Hospitality, Travel & Leisure

Representing a premier hospitality management company in a high-tech venture capital investment to enhance the stadium experience.

Represented Legends Hospitality in the acquisition of International Stadia Group, a London-based sports and entertainment company. The acquisition will extend Legend’s global capabilities and allow for growth opportunities in the EAME regions.

Represented an affiliate of Legends Hospitality in the purchase of a mobile and Bluetooth-enabled point-of-sale (POS) system for use at stadiums and arenas. The POS system streamlines the purchase process for both the venue and the fans thereby effecting a more seamless experience at a game or concert. 

Represented Legends Hospitality in a joint venture with Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC to provide concessions services at the team’s new 22,000-seat soccer stadium.

Represented HSA-UWC and New Yorker Hotel Management Co. Inc. in a $110 million financing for 481 8th Avenue, a mixed-use project consisting of the iconic New Yorker Hotel, office and retail.

Represented the not-for-profit owner of the New Yorker Hotel in connection with a mortgage loan, including seeking Court and New York State Attorney General approval of same.

Successfully defended the developers of a $320 million Brooklyn Bridge Park hotel and condominium project, defeating two lawsuits filed by activists seeking to halt construction of the project. In a decision of significance to the New York real estate industry, Herrick secured an order in New York state court denying plaintiffs’ motions for both an injunction and a declaratory judgment that the planned buildings exceeded height limitations specified in the project’s governing documents. The court found that the development complied with the law and further ruled the legal challenge barred by the statute of limitations for bringing an Article 78 proceeding. Herrick then defeated a second lawsuit claiming to assert a different land use violation, securing dismissal of the complaint on the grounds of failure to exhaust administrative remedies, statute of limitations and res judicata. Herrick continues to represent the clients on the plaintiffs’ appeal.

Represented a private investment management company and its joint venture partners in their development and disposition of property in St. Maartin, Netherlands Antilles, to hotel and residential developers, including a complex ground lease structure.

Represented a real estate investment firm in the development of proprietary branding and operations systems for a unique hotel concept involving collaborative work spaces.

Represent Fotografiska, a Swedish photography destination, in connection with establishing its NYC flagship location at 281 Park Avenue South, New York.

Represented Summit Real Estate Ltd. in the acquisition of the Gallivant Times Square New York and the Shoreham Hotel, two boutique hotels located in Manhattan, in partnership with a New York real estate operator, on operational agreements including hotel management agreements.

Represented a group of private investors on the acquisition of the an inn in Lenox, MA and related operational agreements, including hotel management agreements.

Representing mezzanine lender in connection with defaults under the mezzanine financing for a luxury hotel in New York City, including advising the lender on a potential UCC foreclosure of the hotel or a potential sale of the lender’s mezzanine loan to a third party.

Represented an Israeli pension fund manager in connection with its acquisition of a 50% interest as co-lender with a major international bank in a $81.9 million syndicated loan secured by a hotel located in downtown Washington DC.

Represented the KABR Group in connection with its participation in the development of the Canopy by Hilton Jersey City in downtown Jersey City, New Jersey.

Represented an affiliate of River Rock Associates LLC in connection with a mezzanine construction loan and second mortgage loan for the development of a mixed use hotel, restaurant, apartment and retail condominium located in Queens, New York.

Represented the owner, an entity controlled by real estate developer David Reis, in connection with the refinancing and development of Phase II of the St. Regis Resort located in Deer Valley, Utah. The St. Regis Deer Valley is a AAA Five Diamond ski on/ski off resort that consists of condominium hotel rooms, suites and private residences.

Represented the Hall of Fame Village in the acquisition of the McKinley Grand Hotel in Canton, Ohio. This is part of the efforts to modernize and update the entire Football Hall of Fame complex.

Represented the lender and mortgage servicer in litigation against a hotel developer filed in Nassau County Supreme Court and in the Appellate Division, Second Department. The underlying dispute involved an action filed by our clients in Florida seeking to foreclose the $126 million mortgage on the Shore Club Hotel in Miami, and the hotel developer's ultimately unsuccessful attempts to derail that action. Having slipped a purchase option into a hotel tenant's lease, which purported to convey to the tenant a right to purchase the mortgage loan at fair market value, the developer then "purchased" the option from the tenant and sought to enforce that option in the Florida foreclosure action. On the eve of an expected adverse ruling in Florida, the developer brought its claim to Nassau County, where the trial court granted a preliminary injunction, effectively preventing our clients from foreclosing the mortgage. We filed an appeal and obtained a reversal, resulting in the dismissal of the Nassau County action. Leave to appeal was denied by New York's Court of Appeals.

Represented an affiliate of R Squared LLC in a construction loan for the renovation of the historic Canoe Place Inn on the Shinnecock Canal in Westhampton, NY.  The Inn, originally built in the early 1700s, was used as a stagecoach inn and also served as headquarters for British soldiers during the Revolutionary War. The renovated structure will include a new 25-room inn, a 1,900-sq.-ft. clubhouse and a 300-seat catering hall.

Represented Legends Hospitality Management, LLC in its equity interest acquisition in MainGate, Inc., a leading event retail and merchandise company. The acquisition will create a robust multi-channel retail and e-commerce platform to facilitate the connection between brands and fans.

Represented a prominent real estate investment management firm on two senior mortgage loan financings aggregating $57.5 million, and secured by full service hotels in East Rutherford and Edison, New Jersey, including issues attendant to the implementation of a multi-million dollar property improvement plan.

Represented Legends Hospitality in transactions involving the operation of all food and beverage concessions and premium catering at both Angel Stadium of Anaheim and Tempe Diablo Stadium.

Represented Legends Hospitality in a proposed investment in software that consolidates sports franchise data.