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HOSPITALITY

If you’re in the hospitality business, you’ve got a lot on your plate. The legal issues you deal with can come from anywhere and everywhere, so you need counsel that knows your business well, knows where your challenges come from, and knows how to guide you through them.

  • Corporate and Real Estate Transactions


    • Represented both hotel owners and financing sources in the preparation of management, cash management and other operating agreements for hotel projects.
    • Represented the owner/developer of a 300-acre luxury hotel property with 408 rooms, two 18-hole championship golf courses and a 25,000 of spa and fitness center, in all acquisition and financing matters.
    • Represented a hotel developer and operator in the development from concept to opening of over 25 hotels operating across several brands.
    • Represented the owners and operators of hotels under the Starwood, Hilton, Radisson, Intercontinental Hotel Group, Marriott International and Choice International “flags,” in addition to independent brands, in acquisitions, financings, joint venture structures and operations.
    • Represented a consortium of investors (including a leading investment bank and major real estate investors) in:
      • Preferred and common equity investment in a publicly-held hotel management company and the creation of an acquisition fund for hotel properties.
      • Merger of this publicly held hotel management company with and into another publicly held hotel management company.
    • Represented a long-standing hotel development and management company in all aspects of the sale and transfer of a $235 million portfolio of hotels and the management company operations.
    • Represented the buyer in connection with the acquisition of a historic office building and renovation into a luxury hotel in Pittsburgh.
    • Represented a university in the acquisition of a 250-room Holiday Inn outside of Pittsburgh.
    • Represented a professional sports team in the development, construction and operation of Heinz Field.
    • Represented a city, county and sports authority in connection with the development and construction of two stadiums.
    • Represented a stadium, a subsidiary of a professional football team, in connection with the acquisition, financing and development of the entertainment complex adjacent to a stadium in Pittsburgh adjacent to several hotels.
    • Represented a sports authority in connection with the sale of land to a joint venture owned by a professional hockey team and local real estate developer for the development of a new hotel that supports a hockey arena.
    • Represented a sports authority in the optioning of 28 acres adjacent to downtown Pittsburgh to an affiliate of the a professional hockey team for a multi-project, multi-use development.
    • Represented the agent bank in negotiating and documenting syndicated construction loans, term loans and lines of credit for its largest projects across the U.S., including Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Texas.
    • Represented the shareholders of a restaurant system in a transaction involving more than 20 companies in both Pennsylvania and Florida which resulted in an investment partnership with a private equity firm.

  • Operations


    • Represented restaurant owners and operators in connection with alcohol beverage licensing, including importer licensing and the purchase, sale and transfer of liquor licenses.
    • Represented owners and operators of stadiums, arenas and convention centers in operational contracts for food and beverage concessions, energy services, labor, and sponsorships.
    • Represented hotel management, investment and development firm with operations in 20 states in connection with data breach at payroll processor impacting all employees.
    • Represented a prominent restaurant in connection with negotiating and obtaining public performances licenses to play live and recorded music.
    • Represented the operator of an NFL stadium in connection with the promotion of a series of major music concerts.

  • Tax


    • Represented a lender in developing tax increment financing for a mixed use high-rise, central business district, condominium project with a hotel component.
    • Represented the developers of a hotel in Pittsburgh in obtaining substantial tax credit from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

  • Intellectual Property


    • Represented one of the most historic hotels in the United States in registering hundreds of marks in the U.S. and worldwide after a major renovation and re-opening.
    • Represented a chain of fast food restaurants in trademark litigation filed by one of the world’s most famous musicians alleging infringement of a song title and reached a favorable settlement.
    • Represented the owner of one of the world’s most famous nightclubs in several litigation matters in the U.S. and worldwide against a variety of infringers.
    • Advised a chain of fast food restaurants on guidelines for advertising related to the Super Bowl and World Cup to avoid objections from the NFL and FIFA.
    • Represented a chain of biscuit restaurants in litigation against an infringer, reaching a favorable agreement requiring the infringer to change its name.

  • Labor & Employment


    • Worked with a new hotel in Pittsburgh to guide it within the ordinance requiring card check agreements for new hotels while remaining union-free.
    • Represented hotel clients before the NLRB in representation cases, as well as a variety of charge cases.
    • Represented hospitality employers in the City of Pittsburgh in contract negotiations with a variety of labor organizations, including UNITE HERE, as well as the Operating Engineers, Carpenters, Painters, and Laundry Workers' unions.
    • Represented a number of Pittsburgh hotels in negotiations and to break the city-wide pattern for using the local union as the hiring hall for extra banquet servers and bartenders. This change allowed each hotel to create a more loyal and dedicated group of extra help employees who became familiar with the hotel's operations and standards.
    • Negotiated a withdrawal from Taft-Hartley welfare and pension plans on behalf of a hotel client, allowing that client to gain more control over such benefits.
    • Represented clients in negotiation and litigation for matters involving agreements that participation in multi-employer welfare and pension plans.
    • Represented hotels in grievance arbitration hearings, including discharge arbitration cases and arbitrations involving a variety of management rights and contract interpretation claims, such as grievances about shared tipping agreements, interpretation of vacation and holiday pay provisions, and contracting out of laundry services.
    • Represented hotel clients in fair employment cases before administrative agencies, including the EEOC, as well as the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and in federal court.
    • Represented a hotel in a dispute with the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, related to an alleged statistical disparity in hiring.

  • Financing Transactions


    • Represented a hospitality and commercial real estate developer client in connection with a $4 billion financing and development project for the renovation of an historic hotel and resort in Miami Beach, as well as the construction of a 63-story casino, retail and condominium-hotel resort tower in Las Vegas.
    • Represented a hotel and resort developer in a joint venture and related financings for a $500 million hotel renovation.
    • Represented the lender in a $48 million construction loan and $8 million tax credit bridge loan for a hotel developed on 10 floors of a historic downtown Pittsburgh office building.
    • Represented a regional bank in connection with the sale through workout of a hotel for approximately $7 million.
    • Represented one of the nation's largest commercial banks, as lead real estate counsel in transactions, including:
      • $294 million ten-bank syndicated construction loan for the development of a lifestyle center with office, retail and residential components in Glendale, Calif.
      • $300 million syndicated construction and term loan for rehabilitation of an existing regional shopping mall in Thousand Oaks, Calif.
      • $88.5 million syndicated construction loan for the development of a multi-family apartment project in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
      • $85 million syndicated construction loan for the development of a shopping center and office complex in Virginia Beach, Va.
    • Represented a regional national banking association on a $12 million single bank loan for the construction of a Homewood Suites in Milwaukee.
    • Represented a borrower on an $11 million loan for the acquisition and renovation of a Marriott Hotel in Lynchburg, Va.
    • Represented a lender on an $85 million single bank loan for the refinance of seven hotels in Texas, California and Colorado.
    • Represented a lender on a $23 million single bank loan for the construction of a Hyatt Place hotel in Baltimore.
    • Represented a lender on a $34 million single bank loan for the construction of a Homewood Suites in Washington, D.C.
    • Represented a lender in a $34 million construction loan for a Marriott hotel in Pompano Beach, Fla.
    • Represented a lender in a $27 million construction loan for a Hyatt hotel in West Palm Beach, Fla.
    • Represented a lender in a $15 million construction loan for a Hyatt hotel in Delray Beach, Fla.
    • Represented a lender in connection with $21.185 million construction loan for Westin Riverfront Hotel in Wilmington, Del.
    • Represented a lender in connection with $25.948 million term loan for a 262-room Embassy Suites in Lombard, Ill.
    • Represented a lender in connection with $8.6 million construction loan for a Hampton Inn in Bensalem, Pa.
    • Represented a lender in connection with $18 million construction load for Crowne Plaza Hotel & Holiday Inn Express in Plainsboro, N.J.