Venable represents clients in the hospitality industry in all types of corporate and commercial matters, from general corporate matters to financings and bankruptcy workouts. We have handled management agreements covering hundreds of properties, negotiated worldwide technology outsourcing agreements, managed large franchise portfolios, and negotiated all sorts of agreements for architectural, design, construction, engineering, and interior design services.
Corporate & Commercial Matters in Hospitality
Experience
Experience
- We represent a leading operator of food and beverage concessions in the U.S. and Canada with more than 200 outlets in 29 airports, in various corporate matters, including the negotiation of franchise agreements with large food chains and joint venture agreements between our client and its local partners in various jurisdictions
- We are representing one of the world's largest hotel companies in its agreement to migrate its central reservations system (CRS) and related services to a new platform worldwide
- We represented the hotel owner/borrower, as co-counsel, in obtaining a construction loan facility for the construction and development and the refinancing of the permanent financing facility, for SLS Hotel South Beach
- We are representing a multinational diversified hospitality company in negotiating hundreds of franchise agreements and related agreements with franchisees and operators of franchised hotels
- We successfully closed a $3.925 billion bankruptcy plan and fashioned an auction strategy for a national hotelier, on behalf of the senior lender
- We provide REIT-related counseling on corporate governance matters, including issues related to takeover defense and stockholder relations; Maryland law advice relative to formation, merger, spin-offs, and securities offerings, including IPOs and other financing transactions, to both hospitality companies and REITs invested in the industry
- We represent a collection of luxury resorts in drafting, negotiating, and providing ongoing advice for contracts relating to interior design, architecture, engineering, construction, construction management, and equipment supply
- We serve as lead counsel to two international hotel brands on major luxury hotel and resort development projects in Ireland, Brazil, Peru, Grand Cayman, Costa Rica, the Turks and Caicos, Anguilla, and the Bahamas, providing advice on sophisticated senior and subordinated debt issues, intercreditor issues, construction and development issues, joint ventures, minority ownership and key money issues, brand licensing, condominium regimes, hotel and condominium management agreements, casino gaming licensing and operations issues, rental pool issues, and golf course and spa development and management issues
- We conducted a compliance review of the sales and financing practices of an international timeshare company for both its central operation and its resorts operated in 13 U.S. jurisdictions, including a review of all relevant disclosure information, sample contracts, and financing documents for each resort, and the evaluation of compliance with applicable state and federal laws
Recognition
Recognition
- Legal 500, M&A/Corporate and Commercial – M&A: Middle-Market (sub-$500m) (Tier 1), 2014 – 2023
- U.S. News – Best Lawyers
- Best Law Firms, Mergers & Acquisitions Law (Tier 1), National, 2011 – 2020, 2022 – 2023
- Best Law Firms, Mergers & Acquisitions Law (Tier 1), Baltimore, 2011 – 2020, 2022 – 2023
- Best Law Firms, Mergers & Acquisitions Law (Tier 1), Washington, DC, 2011 – 2020, 2022 – 2023
- Best Law Firms, Corporate Law (Tier 1), National, 2011 – 2020
- Best Law Firms, Corporate Law (Tier 1), Baltimore, 2011 – 2020, 2022 – 2023
- Chambers USA, Corporate/M&A (Band 1), Maryland, 2011 – 2023