Creating a Dream Team: A Fireside Chat On Partnerships and Nashville's Potential

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  Jay Stein

  Jay Stein is Chief Executive Officer at Dream Hotel Group, responsible for the successful evolution, growth and expansion efforts of the Company and its portfolio of brands: Dream Hotels, The Chatwal, Unscripted Hotels and new By Dream Hotel Group collection. With over four decades of experience and nearly 30 years with Dream Hotel Group, Stein has worked in a variety of property and corporate roles at some of the world’s leading hospitality groups and boutique lifestyle brands, including Hilton Worldwide, Starwood Hotels & Resorts and Doral Hotels. Jay Stein began his career in 1983 with Hilton Worldwide at the Vista International Hotel in the World Trade Center in New York City. A veteran of food and beverage management, Stein turned his sights to hotel operations in 1987 and quickly rose through the ranks to become Managing Director for three Doral Hotels in New York City. In 1995, after taking two of those properties through the transition to Starwood, Stein stayed on as Area General Manager for almost three years with Starwood. He joined Dream Hotel Group as Executive Vice President of Operations in 1997 and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer soon thereafter overseeing all new and existing hotel operations and playing a vital role in the company’s global expansion efforts. Stein was named Chief Executive Officer in 2015. An engaged professional dedicated to making a difference, Stein is a true ambassador for the industry, having spoken on numerous panels at conferences worldwide and having served as adjunct professor for the Hospitality programs at NYC College of Technology and New York University.

  Dream Hotel Group

  CEO

  Jay Stein

  CEO

  Dream Hotel Group

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  Alex Marks

  Alex Marks is the Principal of Royal Investments, LLC. Royal is a real estate investment and development firm which develops residential, commercial and hospitality related properties. Originally from California, Marks has extensive hands-on experience in the acquisition, financing, development, management and disposition of complex projects located throughout the country. Since arriving in Tennessee in 2004, he has worked on more than thirty properties around the state, including purchase of sale of large tracts of downtown Nashville property and the redevelopment of three historic buildings on Broadway Street. Marks is currently developing the new 169-room Dream Hotel located on historic Printer’s Alley. Set to open in late 2018, Dream Nashville includes the iconic Utopia Hotel building, fully restored with its original stone exterior, wood flooring and crown molding, which will be attached to a new 10-story tower and will feature six experiential dining and nightlife venues on Fourth Avenue North and Printer’s Alley. Marks received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from University of Southern California.

  Royal Investments

  Principal

  Alex Marks

  Principal

  Royal Investments

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  Steve Kirkham

  Real estate emphasis with results-oriented approach Clients with challenging development schedules or complex real estate acquisitions rely on Steve Kirkham to bring their transactions to successful closings. Steve efficiently handles high-value and high-transaction real estate portfolios for clients operating locations across the country. Despite the heavy development schedules set out by these clients, Steve maintains their timeline and gets the deals done. Described as "unflappable," Steve confidently solves problems with a persistent, yet pleasant style. Steve is also the top-of-mind attorney for owners and developers of apartment complexes across the country, regardless of whether the project is to acquire new property or assist with complex ownership structures and securitized lending. Steve often oversees his client's broader legal needs, assisting C-suite executives with corporate finance, litigation management, corporate governance and other matters and supervising multi-disciplinary legal teams.

  Holland & Knight LLP

  Partner

  Moderator

  Steve Kirkham

  Partner

  Holland & Knight LLP

Back in Business: The Hospitality Rebound

For owners, developers, and operators, how have their vision for the future of hospitality shifted in the last 16 months?

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  Tiffany Cooper

  Tiffany Cooper is the Senior Vice President, Development for the Americas for The Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group. Tiffany is responsible for delivering growth to The Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group by expanding the development pipeline and footprint for the Americas via quality hotel projects to include conversions, adaptive reuse and new build opportunities. Tiffany is a hospitality professional with over 20 years of experience, having begun her career working in sales & marketing/hotel operations for The Kimpton Group in early 1995. Tiffany joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 1999 and continued working in operations, leading sales teams for various Starwood properties until 2005 when she transitioned to the Real Estate Development Group for Starwood. During this time, Tiffany extensively grew Starwood’s portfolio, more than doubling the footprint throughout the Western Region. In September, 2016, following the Marriott acquisition of Starwood, Tiffany joined the Marriott International development team, focused on full service and luxury hotel development until moving to Kimpton in April 2018.

  Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group

  Head of Development, North America & Caribbean

  Tiffany Cooper

  Head of Development, North America & Caribbean

  Kimpton Hotel & Restaurant Group

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  Darby Campbell

  Darby Campbell has deep roots in middle Tennessee where his business is based. His career began in residential construction and development and then expanded into the development of mixed-use developments, entertainment venues, marinas, hotels and restaurants, and retail. His company's sizable portfolio of projects is diverse, reflecting a broad range of talent and experience. Whether he is converting and renovating buildings to serve a greater purpose, maximizing the potential of undeveloped land or developing waterfront projects and marinas, Darby Campbell is a thoughtful steward of the resources entrusted to him. As a lifelong resident of the Knoxville area, he has a very personal interest in the conservation of our natural resources and historical assets. As an entrepreneur, he is a visionary with a unique grasp of the opportunity for profit and an insightful and successful developer. He is committed to developing financially profitable projects that enhance their immediate surroundings and are a source of pride for all stakeholders. As the Owner and President of Safe Harbor Development, Darby has assembled a talented group of professionals experienced in the development and operation of a broad range of projects. Safe Harbor Development's portfolio of successful projects is a testament to the collective talent of the team and Campbell's astute leadership.

  Safe Harbor Development

  Owner and President

  Darby Campbell

  Owner and President

  Safe Harbor Development

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  Mike Murphy

  Mike has extensive experience in managing and designing hospitality and conference center projects. His approach embodies a commitment to communication, teamwork, and professionalism in putting forth sustainable and creative solutions for his projects. This is done in a manner where the Client is an integral part of the process and the overall team is challenged to produce exciting, quality architecture. Mike provides the leadership and promotes an atmosphere of encouragement and respect for all parties to make projects successful. He has completed 32 Hospitality Projects totaling 12,010-Keys and 9,703,189 SF. Relevant Experience Full-Service Hotels Conference and Convention Properties Limited-Service Hotels Extended Stay Hotels Spa Resorts and Clubs Destination Resorts Hotel Residences

  Smallwood

  Principal

  Mike Murphy

  Principal

  Smallwood

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  Bharat Patel

  Bharat Patel is Chairman and CEO of Sun Development & Management Corporation. His experience in the hospitality business is well known to industry insiders, national franchise companies, and lenders across the nation. A recognized expert in design, hotel development, construction, operations, franchising and financial deal structuring, Mr. Patel’s opinions and advice are highly regarded and widely sought by trade publications, lenders and franchisors. Bharat has received Hilton Hotel’s – Embassy Suites - Developer of the Year, and Hilton Hotel’s Family Developer of the Year Award. In 2019, Bharat was recognized as Hilton’s All Suite Developer of the Year. Due to Bharat’s steady leadership, Sun Development has developed more than 60 hotels and is still growing. Mr. Patel has been able to impress upon his organization the importance of “controlled growth & being market savvy”. Through aggressive and intelligent land acquisitions in high-barrier-to-entry markets, Sun is successfully transitioning its portfolio mix to the more upscale brands to ensure the long-term value and competitiveness of its core assets. At age 19, Bharat Patel emigrated from India to the U.S., where he studied at the University of Southern Mississippi, Rutgers University and New Jersey Medical School, earning Bachelor’s Degrees in microbiology and biochemistry and his Master’s Degree in microbiology.

  Sun Development & Management Corporation

  Chairman & CEO

  Bharat Patel

  Chairman & CEO

  Sun Development & Management Corporation

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  Mathew Jalazo

  Mathew Jalazo is senior vice president of development for Urgo Hotels and Resorts, where his responsibilities include sourcing management, acquisition and development opportunities, as well as underwriting, due diligence, market feasibility, entitlement, design, development, construction and equity & debt financing. During his tenure with Urgo Hotels, Jalazo has deployed more than $250 million of capital on new construction and acquisition projects helping to grow the portfolio from 18 to 45-plus hotels. Prior to re-joining Urgo, Mathew served as executive vice president of development at Winston Hotels where he focused on sourcing acquisition and development opportunities. In under a year, he deployed over $100 million of capital. He is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where he received his BSBA from the Kenan-Flagler Business School. Jalazo remains actively involved in the school, serving on the Kenan-Flagler Business School Alumni Council. He has spoken at several industry events and institutions, including the New York New Hotel Development & Construction Conference and the Cornell University Baker Program in Real Estate, as well as published articles in the Cornell Real Estate Review.

  Urgo Hotels & Resorts

  Senior Vice President, Development

  Mathew Jalazo

  Senior Vice President, Development

  Urgo Hotels & Resorts

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  Bill Kroeger

  Vice President overseeing Rock City Construction Company’s (RockCity) operations, Bill Kroeger has over 30 years of construction industry experience with a specialty in the hospitality sector. A master of sequencing and champion of a well-coordinated plan, Bill is renowned for leveraging his collaborative approach, solution-driven mindset and technical expertise to deliver successful projects. Placing a premium on craftsmanship, Bill fuses his technical skills with strong communication and team-oriented dynamic to help clients achieve their goals, routinely exceeding established benchmarks for success. His exhaustive planning, resourcefulness and ability to bring out the best in those contributing to the project are at the heart of the value he brings to every project under his purview.

  Rock City Construction Company

  Vice President

  Bill Kroeger

  Vice President

  Rock City Construction Company

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  Erin Hughes

  Deep understanding of healthcare transactions Tenants, landlords, real estate developers and investors rely on Erin Hughes for her legal expertise in connection with real estate leasing, development matters and the real estate aspects of private equity-funded acquisitions. Erin brings insight, experience and energy to strategic acquisitions involving dental support organizations and specialty physician practices. She leads small and large companies through the negotiation of leases for their newest location. Additionally, Erin assists real estate developers in the acquisition of real property for residential, commercial and mixed-use projects, including several of the high-profile projects that have reshaped the Nashville skyline. Before joining Waller in 2012, Erin practiced corporate law with a Memphis-based firm where she focused on start-ups and emerging companies, mergers and acquisitions, and private securities offerings. Prior to attending law school, Erin gained valuable real estate experience at a diversified brokerage, development and management firm specializing in downtown lofts and condominiums in Knoxville, Tenn.

  Holland & Knight

  Counsel

  Moderator

  Erin Hughes

  Counsel

  Holland & Knight

Bring the Honkey Tonk Back: How the Summer of Vaccinations Impacted Nashville's Tourism Scene

The fuel behind Nashville's fire -- how have Nashville's tourist attractions rebounded since Covid, and are concerns rising with the delta variant?

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  Henry Beecher Hicks III

  H. Beecher Hicks III’s professional experiences are in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, joining the National Museum of African American Music in 2009 as a board member, becoming President and CEO in 2013. His banking experience includes roles as an investment banker at Bank of America and as a partner with private equity group Red Clay Capital Holdings. In 1998, Henry was appointed by President William J. Clinton to be a White House fellow, serving as senior adviser to the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service and launched the AmeriCorps Promise Fellows program. He is a member of the boards of directors for Leadership Nashville, the Center for Nonprofit Management, and the Nashville Downtown Partnership. Henry is a graduate of Morehouse College and earned an MBA in finance from UNC Chapel Hill. He is married to Crystal, an elementary educator, and they have two sons.

  National Museum of African American Music

  President & CEO

  Henry Beecher Hicks III

  President & CEO

  National Museum of African American Music

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  DeLisa Guerrier

  DeLisa Guerrier is an accomplished real estate executive and entrepreneur with expertise in community building and provides much of the vision for the company’s direction and choice of projects. A graduate of historic Tennessee State University and a native of Northern California, she entered the real estate market in Nashville shortly after the 2008 crash and immediately turned her attention to the entrepreneurial side of the field. Mrs. Guerrier is one of the few Black women in the state licensed as a general contractor for commercial, residential and industrial development. She prides herself on being on job sites and overseeing every aspect of each development the company undertakes. Mrs. Guerrier guides Guerrier Development’s vision for communities as well as driving its social mission to invest in emerging neighborhoods. She is an active member of Nashville’s philanthropic community, focusing on the needs of children. She is also the driving force behind the company’s entry into the hospitality vertical and has forged global partnerships at the executive level across the world.

  Storyville Gardens

  CEO & Founder

  DeLisa Guerrier

  CEO & Founder

  Storyville Gardens

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  Deana Ivey

  Deana Ivey serves as the Chief Marketing Officer for the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation (NCVC) and has been with the organization for more than 16 years. She oversees Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Promotions, Research, Special Events, Strategic Partnerships, Creative Services, Digital Marketing, Convention Services, Membership and Visitor Services. Ivey has spent the last 12 years branding Nashville, Tennessee as Music City to the world, and has been an integral part of growing the city’s tourism efforts into a $4.6 billion industry. In 2014 Nashville was named one of the best places to visit by Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast, Fodor’s, & The New York Times. The Nashville CVC is often cited in the hospitality industry for its creative and progressive thinking. Several unique marketing initiatives have played a key roll in the overall branding efforts of Music City. Seven years ago Ivey helped create “Music City Connection: Heroes Behind the Hits” a songwriter show that airs monthly on SiriusXM Satellite Radio. The national broadcast highlights the professional songwriters that call Nashville home and promotes the diversity of the music produced in Music City. Two of Nashville’s key events are produced by the CVC under Ivey’s direction – Music City’s July 4th: Let Freedom Sing and New Year’s Eve Bash on Broadway. The July 4th event has received numerous accolades including being named #1 in the country for Independence Day events by aol.com and “Top 5 Most Interesting July 4th Celebration” by USA Today. The Bash on Broadway was named in the top 5 events for New Year’s Eve in the U.S. by The Huffington Post and is featured on CNN’s New Year’s Eve coverage. Ivey worked diligently on the award-winning documentary “For the Love of Music: The Story of Nashville”, which aired nationally on ABC, CMT and Palladia as well as Australia’s Foxtel Network. A project that is particularly meaningful to Ivey was co-creating “Music City Keeps on Playin’” – a benefit concert for flood relief following Nashville’s historic flood of 2010. The show aired live on GAC-TV and raised over $2 milllion to help rebuild the City of Nashville. She also led the marketing and messaging efforts to attract visitors to Nashville following the flood. Since that time Nashville has seen record numbers in hotel occupancy and tax collections every year. Prior to working at the Nashville CVC, Ivey was the Director of the Gatlinburg Chamber of Commerce in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

  Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation

  President

  Deana Ivey

  President

  Nashville Convention and Visitors Corporation

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  Bo Campbell

  Bo is recognized as a leading real estate attorney by Chambers USA. Since 2005, Best Lawyers has recognized Bo in the categories of Banking and Finance Law, Project Finance Law and Real Estate Law. Notably, Best Lawyers named Bo Nashville's 2017 "Lawyer of the Year" in the area of Project Finance Law. He is AV-rated by Martindale-Hubbell. The Nashville Post recognized Bo as one of the "CRE50" – the top 50 leaders in Commercial Real Estate – and named him to its "2017 Power 100" list of individuals with the greatest impact on Nashville business. Additionally, Bo serves by mayoral appointment on the Electric Power Board of the Nashville Electric Service, one of the 12 largest public electric utilities in the nation.

  Waller

  Partner

  Moderator

  Bo Campbell

  Partner

  Waller