Retail & Hospitality

Retail Experience

• Ongoing representation of Costco Wholesale Corporation in the acquisition and development of warehouse club facilities.
• Represented City of Beverly Hills in the development of a 1.3 million square feet $4 billion luxury hotel, retail and condominium project.
• Ongoing representation of J.S. Rosenfield & Co., owner and/or operator of the Brentwood Country Mart, Marin Country Mart, and Montecito Country Mart, upscale retail centers that focus on an enhanced shopping experience for its tenants and their customers.
• Ongoing representation of a national chain of fast, casual Asian restaurants with over 160 locations throughout the United States in the management of existing leased facilities and the negotiation of new venues.
• Represented the owner of the Metlox Shopping Center, an upscale retail project in Manhattan Beach, California, and the Claremont Village Square, a high-end mixed-use development in Claremont, California.
• Ongoing representation of a Japanese restaurant chain in its expansion to the United States.
• Represented a mobile device and accessories retailer in the lease of its shops across California.
• Represented a landlord in the lease of 110,000-square feet of retail space to Home Depot.
• Represented the owner in a $75 million sale of its Beverly Hills property to an international retail company.
• Represented the owner of an approximately 90,000 square foot Oklahoma retail center in a nearly 50% discounted payoff of its existing loan and associated refinancing of the remaining debt.
• Represented furniture manufacturer and retailer in chapter 11 involving loan restructure and reorganization of company.
• Represented regional retail furniture operator in out-of-court liquidation.
• Represented retail clothing operator in an out-of-court liquidation.
• Represented foreign clothing manufacturer in enforcing right to priority payment under Section 503(b)(9) of the Bankruptcy Code in large retail Chapter 11 case.
• Represented a national retailer in proceedings before the California Air Resources Board (CARB) relating to the sale of thousands of products that exceeded California VOCs content restrictions. Successfully negotiated with CARB to reduce the six-figure penalty to a nominal amount.
• Represented a cannabis dispensary in connection with the acquisition of a retail dispensary owned by a Canadian publicly traded multi-state operator and the associated property.

Hotels & Resorts Experience

• Ongoing strategic counsel to the Bob Marley Estate on the redevelopment and operations to the famed reggae singer’s estate on its property in Nassau, Marley Resort & Spa.
• Ongoing representation a hotel developer and operator in the acquisition of boutique hotels, including two new properties San Francisco and San Jose, California.
• Represented a client in the $50 million disposition of a Hilton branded hotel, which detailed negotiations with the government agencies, regarding certain development and license rights, and local unions over employment matters.
• Represented a subsidiary of Starwood Vacation Ownership Inc. in connection with the purchase of land and development of a Westin hotel and resort in Palm Desert, CA.
• Represented a client in the refinancing of a Marriott-branded hotel in a $55 million financing transaction.
• Represented Weintraub Financial Services in its acquisition of historic The Sportsmen’s Lodge properties in Studio City, California.
• Represented several leading brands in the hospitality industry, including Wyndham, Starwood, and Marriott, in the preparation and negotiation of legal opinions for securitization transactions involving the sale of timeshare loans originated.

Golf Course Experience

• Represented American Golf in the sale of Arrowhead Golf Club to the Florida Department of Transportation; the transaction was very challenging in having to structure and close a commercial transaction with a state agency that generally obtains real estate through condemnation
• Retained by Los Angeles Country Club to advise on the design and construction of the Club's golf course restoration project; the project entails the complete restoration of the Club's North Course
• Representing American Golf Corporation in the Request for Proposals (RFP) process regarding Westchester Golf Course near Los Angeles International Airport; along with Greenberg Glusker's Corporate Group, we advised AGC on entity formations and deal structure. If AGC is successful in being awarded the bid, we will negotiate the lease with the City of Los Angeles and advise on all aspects of the golf course restoration project
• Negotiated loan modification agreements on behalf of the owners of golf courses in San Diego County and Northern Nevada. The transactions, among other things, resulted in the extension of the maturity date of the loans; the reduction of the interest rate of the loans; and the conversion of the required interest payments to a portion of net cash flow, with the balance of interest payments deferred until the extended maturity dates
• Represented Sequoia/Canongate in managing Textron's golf course REO
  Represented American Golf Corporation in the sale of the Las Vegas National Golf Club. The nearly $40 million, all cash sale price is one of the highest values achieved for a daily fee golf facility in the United States. The buyer was a consortium of local developers and the Bank of Phoenix provided the debt financing
• Represented Joe Guerra, former CEO of American Golf Corporation, in the formation of a joint venture with Boston-based Parthenon Capital. We represented the joint venture, Sequoia/Canongate Golf, in its subsequent acquisition of over 26 golf courses, including its acquisition of "The Woodlands" in Houston, Texas, one of the golf industry’s largest transactions completed in 2007. The resort includes five golf courses, restaurants and hotel facilities
• Represented American Golf Corporation in the sale to CNL and Eagle of a portfolio with 42 golf courses located in eight states throughout the United States
• Represented American Golf Corporation in the sale to Century Golf/Walton Street of its Texas assets and operating group which included 16 golf facilities.
• Represented The Sunrise Company in conversion to equity country clubs of the Indian Ridge Country Club, in Indian Ridge, California, and the Royal Oaks Country Club, in Houston, Texas.