Christopher Cylke, Senior Vice President (Miami Office)

Professional History

Various Management Positions, Hyatt Regency Bethesda, Bethesda, MD

Assistant Manager, Club Seabourne, Culebra, PR

Areas of Special Expertise

15 years of extensive experience in the hospitality, recreational, and tourism industries regarding new development and acquisition of all hotel types; market and financial analysis, valuation, strategic planning, operations analysis, impact analysis, litigation support, hotel operator selection, management contract/franchise negotiations, financial analysis including market repositioning and other value enhancement strategies, financing, and asset management with an emphasis on hotels and resorts located in the Caribbean and Central America.  He has managed a broad range of public and private sector hospitality-related investments including hotels, conference centers, resorts (including all-inclusive resorts), casinos, golf courses, and marinas.  He has also advised leading hospitality organizations on strategic planning and investment decision analysis. Recently Chris has been actively working with a number of special services under REVPAR International’s L3 Services program on all types of hotel assets.  He has directed and managed over 500 hospitality related projects during his advisory career on individual hotel assets, as well as multiple hotel assets and portfolios. The aggregate value of these projects represents well in excess of $1 billion in investment activity.

Major Projects

Prepared market demand and feasibility studies, valuations, and full narrative appraisals for a variety of commercial and hospitality-related  real estate, including limited and full-service hotels, extended-stay properties, and resorts (with conference centers, casinos, golf courses, marinas, and retail space), and U.S. Military facilities on U.S. installations nationwide related to various hospitality and recreational facilities.  Studies include undertaking market research, preparing financial analyses, and product positioning/branding.

Provided project management services to include preparing conceptual plans of proposed hotels to meet the standards of the potential hotel operators, including minimum room counts/size and the necessary services and facilities required as part of their prototypical design envelope; soliciting various hotel operators through a formal RFP process in becoming development partners  for the proposed projects; evaluating alternative deal structures for 3rd party hotel operator/owner, identifying potential sources of equity, and analyzing potential lease structures.

Provided asset acquisition, financing, transition management, and on-going related ownership responsibilities related to due diligence services for numerous projects.  Many of these assignments, included evaluating the overall market, historically and prospectively, to verify what opportunities existed to improve the penetration of the asset from a market share and yield standpoint and the possibility of converting the asset into another brand or property type (i.e., condominium hotel), assisting the client in identifying and selecting a new management company for the asset, and assisting in negotiating the agreement and contracts via a formal RFP process. 

Conducted impact analyses for major hotel chains, including estimating the level of impact on a hotel assuming the development of other branded hotels in the same market and quantifying the level of demand from various demand generators.

Provided REVPAR International’s exclusive L3 services for lenders, lawyers, and loan services.  Assignments included:   

• Providing comprehensive and effective hotel asset management and operational review services with best practice recommendations that included monitoring on-site operations from the perspective of loan security and collateral protection.

• Providing acquisition, disposition, hypothecation, and securitization advice relative to existing loans including due diligence, contract negotiation, and settlement.

• Assessing hotel operating performance and researching variances to enhance revenue.

• Identifying and exploiting new revenue opportunities to the benefit of borrowers and lenders.

• Establishing performance benchmarks, measuring results and reporting to lender.

• Recommending to client the reasonableness of borrower’s proposed management or restructuring plans or strategy and/or franchise affiliation and the terms thereof.

• Representing the client in dealings with hotel operators, franchisors, management companies, governmental agencies, media sources, community groups, and suppliers.

• Preparing, evaluating and making recommendations relative to borrower’s proposed repositioning of hotel asset or portfolio through rebranding, renovation, disposition, and/or expansion.

Education

B.A., Government, Clark University

Professional Memberships

International Society of Hospitality Consultants

Speaking Engagements

Speaker at Caribbean Hotel Industry Conference