An old “train depot and concert venue” is being converted into a 225 room Marriott Autograph Collection hotel in Salt Lake City – the Asher Adams – and they need your money to do it, it seems.
This is an opportunity, perhaps, for those of us on social media regularly spouting off that we can do it better than Bonvoy properties that regularly ignore elite benefits like 4 p.m. late check-out and complimentary breakfast, that have eliminated daily housekeeping, and that seem to be betting that cutting services somehow still keeps hotels competitive with Airbnb. And there’s even government subsidies for it, too (“Qualified Opportunity Zone Project w/ Associated Tax Benefit”)!
Then again if this were such a great opportunity, there’s plenty of capital sloshing around markets, if they’re having to go to retail for money you always have to wonder: if you have to ask who the mark is, doesn’t that mean it’s you?
I am surprised Marriott is allowing this. Normally, they require reputable owners and investors to be lined up before agreeing to a property being flagged under one of the brands. I know an owner of an independent boutique hotel that wanted to convert to Tribute but dropped the idea when Marriott’s development department wanted to much information without committing.
I’m a Hilton/InterContinental person … so little personal experience with Marriott. But from what I read and hear about Marriott lately, probably nobody wants to invest in the brand at all.
Gary, as you said, any investment that is not already snapped up by the big dogs . . .
And, besides, who would admit to it?
Union Station in SLC is not in a good area. There’s a mall next door that has been struggling for this very reason.
Years ago, my then firm did a similar deal with the headhouse at Union Station St. Louis. The deal had significant tax advantages and there was supposed to be a market for a good hotel in a beautiful old building (just like this SLC proposal). We proved the old maxim, that people who make money investing in hotels are those who become the second owners. I see it’s still functioning, now as a Hilton Curio hotel
Warren Buffett seems like a good fit for this.