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Newsletter - March 7, 2002

TOP TEN PITFALLS IN HOTEL DEVELOPMENT

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels Report

Actual Project Development Mishaps

  • A hotel project misses the opening date by 25 months with no work stoppages or financial trouble to blame.
  • A 5-star hotel opens with the banqueting facility located 350 yards from the banqueting kitchen.
  • A business hotel opens with elevators stopping one floor short of the penthouse level providing “stair only” access to what should have been the best rooms in the house.
  • A large luxury convention hotel opens with no elevator access between convention facilities and car parking facilities.

An exclusive luxury hotel built out over the water uses unwashed sea-sand in the concrete, resulting in immediate corrosion of the re-enforcing steel in all structural columns.

These situations along with many other debacles are actual accounts of hotel development gone wrong. Jones Lang LaSalle, who employees more that 400 Project and Development Services (PDS) professionals in the United States, has learned on numerous occasions that a defined approach to best practices and a specific development process is essential to the successful completion of a hotel development or renovation of any size or scope. (Case Studies: The Diplomat Resort Hollywood, Florida; Four Seasons Hotel New York, New York; The Residences at the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman) 

It is not too difficult to imagine a hotel development project spiraling out of control.

Cost overruns and construction delays can easily turn a profitable project into a development nightmare, of ten losing millions of dollars in the process. The careful selection and engagement of a professional Project and Development Services manager who represents the owner’s best interests will be the most valuable project cost allocation made in a hotel development.

We have outlined the “Top Ten Pitfalls” encountered in hotel development.

Pit fall # 10   Building A Dream Rather Than A Financial Winner?

Issue

Historically, many hotels were developed as trophy assets, often with little regard to the underlying economics of the development . While these types of developments were common in the late 1980s, they have by in large become the exception today.

The first question that needs to be asked is why build a new hotel. The answers will range from financial to fantasy.

The first step in any development process is to “prove” the vision; the most successful hotel developers set aside a judicious amount of time in the development cycle to validate their ideas.

Solution

The first and indispensable step of a project delivery process is the confirmation of the owner’s goals and objectives. Even if they have already been established, a thorough review of the goals and objectives is appropriate when a development team is retained. Constraints should be investigated to assure all budget and schedule risks are exposed. Objectives for image and costs must be tested in the market to assure expectations can be met. The owner’s decision-making process, financing requirements and similar concerns will be explored to unearth unforeseen risks.

Project planning, including the selection of all consultants, needs to be reviewed and coordinated from the beginning. The financial objectives of the development need to be established and clearly communicated, including the holding strategy, return on investment, equity available and the likelihood of raising construction and long-term financing.

As a development team will be responsible for the implementation of the owner’s decisions made early in the process, it is beneficial to introduce the development manager early in the development cycle to avoid divergent agendas of architects, contractors, operators and owners.

Pitfall # 9   Having The Wrong Entity Driving The Process — Should It Be The Owner, The Developer Or The Operator?

Issue

Very early in the development process, the owner must form their team. This team includes the owner, developer, architect, engineer, interior designer as well as other consultants unique to the project such as contractors, attorneys, financial advisers, appraisers and operators. Usually, there are three drivers jockeying for the lead position: the owner, the developer and the operator. All believe they have legitimate reasons for why they should spearhead the project.

Developers assume they should take the lead because they know how to convert the vision into a building. Operators think they should run the show because the hotel must be built according to specifications of their brand. Owners presume they should be in charge because their capital is financing the project. Although the team is assembled based on the owner’s concept, the developer and the operator each has a tendency to craft the agreement in a way that allows minimum interference from the owner.

The fact of the matter is that the owner should drive the process at all times and should be the ultimate decision-maker. After all, the owner is the risk taker and without his or her financial support, the project might remain on the drawing board. This does not mean that the owner should be involved in every detail of the project . Rather, it is assumed that the owner would have selected a competent project team and negotiated with the best suitable operator for the property.

Solution

To ensure the owner’s best interests, it is wise to assemble a development team with experience in completing complex hotel projects that can objectively oversee the development activity of a third party. To ensure a timely and successful delivery of a project , a qualified development adviser should initiate the following related processes that are critical to any development.
 

Pre-construction

·  Project Planning

·  Capital/Financial Plan Development

·  Design Team Selection/Design Management Plan

·  Pre-Construction Services and/or General Contractor Selection

·  Governmental & Regulatory Requirements

·  Hotel Operations Planning & Asset Management Approach

·  Schedule & Budget Management Systems

·  Bid and Negotiation Services

·  FF&E Design, Procurement & Installation Planning

Construction

·  Contract Administration, Management Control & Reporting

·  Project Coordination & Conflict Resolution

·  Budget & Schedule Control

·  Change Order Administration

·  Quality & Safety Control

·  Invoice Approval/Draw Preparation/Cash Flow Management/Reporting

·  FF&E Procurement & Phased Installation

·  Preparation for Occupancy and Hotel Management Start-up

·  Project Close-Out & Operations Turnover

Pitfall # 8   Form At The Expense Of Function!

Issue

Unlike other types of real estate, the development of a hotel is the creation of a new business entity. Design decisions made early in the development process stay with the property for its lifetime and can become an operations benefit or nightmare. Decisions about technology, room size, meeting facilities, flexibility with current brand standards, and the mix of food and beverage must be the driving force in “future-proofing” a design so that the property remains competitive well into its future.

Solution

In order to achieve maximum value as well as budget control, a development team needs to ensure that a comprehensive construction estimate and updated project budget is prepared at the end of each design phase (Conceptual, Schematic, Design Development and Construction Documents). This process results in constant checks of the evolving design versus the project budget , which allows issues to be addressed while there is still time to adjust the design or the budget.

Throughout a project, a systematic value engineering approach needs to be adopted to maximize the cost/benefit impact of every dollar invested in the project . The goal of value engineering is to analyze every opportunity, recommendation or new technology/material during the design and construction phase that has the potential to “enhance” the project while maintaining budget and schedule control. Value enhancement can occur (1) when a project can be constructed more economically and efficiently from a cost and schedule standpoint; (2) when new products or more durable material is developed that will decrease operations and maintenance costs, and (3) when operators provide input on functionality, work flow and overall building performance

The discipline of value engineering requires the evaluation of everything against a pre-determined set of criteria, which are established in the initial development phase with the owner.

Pitfall #7   Why Foot The Bill Yourself? — Get Local And Regional Civic Participation!

Issue

A hotel should ultimately be developed because it is financially sound and provides the type and quality of services that the market desires. By developing a hotel, the owner is contributing a tangible asset to a local community by providing additional tax revenue and gainful employment. In exchange for these benefits to the community, an owner/developer should take advantage of its privileged position and get support from the local government.

Although not always available, this support can take various forms, from building the access infrastructure (such as an access road to the hotel site) to tax incentive financing. The key is to ensure that all forms of available incentives are investigated and incorporated into the financial plan, if they are favorable to the owner’s overall goals and objectives.

Solution

During early due diligence on the project and the site, the owner/developer needs to be familiar with potential public incentives in the municipality where the project will be built. With the right approach, a developer can often obtain financial support from the local and federal government for the project . Following are a few of the options an
owner/developer should consider:

  • Municipal tax free bonds
  • Access infrastructure improvements
  • Tax incentive financial (TIF) districts
  • Federal historical tax credits
  • Environmental clean-ups
  • Beach restorations

Pitfall #6   Limited Contractor Accountability — Now That It’s Built, Who Is Responsible?

Issue

Hotel projects are notorious for last minute installations of case goods and scrambles to complete interior finishes. The final push toward the opening deadline of ten forces contractors to cut corners to avoid financial penalties or liquidated damages for missed deadlines. Without defined project controls, the keys to the hotel are often handed to the hotel manager, only to find substandard materials and workmanship that create operating problems well after the contractors have moved onto their next project.

Solution

A comprehensive quality control program is the backbone to any hotel development and should focus on three primary goals: (1) knowledgeable design phase input, (2) clear communication of expectations to contractors, and (3) regular on-site inspections to review the construction and conformance to the quality standards contained in the design specification and, if necessary, formulate an aggressive program to correct non-complying work. As the project progresses, continual reviews of each phase of the project will minimize the final punch list and turnover process so project closeout can be expedited and hotel operations can proceed with minimal interference.

During the final phases of the project , it is imperative to coordinate the efforts of the general contractor and the local authorities to gain all necessary licenses and permits required to open the hotel in conjunction with the hotel operations plan.

The entire project team must be aligned to the goal of opening the hotel on time, with minimal remaining punch list items at the time of turnover to operations. Preliminary and final punch list procedures must be established early in the project to allow sufficient time for completion prior to turnover.

Prior to the expiration of all project warranties, inspections must be conducted to determine the existence of any warranted defects and arrange with the respective manufacturers and subcontractors to correct the defects prior to the expiration of the warranty.

Pitfall #5   Functional Obsolescence — Missing The Trends!

Issue

Now more than ever, hotel guests are being exposed to ever increasing service levels, design innovations and new technology. Hotel guests are traveling more frequently and are being exposed on a regular basis to the latest in hotel trends and gadgetry. The process of one-upsmanship is nothing new, but to build a hotel today without consideration of future trends may create an asset that soon loses value through functional obsolescence. The mega trends in the lodging industry continue to evolve. We are seeing a continued shift toward quality not quantity, such as the proliferation of boutique hotels offering a unique experience over the cookie cutter approach to corporate lodging. With this evolving landscape, it becomes important to the long-term profitability of a project that every effort is made to incorporate product flexibility in the initial design.

Solution

The time frame on large projects from conception to completion can take anywhere from two to four years. This time frame is a lifetime in terms of technology and means that the available technology, materials and techniques at the start of a project can be vastly different from those available at completion.

To ensure that the “latest thinking” is brought to bear on a given project , it is important to draw from global experience on asset management, project management and financing. It is critical to balance the financial objectives of the project with the overall financial objectives of the asset during operations. 

Additionally, as stated previously, the discipline of value engineering will ensure that new technology, materials, products and design changes will be constantly evaluated against the overall design parameters and incorporated into the project should an overall benefit be substantiated.

Pitfall #4   Back-Door Procurement—A Friend Of Mine Imports Beautiful Marble!

Issue

The procurement process needs to be expertly managed and tightly controlled until the last towel is placed in the guestrooms. The hotel FF&E procurement process is full of stories of kickbacks, inferior products being delivered late or the wrong product arriving at the last minute. The procurement process is a haven for cost padding and political and self-serving decisions that affect the hotel operations for the useful life of the products.

Solution

Cost control and quality can be maintained by implementing a coordinated FF&E procurement process including:

  • Establishing the RFP process for procurement & installation providers and controlling the process all the way through.
  • Challenging the interior designer, the procurement company and the vendors to evaluate and recommend best-in-class solutions to FF&E.
  • Reviewing product data and samples proposed with the owner and the hotel operator to make sure they are in compliance with the client ’s requirements.
  • Developing a plan and coordinating the installation of FF&E in conjunction with the contractor’s construction turnover schedule and the operator’s training schedules on all elements of the project, including furniture delivery strategies and inventory security.

Pitfall #3 Costs Spiraling Out Of Control—You Need Another Check?

Issue

Without a clearly conceived strategy for implementing the project, together with experience, coordination and communication, a project can literally spin out of control. The financial implications that result from development pitfalls can be devastating. Following are some of the potential hazards:

  • Labor disputes
  • Legal disputes
  • Less than ironclad agreements with general contractors and trades, allowing for uncapped price fluctuation
  • Accumulation of delays, causing loss of business and increased construction costs
  • Accumulation of change orders due to a flawed or incomplete design prior to construction
  • Construction conflicts adding to delays
  • Lack of contractor/trade warranties
  • Non-bonded contractors and trades on the job
  • Uncooperative neighbors
  • Potential loss of business and goodwill

The business of building a hotel from the ground up is complex and multifaceted. Of ten owners and developers do not account for cost overruns, which can have dramatic implications on the project.

Solution

Experience is key to the hotel development process and qualified advisers can mitigate most of these issues with minimum involvement by the owner. The primary objective of advisers is to ensure that the owner’s best interest is met during all stages of development. To accomplish such a project, the development team must focus on the following:

1. Establishing benchmarks and performance targets:

  • Assembling a design and construction team of best-in-class providers;
  • Maximizing the buying power of each dollar spent on the project by testing, evaluating and expanding local contractor and subcontractor relationship negotiations to take advantage of current market conditions and discounts; and
  • Challenging design solutions to ensure optimum value for construction dollars and efficient and economical future flexibility.

2. Bringing market leverage and pressure to all cost categories.

3. Mitigating risk and liability.

4. Retaining a high level of control:

  • The control of a project’s schedule is essential to minimize cost overruns. Process control, scheduling and project management cost reporting systems put real cost containment into the hands of the project team and owner management.
  • Expert management provides important initial feasibility information and manages the design and construction process to the interests of the owner. This will produce an end result that is consistent with the overall project goals and business plan.

Pitfall #2   Overlooking The Small Details — What Do You Mean We Need A Liquor License?

Issue

Finally the hotel is built and almost ready to open for business. Often this is when the owner must feverishly scramble to secure all licenses and permits necessary to open the hotel. Time is money, and any delay in the hotel opening can be costly. Construction delays are one aspect of the equation. The other side of the equation is the lack of understanding and knowledge of the process for obtaining the necessary permits, licenses and certificates to open a hotel. The following list represents some of the required licenses and permits prior to opening:

  • City Occupational Licenses
  • County Occupational Licenses
  • Certificate of Registration—Collection of Sales & Use Tax
  • Business License (Rooms, Miscellaneous)
  • Food & Beverage (Bars/Restaurants)
  • Food & Beverage (Kitchens/Food prep areas)
  • Beverage Licenses (4COPS/3M) (Florida)
  • Special Tax Stamp (Retail Liquor Dealer)(U.S. Dept. of Treasury)
  • Swimming Pool Permits (State/County)
  • Elevator/Escalator Certificates of Operation
  • Certificate of Balcony Inspection
  • Boiler Certifications
  • Certification of Fire Protection System
  • Fuel Storage Tank Licenses
  • Dry Cleaning System Permits

Solution

There is no excuse for not having all the licenses, certificates and permits in place upon completion of the development. These documents may require planning months in advance and should be an integral part of the development’s critical path planning. To ensure a smooth process of attaining the necessary licenses and permits, it
is important to remain in constant contact with the local government agency throughout the various development phases of the project. Issues are addressed during regular visits with the local inspectors and, therefore, do not accumulate over time to the point that they become unmanageable. Lack of communication translates into licensing delays.

Pitfall #1   Missing The Deadline—The Guests Are Knocking But Nobody's Home!

Issue

Project delays resulting in the postponed opening of a hotel can have many adverse consequences. In order to ease the financial pressure of the typical hotel start up, the sales and marketing team will begin to book association and group business 12 to 18 months prior to opening. The importance of establishing an opening date and completing the hotel on schedule is critical to avoid the cost of relocating group bookings and the associated negative publicity. The same can be said for the various publications and directories catering to the corporate and leisure travelers. If group
business cannot be layered in and publications and promotional material do not accurately reflect a hotel's opening, the hotel opening is likely to produce poor financial results.

Solution

Critical path planning and adherence to development schedules are imperative to a hotel project’s financial success. Managing the development schedule and assuring compliance requires that all interaction between the owner/developer, the hotel operator and the design and construction team are managed.

Management of the development schedule requires an intimate understanding of the owner’s decision-making processes, the creation of interim milestone dates with the necessary tracking process, and the necessary expertise to provide real time solutions to remedy construction delays.

To ensure that a hotel opens on time, many construction contracts will include performance clauses such as bonus incentives for early completion or liquidated damages as a penalty for late completion. Other steps that can be implemented to ensure timely openings include staged occupancy of critical components of the hotel. Typically kitchens, training facilities, computer rooms, and laundry and operating supply areas are brought online three to four months before opening, while guest rooms, front office and reception are turned over four to six weeks ahead of
opening.

The strict management of the development schedule, including establishing and tracking critical milestones, managing an “Action Item List” throughout design and construction and identifying and tracking long-lead items will result in a smooth ending of a long and demanding development process.

Jones Lang LaSalle—Project and Development Services Approach to Hotel Development

A successful Project & Development Services (PDS) team must provide expert management of all aspects of a project while acting in the owner’s best interests based upon clearly defined goals and objectives. Strategy, communication and experience are required to manage the design teams; to communicate on all aspects of the project; to juggle multiple financial objectives and expectations; to control phasing, budgets and schedules; and to meet unique hotel operating requirements. The primary goal is to deliver a project that fits the investor’s business plan ON TIME, ON BUDGET and WITHOUT SURPRISES.

The Jones Lang LaSalle Advantage

Jones Lang LaSalle’s Project and Development Services (PDS) brings a bottom-line business focus to our client’s project and property challenges on all project t ypes and industries. Our 400+ professionals are based throughout the United States and can implement customized and creative solutions that fit our clients' specific requirements while ensuring strategically smart solutions at the lowest cost and within the most expedient time frame. PDS services include development management, advisory, build-to-suit, interior project management, renovation & rehabilitation, move management, furniture project management, multi-site program management and strategic occupancy planning.

In addition to our expert management of the design, construction and relocation processes, we have uniquely integrated resources within Jones Lang LaSalle which can be deployed to handle any complex real estate issue, resulting in real quantifiable value—wherever our services are needed.

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels, the world’s leading hotel investment services group, provides clients with value-added investment opportunities and advice. In 2001, its success story includes the sale of 7,972 hotel rooms to the value of US$1.3 billion in 39 cities and advisory expertise on 100,550 rooms to the value of US$26.3 billion across 255 cities.

Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels’ services include transactions, mergers and acquisi tions, financial advice and capital raising, valuation and appraisal, asset management, strategic planning, operator assessment and selection and industry research.

Jones Lang LaSalle can offer a wide range of consulting, project management and development services specifically tailored to any hotel development.

Biographies of Contributors
 

Gregory Rumpel, Senior Vice President, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels
Gregory Rumpel is a Senior Vice President with Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels' Miami office where he spearheads much of the firm's hospitality investment sales, consulting and advisory assignments in the Southeastern region of the United States and Latin America. He has over 10 years of hotel operations and real estate experience throughout the Asia Pacific, US and Latin America. His advisory experience includes hotel conversion and new development feasibility analysis, hotel facilities/operations consulting and mixed use development planning.

Christian Charre, Vice President, Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels
Christian Charre is Vice President of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels’ Miami office charged with expanding services of the firm in the Southeast United States, the Caribbean and Latin America. As a hotel specialist, Mr. Charre has over 20 years of hospitalit y experience and has been involved in various hotel, resort and mixed-use openings worldwide. He was recently involved with the opening of the Diplomat Hotel and Resort in Hollywood, Florida.

David A. Black, Senior Vice President, Project and Development Services, Jones Lang LaSalle
David Black is a Senior Vice President of Jones Lang LaSalle and leads the hospitality practice for Project and Development Services. Mr. Black serves as a strategic adviser and project executive on a diverse group of project types. He has over 20 years of experience in the hospitality and real estate industries focusing on the development, design and construction of luxury hotels, conference centers, corporate offices and complex redevelopment projects.

©2002 Jones Lang LaSalle IP, Inc. All rights reserved. All information contained herein is from sources deemed reliable, however no representation or warranty is made to the accuracy thereof.

Disclaimer Copyright — All material in this publication is the property of Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels (NSW) Pty. Ltd. (ABN 65 075 217 462). No part of this publication may be reproduced or copied without written permission.

The information in this publication should be regarded solely as a general guide. While care has been taken in its preparation, no representation is made nor responsibility accepted for the accuracy of the whole or any part. This publication is not part of any contract and parties seeking further details should contact the author

Contact:
Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels
Miami
2655 Le Jeune Road
Suite 303
Coral Gables, FL 33134
tel: +1 305 779 3060
fax: +1 305 779 3063

http://www.joneslanglasalle.com/
www.joneslanglasallehotels.com

 

THE OBEROI GROUP RECEIVES TOP AWARDS FOR TWO LUXURY PROPERTIES IN INDIA


Amarvilas, with Rooms Overlooking the Taj Mahal, Wins Gallivanter's
"Editor's Choice Award"
Rajvilas, a Recreation of a Maharajah's Fort in Jaipur, Named Andrew
Harper's "Grand Award Winner"

NEW DELHI, March 5, 2002 - Amarvilas in Agra, and Rajvilas in Jaipur,
two luxury resorts of the Oberoi Group, recently won the much coveted
international hospitality awards given by the Gallivanter's Guide and
Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report, respectively. The awards reinforce
the Group's reputation of providing guests with a perfect blend of
quality service, luxury and efficiency.

Amarvilas won the highly acclaimed Gallivanter's Guide "Editor's
Choice Award." Acknowledging that it took a lot for a hotel to truly
amaze them, the editor said that Amarvilas "succeeded" in doing so
"on every front." Exuding praise on the resort whose architecture was
comparable to the extraordinary Taj Mahal, the editor said that
Amarvilas was "a world-beating resort that every serious hotel
aficionado should visit at least once in a lifetime."

Gallivanter's Guide, published in the UK, is a very prestigious
publication that is widely circulated amongst luxury travelers in the
US and UK. The Guide provides its readers authentic, critically
tested information on the world's finest hotels and resorts, all of
which must meet very high standards in terms of innovative
architecture, state-of-the-art technology, décor and cuisine. In
addition, great emphasis is given to the overall experience of the
guests and their interaction with staff, as well as the service
provided.

Declaring Rajvilas the "Grand Award Winner" of its 23rd annual Hotels
of the Year competition, the Hideaway Report said that the resort was
"romantic, charmingly staffed and sumptuously designed" with
"luxuriantly manicured grounds, exotic pavilions and unique water
features."

The highly prestigious award of the US-based Andrew Harper's Hideaway
Report is given to international hotels that are located in "truly
peaceful and scenically pleasing surroundings." In addition,
unannounced, incognito inspection teams consider the guests' overall
experience with special attention paid to general décor, design,
cleanliness and upkeep of the lodgings and public lounges. Staff
must meet exceptionally high standards in terms of esprit de corps,
attentiveness, friendliness, thoroughness and efficiency. The food
is judged for its ingredients, inspiration and presentation.

Rajvilas has also been accorded India's National Tourism award for
the year 2001 for the best hotel in the five-star deluxe category.

Oberoi Hotels and Resorts are known worldwide for their excellence.
Their loyal international clientele are assured luxury, efficiency
and attention to detail. Rajvilas and Amarvilas have consistently
earned international laurels and awards, making them a 'must visit'
part of every discerning traveler's itinerary.

The Oberoi Group, founded in 1934, operates in 7 countries with 36
properties including the luxury Oberoi Hotels and Resorts and the
superior first class Trident Hotels. The Group is also engaged in
flight catering, airport restaurants, travel and tour service, car
rentals, project and corporate air charters. For reservations,
contact Oberoi Resorts at 1-800-5-OBEROI, or log on to the Web site,
www.oberoihotels.com.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: SHEILA DONNELLY & ASSOCIATES

 

HOTEL CRISIS STRATEGIES – GOOD TIMES AHEAD (FINALLY)

Report by The Plasencia Group, Inc.
 

We at The Plasencia Group feel rather positive about what lies ahead for the balance of the year.  We have spent the last few weeks speaking with our close friends throughout the industry with the goal of painting a clear picture for our clients and ourselves of what we might expect.  We thought we would take a moment to share with you the information we have gathered.

It’s All Relative

A wise philosopher once said, “To know where you’re going, you must look to where you’ve been.”  As we looked back, then, at the lodging industry’s recent past, we have compiled the following observations:

  • One of the few positives we can point to about the last six to nine months is that new hotel supply is at a virtual standstill.  A scarcity of new room starts today mean fewer competitors tomorrow.  This unanticipated benefit, much like allowing a productive crop field to lie fallow between plantings, will allow the industry to recover from the demand downdraft caused by the attacks of September 11th and the subsequent general recession cycle. 
  • The lodging industry today, compared with even a year or two ago, is operating in a much leaner and streamlined environment.  Gone are the thrills and frills for operators.  It’s “get the heads in beds” at its purest.  Also gone are the fly-by-the-seat-of-their-pants operators.  Those that have survived the last two- to three-year period are the true professionals, many of whom have survived the last two to three decades!  
  • The aggressive acquisitions – those that may have resulted in the poorly underwritten bulk purchases and financing of hotels – are well behind us.  Any acquisition that takes place these days is underwritten with very conservative criteria, virtually ensuring a sound investment.
  • Notwithstanding the need to turn over capital and to exchange positions in real estate holdings, institutional as well as private equity investors have been in a state of suspended animation.  All await some sign that the economy is returning to normal and that public confidence in air travel has been restored.

So where is the road we’ve been on leading us?  Here’s what we’re hearing about what lies ahead following our numerous conversations with contacts in various corners of the industry:

  • Travel bookings are reported to be up significantly by virtually all of the major distribution systems.  This is particularly true of Internet and other electronic booking engines.  Several of the more prominent operators indicate that while bookings were way down during the fourth quarter of 2001, their reservations thus far in 2002 are up as compared to the same period last year.
  • Thus far in 2002, Central Reservations Offices for various chains report significant year-over-year increases in call volume and, more importantly, in actual bookings through mid-February.  On average, reports from some of the top chains indicate bookings are up about 11.0% year over year.
  • Travel coordinators and meeting planners tell us that there has been a general “loosening up” of management’s restrictions on corporate travel, especially travel that is related to new business development.
  • Investment bankers confirm that hotel companies are better capitalized today than they have ever been.  Following an explosive M&A period of the mid- to late-90s, most public hotel companies now find themselves in the enviable position of having great assets with relatively low levels of leverage and the ability to borrow more if needed.
  • Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan remains cautiously optimistic about the U.S. economy.  He believes conditions are favorable for a recovery and has suggested that Congress’s proposed economic stimulus package might not be needed.  It is therefore unlikely that the Fed would be cutting interest rates again any time soon.  In 2001, the Fed cut its target rate a record eleven times in an effort to stimulate the economy, bringing short-term interest rates to their lowest levels in four decades.
  • Most economists and financial analysts concur with Mr. Greenspan that the recession the nation has been experiencing is over and a moderate and gradual recovery is anticipated towards the end of the summer 2002.
  • Owners of hotel real estate advise that they have a need to begin pruning their portfolios.  In many cases, these owners – especially institutional investors – have held their lodging assets well over their normal five- to seven-year hold periods and continuing to hold them will further dilute their yields.
  • The cup of private equity is overflowing.  Members of our firm, especially those of us that have been through the last two or three industry cycles, are amazed at the volume of private equity players knocking on our doors, and more amazingly – at the sheer amount of money lining up for hotel deals.

What next?

So, we put everything we’ve recently learned into the blender, mixed it around, and here we pour out our candid expectations for the balance of 2002.  Our outlook must unfortunately carry the caveat that all bets are off should the United States or any other major economic power experience another tragic event such as the September 11th terrorist attack on the United States.  However, drawing on all of the sources we’ve related above, we firmly believe the hospitality industry has hit its low point, presenting great opportunities in the coming months.  

Property Performance

We have found that the lodging properties that have thus far rebounded most quickly from the recession and the lingering effects of September 11th are those located near interstate thoroughfares.  Those properties are the beneficiaries of former frequent flyers who have now become frequent drivers!  Properties situated in urban or suburban markets – those more traditionally dependent on the frequent individual traveler and smaller group meetings – have also responded particularly well since the first of the year.  Next come the big group hotels that have seen larger association and corporate meetings return nicely albeit slowly.  These convention hotels must still contend with moderate levels of attrition in group rooms pick-up.

The two segments that have fared the worst are smaller, independent or boutique hotels and resort properties.  Both of these segments have historically been very dependent on the leisure traveler as their “bread and butter” business.  This type of traveler, however, has not been as quick to return to the friendly skies, notwithstanding the amazing incentives being offered by the airline industry.  In fact, resort properties situated in markets with problematic airline “lift” issues may be in for a rather protracted downturn.  Hotels in these segments have begun a serious market share game, resorting to deep rate discounts and promotions in a frantic effort to capture a meager slice of a shrinking pie.

All in all, we expect the lodging industry, in the aggregate, to return to some sense of regularity by the end of 2002 or early 2003 as we experience a slow and gradual strengthening of lodging fundamentals through the end of the year.  We do not, however, expect industry performance to reach the levels of the pinnacle year 2000, at least not until the effects of demand growth and supply stagnation combine to produce robust occupancies and a return to pricing power.  The bottom line is that occupancies have fared well across the board in early 2002, while ADR still lags as a result of the rate cutting and discounting that operators resorted to as they practiced the “heads in beds” method of hotel management.  

Supply and Demand

One of the few positives to come out of the last six-month period of devastation has been the implicit moratorium on the construction of new hotel rooms in virtually every segment of the industry.  Since it has been practically impossible to secure debt for hotel construction, very few new rooms will have been added to the national inventory from a period that actually began in late 2001 and will last until mid-2003, if not longer.

This lack of new competitive supply will finally allow the existing market to absorb the demand that is out there today.  The lag in new construction also bodes well since newly created demand, expected to hit the market once the economy gains momentum, will actually allow existing hotel supply to benefit from an expected economic surge with little or no new competition.  We expect typical construction patterns to reemerge in a few select markets by the end of 2003.  In the meantime, we look forward to the return of a sellers’ market in lodging that will clearly be accelerated by the scarcity of new supply. 

Buyers

Simply put, there is no shortage of buyers in the market today.  We have not seen as much private equity out looking for deals since the early nineties.  Pension fund and private equity money abound.  But thus far, most of this equity has been extremely opportunistic in nature.  Deep discounts to replacement, or cap rates in the low- to mid-teens seem to be the norm here.  However, very few sellers have opted to part with their assets with the expectation that the market will improve by the end of 2002, and an improvement in values will follow.  As such, very few deals are getting done, and many of those that are occurring are “must sell” situations where a lender has taken back an asset, or an owner is being forced to liquidate.  

Opportunistic buyers will always be around in virtually any market, ready to pounce on those once-in-a-blue-moon situations.  However, in today’s market, those opportunities for purchases at deep discounts may be fleeting, and unless such buyers become more realistic about return hurdles, they may miss the inherent opportunity in what we view as a quickly closing window.  Leveraged investment return levels in the mid- to high-twenty percent range, in our opinion, are nothing more than wishful thoughts for the next year.

It is important to note, however, that several investors have recently taken note of some owners’ need or desire to sell, but not at deep discounts.  Various groups have become more creative and aggressive in their acquisition posture and have opted to take a more speculative approach in order to place dollars.  Earn-outs are being employed creatively, and several public companies wishing to grow their dormant portfolios have offered Operating Partnership (O.P.) units or stock to sweeten the pot.

For all intents and purposes, one-off transaction debt is non-existent and, as a result, the only deals getting done these days seem to be all-cash transactions where there is no financing contingency.  While debt might eventually be placed on a property, buyers are closing with cash and then shopping for the best debt, or simply playing the waiting game until lending parameters ease.  Either way, the market will still benefit from all-time-low rates when debt returns.

We firmly believe that more and more transactions will occur in the comings months as the gap between buyer and seller narrows, and as debt becomes more plentiful.  There is already a build-up of cash available behind the scenes that needs to be wisely invested.  And given that hotels have proven to be excellent investments in inflationary-prone economic times, the next three to five years may bring a boon in hotel transactions. 
 
Sellers

In today’s market, sellers (or potential sellers) can be categorized into four general categories:

  • Those that must sell;
  • Those that should be selling but haven’t yet figured that out;
  • Those that have figured out they need to sell but realize they can’t afford to for legal or tax reasons; and,
  • Those that can afford to sell but won’t until there is vast improvement in values.

While many public companies once promised to quickly unload their “non-core, non-strategic” assets, the fact of the matter is that the cash stream from those unwanted assets is too important to current earnings.  Several CMBS servicers are now struggling with an abundance of problem assets, many of which have been in monetary default and in need of capital for months.  Pension fund investors, including many life insurance company separate account managers, are under pressure to thin out their hotel holdings.  And now, those pension funds are submitting withdrawal notices to their advisors and managers – requests that must be promptly met.

Many would-be sellers are facing the need for immediate infusions of capital to maintain product competitiveness or to meet brand standards.  The ability to refinance and use the resulting proceeds to fund such renovations is simply not there.  These hotel owners face investing new dollars with great uncertainty as to the likelihood of a return on the newly invested funds.

Other potential sellers face large recapture threats.  As hotel values declined from the abnormally high peak in the mid-1990s, many of these “wannabe” sellers find that a desired disposition will not yield sufficient funds to satisfy their recapture or capital gains needs and will, therefore, face out of pocket expenditures.  Some deals that are getting done today will include provisions for keeping the former owner involved as a “passive” investor so as to defer looming tax consequences.

While all of these various investors may have a need or desire to get out of the hotel ownership arena, suffice it to say that very few owners are in a position to dispose of their properties on the open market at this time.  

In the past decade or so, most hotels have been priced using the income capitalization method.  This “income cap” method has always worked for the investment community during the good times.  The main problem with that theory today is the recognized inherent vulnerability of a hotel’s net operating income (NOI), and the lack of stable financial performance resulting from the latest recession and September 11th.  Once hotel owners can generate a P&L statement with several months of stable financial history, or once they can make a case for a credible underwriting performance scenario – only then will there again be a vibrant and stable market for hotel investments.

Values

Much has been made in the last few months about “permanent value impairment”.  The notion behind this concept is that the effects of September 11th have permanently altered both the nature of US travel patterns and the lodging valuation paradigm.  

We would certainly agree that hotel values have been hard hit in the past six months.  But we submit that the recent devaluation of assets has had much more to do with general economic conditions (i.e. gross revenues and net operating income) than it has to do with September 11th.  We do not believe that the fundamentals of travel in the US have been permanently impacted or that hotel values will experience any permanent decrease in values.

It is our opinion that hotel valuation parameters will return to pre-September 11th levels after some period of national economic stability and once we return to some state of normalcy.  Ask yourself these questions:  What was a resort hotel on the island of Oahu worth on December 6th, 1941?  By how much had its value increased on September 10th, 2001?  Certainly, hotel valuations and appraisals will be underwritten differently in the near future, as a result of the eye-opening and heart wrenching events we have all experienced.  Cap rates will indeed inch higher taking into account the potential risk of a resort hotel, as one example, being situated in a hard-to-reach locale.  But in the end, that same property will still be valued on its net operating income, on its ability to generate a desired return and on its comparative stability versus other available ownership or investment opportunities.  

Availability of Debt

As long as there is a perceived environment of heightened risk in the economy, debt will continue to be on extended vacation.  Very few lenders will be placing money these days into an industry that has been so hard-hit by the recession and the recent tragic events.
  
For now, only the largest of transactions will get done.  We refer here to M&A activity by those public companies with currently low debt levels on their books, to major one-off transactions in excess of $75 million to $100 million, and to other attractive deals with exceptionally strong credit behind them.  Moreover, the few lenders that will be placing debt in the lodging industry – primarily Wall Street lenders or major regional banks – will do so with extremely tight underwriting criteria.  Already we are seeing debt coverage and loan-to-value ratios that would traditionally be considered outrageous by normal standards.  DCRs range from 1.5X to 2.0X in some cases, LTVs are hovering in the 55% to 65% range at the moment and recourse debt has returned to the scene.

We expect some liquidity to return to the debt marketplace by the middle to end of 2002.  Nevertheless, the more stringent underwriting parameters are expected to stay with us for quite some time.  And when debt does return, look for lenders to mitigate their risk.  Spreading their money through a geographically diverse portfolio of mixed product types will likely be more appealing to lenders wishing to deploy than one large chunk of debt into a single convention hotel in San Francisco, Washington, DC or New York City.

Wrap-up

As we look toward the balance of this year, here’s what we at The Plasencia Group believe the lodging industry can expect:

  • RevPAR improvement will be quite gradual for the remainder of the year.  Occupancies will grow but RevPAR growth will be sluggish through the end of 2002, resulting from the deep reactionary room rate cuts since September 11th.  We expect 2002 annual RevPAR to flat compared to 2001.
  • As airport security measures tighten, confidence in air travel will increase and more leisure travelers will return to the air.  As airports adjust to the new security regulations and work to reduce security-related delays, the business traveler will find it once again more efficient to fly than to drive.  Moreover, major companies will continue to do their part to return to normalcy by easing corporate travel restrictions.  This will also be fueled by a need to improve business demand.  The industry will thus benefit from airline passenger traffic counts that should return to pre-September 11th levels by late 2002.
  • Expect debt to become more available by mid-year for smaller transactions.  For now, only the larger transactions – those in excess of $50 million – will receive the attention of Wall Street investment bankers and the large regional banks.  Small transactions, when done, will require relationship lenders, personal guarantees, credit enhancements and will yield low LTV’s. 
  • At least one, if not two large M&A transactions (in excess of $1 billion) will be completed before the end of 2002.  It is likely that that the capital for such activity will come from overseas equity investors or the joining of two or more domestic, public hotel companies.
  • The number of one-off transactions will increase significantly in the latter half of the year as owners, particularly institutional and pension fund managers, acquiesce to the needs of their clients for cash withdrawals and begin to put properties on the market with more realistic pricing expectations.  Buyers who look more to on underlying asset value as opposed to net income will come out winners.  And those who buck normal trends and acquire assets during the current downturn will be the biggest winners once markets recover.
  • The best opportunities for acquisitions, we believe, can be found in the following domestic markets: Boston’s western and southern submarkets, Atlanta, Nashville, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Houston, Phoenix, Denver, San Diego and the northern Los Angeles area.
  • CMBS servicers will likely work very hard to avoid foreclosing on delinquent loans and will instead opt to sell non-performing (or soon to-be non-performing) notes.  This relieves them from having to deal with the burden of cumbersome REMIC regulations.  Buyers of non-performing loans will be welcomed with open arms by these servicers.

© The Plasencia Group 2002

The Plasencia Group has been quite active in all aspects of the transaction markets.  Notwithstanding the effects of September 11th or the recent recession, the firm’s activity has increased rather dramatically since the beginning of this year in the representation of both buyers seeking hospitality assets, as well as sellers who have made the decision to dispose of the physical hospitality assets.  We have also taken on a variety of assignments involving the sale of performing and non-performing notes on several first-class hospitality assets. 

Additionally, during this time the firm has also accepted numerous new consulting engagements to assist institutional and private owners in assessing their equity and loan portfolios.  These studies encompass operations reviews focused on improving financial performance, franchise reviews to determine most appropriate affiliations, and management company performance.  Many of these consulting efforts have now evolved into portfolio strategy engagements whereby The Plasencia Group is assisting owners, operators and lenders with developing investment short-term (one to three years) plans and policies, as well as operations and disposition strategies for their real estate and financial assets.  

With a staff of seasoned hospitality professionals and industry veterans – each possessing years of experience in the industry and at financial institutions – The Plasencia Group is in a unique position to represent owners seeking to maximize profits and the values of their hospitality assets.  We welcome your comments and invite you to visit our web site at www.tpghotels.com for further information, comparable sales, timely data and other industry articles.

The Plasencia Group is already bringing its expertise to bear on behalf of our clients in need. If we may be of service to you, to obtain more information or to schedule a Strategic Asset Value Enhancement® review, please call Lou Plasencia at 813 / 932-1234 or email at lplasencia@tpghotels.com.


ACCOR POSTS 6 PCT PROFIT RISE, PLANS 224 NEW HOTELS

The French tourism group Accor reported Wednesday 2001 net profit rose six percent last year to 474 million euros (412.5 million dollars), and said it would open 224 new hotels this year.

The result was in line with analyst forecasts of 381-520.1 million euros.

Accor said profit from ordinary operations rose 0.9 percent from the 2000 figure to 758 million euros and that it would recommend a five-percent rise in dividend to 1.05 euros.

It said that despite a difficult market in the late part of 2001 that it expected to post growth of revenue per available room in 2002.

Althought it expected a 30-35 percent decline in investment this year, it planned to open 224 hotels in 2002, representing 25,116 rooms.

It said the expansion would be made via franchising and management contracts rather than by acquisition.

 

HONG KONG ARRIVALS MAY RISE 8 PCT AS TOURISTS RETURN TO SKIES

SCMP -  Tourist arrivals could grow by 7.9 per cent this year amid signs that visitors from the US and Europe who stayed at home after the September 11 terrorist attacks are returning to the skies, the Tourism Board said yesterday.

Hong Kong received 1.18 million visitors in January, a 10.5 per cent increase on the same month last year. Arrivals from the US and Europe showed growth of 11 and 13 per cent respectively - the first clear indication of a recovery in these markets, according to figures released by the board yesterday. Apart from Taiwan, growth in arrivals was recorded from all markets.

The board also released figures for last year's tourism receipts. They totalled $ 64.3 billion, up 4.5 per cent on the previous year. The length of the average stay also rose by 2.7 per cent to 3.08 nights.

Mainland tourists topped the per capita spending list, overtaking those from America and Europe. Each mainland visitor spent an average of $ 5,169 during their stay.

Tourism Board chairwoman Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee said: "We were worried immediately after the September 11 attacks. But the situation has improved a lot in the past few months. Now, with the American economic recovery in sight, we believe the performance this year will be good."

Executive director Clara Chong Ming-wah, who visited the US last week, was told by travel agents there that tour bookings to Hong Kong had increased steadily. She set a goal of a 7.9 per cent increase in the number of visitors for 2002 and estimated tourism receipts could reach $ 66.4 billion, up 2.8 per cent from last year.

Ms Chow said the board would try to raise the number of international conventions and conferences held in Hong Kong.

The board has planned a series of major events this year to attract tourists. The Hong Kong Flower Extravaganza began on Monday and will last until March 17. The Mega Hong Kong Sale, the focus event of the year that will see a co -ordinated campaign of discounts for tourists, will be held from mid-June to August.

Ms Chow said research showed tourists were most interested in buying cosmetics, jewellery and watches, audio and video products and Chinese food.

The board will step up its promotional work in Taiwan, South Korea and India, which are seen as emerging markets.