HVS Launches Financing Division

DENVER— HVS International today launched a new division called HVS Capital Corp. that will provide hotel financing, investment sales and capital advisory services for the lodging and leisure industries. The group will be headed by Managing Director Michael Sullivan, who will lead a team of seasoned investment banking professionals at the Denver-based office, formerly known as Sonnenblick Goldman Ltd. A total of 10 professionals, all formerly of Sonnenblick Goldman, will work out of the office, expanding their activities further into the hospitality arena. According to Sullivan, the strategic plan is to grow the division so a “financing” professional is eventually housed in all of HVS Internationals 12 offices worldwide. “We may transfer some of the people we have, but will probably hire some others,” said Sullivan of the new group. He said that the division already has a significant backlog of business that is predominantly first mortgage financings, investment sales, capital advisory, and public/private partnership financing advisory. He noted that the group is already the special financing advisor to four cities in the United States that are considering hospitality public/private partnerships for lodging developments. “We are very excited about this move,” said Sullivan, who noted that it was a 5-month process to form the new capital group. “Our HVS affiliation enhances our capabilities. It brings together our financial expertise with HVS worldwide hotel consultancy connections, which we believe are the best around the globe.” In addition to a vast network of clients interested in hotel sales, investment, and more, HVS will also bring the capital group direct hotel operating experience, said Sullivan, “something that financial folks like ourselves usually lack.” “Our ability to interact with the various other divisions of the firm will provide us with a level of support and market scope unparalleled in hotel investment banking,” said Sullivan. HVS International, established in 1980, consists of a staff of more than 150 specialists today in areas including hotel valuations, development planning, litigation support, executive search, waste management, timeshare consulting and technology strategy.