Allen Morris Company's AMS Hospitality And Black Salmon Joint Venture Acquire Circa 39 Hotel In Miami Beach For $25.5 million

AMS Hospitality, the affiliate hospitality group of The Allen Morris Company, and Miami-based national commercial real estate investment firm Black Salmon have acquired the 97-key Circa 39 Hotel in Miami Beach for $25.5 million. Located at 3900 Collins Avenue, the Art Deco-style Circa 39 Hotel is across from the iconic Miami Beach boardwalk and housed within two buildings, which include a surface lot across the street. Melissa Rose of JLL Capital Markets arranged the financing for the acquisition. The transaction was overseen by Samuel Heskiel of Beachfront Realty and Miguel Pinto of Apex Capital Realty.

The asset will undergo a multimillion-dollar renovation which will reposition it as an upper-upscale, independent lifestyle hotel with a reimagined pool deck and new internationally recognized food and beverage concepts. It is strategically located in the growth path of mid-Miami Beach. Highgate, a leading real estate investment and hospitality management company in the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America, has been selected to provide property management services for the hotel.

“The acquisition of Circa 39 Hotel is an extremely positive step in the evolution of AMS Hospitality,” said W. Allen Morris, Chairman & CEO of The Allen Morris Company and Principal of AMS Hospitality. “We are delighted to once again be partnering with Black Salmon, as our joint teams continuously explore new opportunities.”

The acquisition of the Circa 39 Hotel marks the most recent acquisition for the group as part of its plans to acquire $300 million in hospitality assets across the U.S. The two firms have additional assets under contract throughout the southeast United States. The partnership between AMS Hospitality and Black Salmon leverages the key strengths and expertise of both firms across the disciplines of acquisitions, asset management, and capital raising.

“Miami has always been a target market of ours for investment given its long-standing, global recognition as a preferred travel destination, now reinforced by its ability to rebound quickly in the pandemic.” said Jorge Escobar, managing partner and co-CEO of Black Salmon. “Our strategy of identifying boutique, select-service hotels allow us to provide the capital to reposition the property, increasing revenue and elevating the guest stay.”

With increasing vaccination rates nationally, and South Florida’s easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the return of leisure travel is evidenced by rising hotel occupancy rates. Miami is among the top 35 hotel markets in the country and has become a popular destination for travelers from the Southeast, Midwest, and California.

AMS Hospitality has a billion-dollar acquisition and development pipeline including the recently completed $87 million UNC Charlotte Marriot Hotel & Conference Center in North Carolina and the under construction Kimpton Midtown Union Hotel with MetLife in Atlanta. Black Salmon has a nearly half a billion-dollar portfolio, which includes prime office, senior housing, and hospitality assets.

AMS Hospitality Led By Allen Morris Company And Stormont Hospitality Group Partners With Black Salmon To Launch $300 Million Joint Venture

AMS Hospitality, a joint venture between The Allen Morris Company and the Atlanta-based Stormont Hospitality Group, has teamed up with the Miami-based Black Salmon Capital to launch a $300 million initiative to acquire hospitality assets across the United States within the next 18 months.

In December the JV closed on its first acquisition, The Pelham Hotel, a 65-key boutique hotel in the heart of New Orleans. The Pelham Hotel is designated a historic landmark and ideally set adjacent to the vaunted French Quarter, within the city’s Central Business District. The property will undergo a complete, multi-million dollar renovation of the ground-floor lobby, public areas, and guest rooms in order to modernize its design and enhance the guest experience. New Orleans-based HRI Properties has been selected to provide property management services for the hotel

“The capability of this partnership to acquire and transform a hospitality asset is compelling,” said W. Allen Morris, Chairman & CEO of The Allen Morris Company. “This initial acquisition of The Pelham is an ideal of example of how we envision leveraging all facets of our varied strengths.”

The partnership between AMS Hospitality and Black Salmon leverages the key strengths and expertise of both firms across the disciplines of acquisitions, asset management, and capital raising. The JV will seek hotel properties that have undergone a price reduction from pre-pandemic values.

AMS Hospitality was formed earlier this year, joining The Allen Morris Company, one of the largest, diversified real estate firms in the southeast and Stormont Hospitality, a highly acclaimed hotel developer and asset manager.

Black Salmon Capital has acquired nearly $500 million of prime office buildings and senior housing assets across the United States, including US Bank Center in Phoenix, Arizona. It is a strategic partner of TSG Group, a developer of multifamily and offices. Black Salmon Capital’s investment strategy focuses on acquiring stabilized assets, in addition to value-add opportunities, in high growth markets with an educated workforce, a robust technology industry, and strong market fundamentals.

“We are delighted to mark Black Salmon’s foray into the hospitality industry with this deal,” said Jorge Escobar, CEO of Black Salmon. “Through our partnership with AMS, we will further our reach into the hospitality sector and generate new opportunities for our investors.”

“We are truly pleased to have partnered with a group of such consummate professionals across these various disciplines,” concludes Jim Stormont, co-founder of Stormont Hospitality Group, and President of AMS Hospitality. “We look forward to expanding our relationships and our portfolio within this sector while creating landmark assets.”