Prominent South Florida Real Estate Professionals Team To
Purchase Orlando Resort Hotel
Fort
Lauderdale, Florida (January 7, 2003) –REH
Capital Partners, LLC, headed by Frank Nardozza, former National
Real Estate and Hospitality Practice Leader for KPMG Consulting,
announced today the acquisition of the 144 unit Lake Cecile
Suites and Resort in Orlando, Florida in partnership with
Ezra Katz, CEO of the IAG Florida and IAG Florida Corp,
and Miami investor Enrique Dillon. The acquisition marks the
first of several planned acquisitions by REH Capital Partners
in the upcoming months in “turn around” hotel
investment opportunities throughout the United States. The
property was purchased out of foreclosure from an Arizona
based lender for $4,700,000 representing a deep discount from
pre-“911” market pricing and about a 60 percent
discount to full replacement cost. The property will undergo
a complete renovation and refurbishment, which is scheduled
for completion in April of 2003 at an estimated cost of approximately
$1,600,000. Upon completion of the renovation, the resort
will be affiliated with Choice International Hotels as a MainStay
Suites Resort and will be one of the first ever conversions
of an existing property to the MainStay Suites brand in the
United States.
“With
this acquisition we believe we have found a tarnished gem
whose luster we believe we can readily restore”, says
Frank Nardozza, Chairman of REH Capital Partners and former
National Hospitality Practice Leader for KPMG Consulting.
He added, “we were able to lock in the pricing for the
property back in March of 2002 based on immediate post “911”
performance and we patiently waited and worked through many
issues with the seller to finally reach the finish line last
week”. Comments Jim Fitzgerald, Chief Investment Officer
for REH Capital Partners, “we chose to affiliate with
MainStay Suites, the extended stay brand of Choice Hotels
International, since we felt we needed to get across the message
that this property is more than a mix of standard sized hotel
rooms and suites, and is different in that it offers very
large family villa type units, all with full kitchens, ranging
in size from 500 to 825 square feet per unit.”
Legg
Mason Real Estate Capital out of Los Angeles, California provided
acquisition and renovation financing for the property. Kelco
Management and Development, based in Weston, Florida, will
manage the day-to-day operations of the property. REH Capital
Partners teamed with Fort Lauderdale based IAG Florida, Inc.
in evaluating the transaction and completing the financing.
Lake
Cecile Suites and Resort is located at the intersection of
State Road 535 and Highway 192 in the heart of the Central
Florida tourism corridor and just minutes from the Walt Disney
World Attractions and Universal Studios Orlando Resort. The
10-acre resort consists of one and two bedroom suites, all
with full kitchens and most with log burning fireplaces, situated
in a scenic resort setting along the shores of Lake Cecile.
The Resort was originally developed as a Marriott Residence
Inn. The Resort features a lakeside sandy beach, wooden docks,
a sun deck overlooking Lake Cecile, fishing, water sports,
a playground, video game room, basketball and volleyball courts,
a heated swimming pool and Jacuzzi, pool bar and snack bar,
and many other resort amenities.
IAG Florida, Inc. provides development, mortgage and real estate
brokerage services for hospitality, living & lifestyle
real estate products. Associated with IAG Florida in Miami,
a full service real estate investment banking firm, IAG
provides clients with the integration of financial, operational
and real estate development skills, all of which are essential
for success in today's hospitality industry.
Back