The hospitality experience you need.

Our experience in this area includes the representation of public and private entities in the acquisition, development, and disposition of hotel properties and ancillary facilities. We represent developers in connection with financing hotel projects, including construction and permanent financing and negotiating and obtaining various development incentives, including tax increment financing (TIF), tax abatement, sales tax exemption, and other forms of public financing.

We also regularly assist hotel owners and developers in connection with capitalizing and/or recapitalizing their portfolios and investments through the private placement of securities (equity and debt) and various other capital raising activities, including JV transactions with private equity funds and venture capital groups.

With a deep knowledge in real estate development, encompassing multi-use developments and legacy projects, and significant experience in luxury resorts and specialty lodging, we strive to ensure that our clients receive the highest level of support. We work with stakeholders – ranging from owners, lenders, investors, family offices, funds, private equity, REITs, management companies, food and beverage operators and managers, golf resorts, nonprofit entities, member groups, developers, franchisors, and others – to create and implement solutions focused on meeting client objectives throughout the life cycle of an asset. We take a proactive approach to identifying and managing insolvency risk, working closely with stakeholders to safeguard their interests.

At the forefront of opportunity and innovation, we are dedicated to reshaping the future of marina and luxury RV development. We aim to ensure that our clients not only thrive but also take the lead in this dynamic industry. Ongoing corporate compliance guidance ensures that operations run smoothly while adhering to local and federal regulations for ground leased developments. We specialize in working with public sector entities to obtain ground leases, entitlements, and other complex development approvals for our client. We regularly represent and advise clients on operational issues and regulatory compliance in maritime-related outdoor recreation and boat storage.

Our comprehensive legal services address:

• Complex real estate and financial transactions
• Advising developers and member groups in equity conversions
• Representing buyers and sellers in the purchase, sale, and financing of assets
• Full-service business formation services, contract negotiations
• Developing and implementing owner strategies
• Representing major marina operators
• Conversion of government plots into leasehold interests for RV parks
• Securing loans for development against permits
• Zoning, permits, and construction compliance

Restaurants operate at the intersection of creativity, operations, and capital, requiring strategic legal guidance to support growth while managing evolving business, consumer, and regulatory demands.

Our team advises hospitality groups, restaurateurs, celebrity chefs, and investors at every stage of the business life cycle, from concept formation through expansion, transition, and exit. We assist clients with new concept development, multi-unit scaling, recapitalization, domestic and international expansion, and transactions that support long-term growth. Our experience includes investment and capital raising, joint ventures, licensing and management agreements, and complex equity and debt financing arrangements, as well as structuring ownership models that balance competing priorities.

We also counsel clients on brand development and protection, including intellectual property strategy, licensing, merchandising, and publicity and endorsement matters. In addition, we support day-to-day operations across real estate, workforce management, technology, regulatory compliance, and dispute resolution, helping clients adapt to changing market conditions while maintaining operational continuity.

The management and restructuring of distressed assets in the hospitality sector present distinctive chances for rejuvenation and expansion.

We focus on providing support to hotel owners, restaurateurs, secured lenders, and landlords in matters of debt restructuring, related litigation, receiverships and bankruptcy proceedings. Our services include managing distressed assets, assisting buyers of distressed assets where we act as legal counsel for stalking horse bidders and potential buyers, particularly within the hospitality sector. In particular, the team has experience:

• Representing a leading hospitality firm in several distressed asset situations.
• Acting as legal counsel for stalking horse bidders in transactions to ensure their interests were protected, acquisition opportunities were maximized, and that favorable terms were negotiated.
• Collaborating with lenders to manage receiverships within the hospitality sector.
• Assisted with debt restructuring and managed related litigation for hotel owners, restaurateurs, secured lenders, and landlords.

In advising hospitality technology companies, investors, and adopters, we employ our decades of experience working with technology companies across other industries, remaining mindful of what is special about the hospitality landscape. The Spencer Fane team understands the unique demands of businesses serving hotels, restaurants, travel platforms, and other hospitality-sector clients, and we deliver practical guidance that helps innovators move quickly while protecting their commercial interests.

From early-stage advisory work to complex commercial and financing transactions, we serve as a trusted legal partner to hospitality technology companies navigating a rapidly changing market.