition from the outset of our campaign due to the hotel’s planned grand opening before November of 2023.

The GSP team was determined to leverage the deal with support from the local Nashville sponsor that owns and manages over 600 keys in the Nashville market and over 2,000 keys in the southeast, property location on Music Row in Nashville, and construction completion.

GSP successfully identified a hospitality Lender that exhibited confidence in the construction recapitalization process. This Lender was equipped to furnish the necessary funds to facilitate a smooth transition into TCO. Additionally, displaying confidence in the projected Average Daily Rate (ADR) assumptions. Notably, the Lender displayed comfort in financing the unflagged and extended-stay hotel, due to the Sponsor’s reputable track record in the market.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged a $47,000,000 fixed-rate, non-recourse, construction loan for the development of a four-star boutique hotel in a coastal community of California. When completed, the property will include 102 rooms and a fine dining restaurant.

Challenges:
The project experienced significant public resistance and ultimately, entitlements took 20 years to obtain. GSP was originally engaged to arrange institutional equity and fixed-rate construction to perm debt in the spring of 2022. GSP was successful in doing so, however, market volatility caused the deal to stall and ultimately the developer elected to dispose of the project to another developer. The new developer engaged with GSP to obtain new financing terms.

Solutions:
GSP focused on the strength of the sponsorship team, high barriers to entry, supportive hotel flag, positive historical occupancy, ADR-both before and after Covid, popularity of the local demand drivers, as well as the lack of competing quality hospitality properties in the immediate vicinity. Ultimately, GSP arranged a solution that met the needs of the sponsor.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $42,500,000 in construction financing for the conversion of a 496-key hotel to a market rate multifamily complex in Southeast Colorado Springs. Spanning 17 acres, the Project features 496 units and boutique amenities: restaurant & bar, fitness center, indoor & outdoor swimming pool, sport court, convenience store, and 294 self-storage units that will be made available to the public. The financing capitalized the hotel acquisition, renovation, and targeted deferred maintenance.

Colorado Springs is an ultra-high-growth submarket and consistently ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States. Bolstered by substantial job diversification, there has been an influx of young professionals and military personnel due to the surrounding five military bases. The Sponsor identified the hotel as a prime candidate for the conversion, offering a low basis, and best-in-class amenities to create significant value and drive occupancy rates. GSP was able to identify a lender who not only understood the pent-up demand for affordable housing in the booming submarket, but also the Sponsor’s ability to execute on the intended business plan.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners arranged $16,300,000 in non-recourse construction financing for the ground-up development of a 115-key select-service, extended-stay hotel in West Sacramento, California. The Project is located across the bridge from Downtown Sacramento on a main thoroughfare and within direct proximity to the newly built West Sacramento City Hall. The Project is well positioned as an economic alternative to travelers and a convenient option for long-term local guests. The financing allows the Sponsor to break ground on their third hotel under development in the greater Sacramento metropolitan area.

GSP identified a capital provider who was intent on securing a long-term relationship with the Sponsor, recognizing their extensive hospitality experience and ability to execute both on the construction and on the overall business plan with a high-degree of surety. Forming this relationship earned them a highly leveraged deal, sized to north of 80% of total project costs. The interest only, non-recourse construction loan is priced at a spread of 1 Month LIBOR plus 750 basis points, with a three-year term and two 12-month extension options. GSP highlighted the submarket’s various economic drivers, demonstrating its appeal as a pioneering and cost-effective market with tremendous growth potential.

Transaction Description:

George Smith Partners structured and placed a $460,000,000 non-recourse senior construction loan for the ground up development of Block 216, a landmark 1.1 million square-foot ground-up high-rise development in the heart of Portland, Oregon’s central business district. The 35-story luxury high-rise will be anchored by a 251-key five-star Ritz-Carlton hotel, the first five-star hotel in Portland. The development also features Ritz-Carlton branded residences, 140,000 square feet of Class A office space, and 7,800 square feet of ground floor retail, which will open up to a pedestrian “festival street.” Located at the intersection of the Central Business and Pearl Districts, Block 216 spans a full city block. This is extremely rare in Portland. Upon completion in 2023 Block 216, will be the fourth tallest high rise in Portland and the largest tower in Portland based on square footage.

Challenges:

Block 216 represents the first luxury, five star hotel and branded residential project in Oregon. It is also the first project with amenities common to luxury properties but absent in Portland thus far. This ground up development is also a true mixed used project with four different uses (hotel, residential, office and retail) in a single building.

Solutions:

GSP focused on Portland’s incredibly strong underlying fundamentals, including: its population of 2.5 million; its unemployment rate 50 basis points lower than the national average; its 1,200 tech companies (hence the name “Silicon Forest”); the impressive number of blue chip companies with presences in the market; and, the considerable number of institutional investors active in the market. GSP also stressed the Project’s unparalleled location and walkability to every major amenity in Downtown Portland as well as the 30 new conferences booked at the Portland Convention Center as a significant demand driver for five star accommodations.

GSP executed significant and high profile marketing to ensure the Project was appropriately received in the capital markets. These efforts resulted in a highly structured, non-recourse execution in less than six months from engagement.

Transaction Description

George Smith Partners placed a $115,000,000 non-recourse senior construction loan for the ground up development of a 326-key four-star Radisson BLU Hotel in Anaheim, CA. The Property is located in the Disneyland/Anaheim Convention Center submarket less than 1 mile from Disneyland Park. Once completed, the 12 story luxury hotel will be one of the few four star offerings available outside the Park and will feature an innovative, modern design. The amenity rich property will include a rooftop pool and deck with unobstructed views of the famous Disneyland nightly fireworks show and surrounding area. Catering to the Park-going family travelers, bunkbeds will be included in over half the rooms, and the hotel will feature a ground floor pool as well as upscale food and beverage offerings.

Challenges

The Project will be the first major development east of Interstate 5 in the Disneyland submarket. Additionally, the Hotel is slated to be the 4th Radisson BLU in the United States and will be one of the first four-star offerings available outside of the Disneyland Park.

Solutions

GSP focused on the submarket’s underlying fundamentals, including 28 million annual visitors, as well as its resilient occupancy rates and average daily rates that stayed relatively consistent through the recession. GSP also demonstrated that the Hotel is likely to capture an outsize share of the submarket’s 4 million annual international visitors. This is due to Radisson’s strong international branding supported by the fact that nearly all 300 Radisson BLUs are located outside the United States. Finally, GSP highlighted the Hotel’s upscale nature, which currently does not exist outside the Park, family friendly design and strong amenity package.

These efforts resulted in a high leverage, non-recourse execution.