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This is Jim Butler, author of www.HotelLawBlog.com and hotel lawyer. Please contact me at Jim Butler at jbutler@jmbm.com or 310.201.3526.

Outlook and Trends

Posted On: October 1, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer: Fortunes will be made . . . or lost . . . in the wake of The Financial Bailout Bill and the Panic of 2008. What happens AFTER the Bailout Bill . . .

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
01 October 2008

Hospitality Lawyers at JMBM don't create economic cycles or events like the Panic of 2008, but we often help our clients and friends find the fortune-making deals or put a tourniquet on life threatening hemorrhaging for owners, developers, investors and lenders.

These times remind this hotel lawyer of some time-tested wisdom. Hetty Green, one of the world's most successful investors who lived in the 19th century said, "Next to my children I love a good panic more than anything else." And why would those words be relevant today? That is the penultimate question today at www.HotelLawBlog.com.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer: Fortunes will be made . . . or lost . . . in the wake of The Financial Bailout Bill and the Panic of 2008. What happens AFTER the Bailout Bill . . . " »

Posted In: Global Financial Crisis & Recovery , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: September 28, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer with Outlooks and Predictions for U.S. Lodging Industry from The Phoenix Lodging Conference. PKF Consulting's Mark Woodworth's presentation.

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
28 September 2008

The Lodging Conference 2008 at the Arizona Biltmore. What impact will the "Panic of 2008" have on the hotel industry? Here's the take by one Hospitality Lawyer.


Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer with Outlooks and Predictions for U.S. Lodging Industry from The Phoenix Lodging Conference. PKF Consulting's Mark Woodworth's presentation. " »

Posted In: Global Financial Crisis & Recovery , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: September 28, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Agreement on Bailout Bill. The ''Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" likely to pass. Sets up the "TARP" for the U.S. economy and the hospitality industry

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
28 September 2008

Hotel Lawyer: The Bailout Bill looks certain to pass. Hospitality Lawyer muses what it means to the world's economy and the hospitality industry. . .

As of 7 pm, Sunday, September 28, 2008, it appears that all contingents have approved the largest financial bailout in U.S. history -- a historic $7 billion which is more than the entire budget for 2009. Here is an early take on this situation from www.HotelLawBlog.com.

Continue reading " Agreement on Bailout Bill. The ''Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" likely to pass. Sets up the "TARP" for the U.S. economy and the hospitality industry " »

Posted In: Global Financial Crisis & Recovery , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: September 27, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer's take on The Panic of 2008. Financial Crisis impact on the Lodging Industry.

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
28 September 2008

The Panic of 2008 and the $700 billion "bailout" -- now called TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) -- are events of historic proportion. As one Hospitality Lawyer, here's my take.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer's take on The Panic of 2008. Financial Crisis impact on the Lodging Industry. " »

Posted In: Global Financial Crisis & Recovery , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: September 24, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer: Pulse of the hotel industry from the Phoenix Lodging Conference. Where are we now? Where are we going?

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
25 September 2008

Hospitality Lawyer in Phoenix. The Lodging Conference 2008. Where are we now? Where are we going?

Let's face it. Last week was essentially a financial panic in the United States -- particularly in New York City. The biggest danger to pedestrians was investment bankers jumping out of windows or defaulting on their Rolls Royce payments. New York City's financial crisis has rocked the world and the hospitality industry along with it. Here is the latest . . .

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer: Pulse of the hotel industry from the Phoenix Lodging Conference. Where are we now? Where are we going? " »

Posted In: Global Financial Crisis & Recovery , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: September 12, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Green Hospitality Lawyer: Downturn or no, green hotels make economic sense.

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
12 September 2008

Green Hotel Lawyer: "The Compelling Hard Case for Green Hotel Development " is published by Cornell Hospitality Quarterly.

JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® has a long history of supporting green hotel development. We believe that sustainability is not only the responsible, but also the financially smartest approach to hotel development and renovation.

We are very proud to announce that the Cornell Hospitality Quarterly has just published our most recent contribution on this subject, entitled: The Compelling Hard Case for Green Hotel Development." Here is the download link to a FREE copy of the article.

Continue reading " Green Hospitality Lawyer: Downturn or no, green hotels make economic sense. " »

Posted In: Green Hotels , Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: September 11, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer in Italy. Lessons from History: When will we ever learn?

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
11 September 2008

Hospitality Lawyer in Italy. Lessons from History: When will we ever learn?

Lana and I are enjoying a brief Italian vacation in the Umbria region of Italy. Today we took a tour of the ancient city-state of Gubbio. I think there are some lessons here that are worth remembering. Disclaimer: This post isn't about hotel law, so you hard core readers can go ahead and click on whatever is listed next on your RSS feed. The rest of you might be interested in why I am thinking about salt, window and chimney taxes.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer in Italy. Lessons from History: When will we ever learn? " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: August 10, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Ask the Hotel Lawyer™: America is on sale! Understanding the exchange rate impact on hospitality.

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
10 August 2008

Industry insights from JMBM's Hospitality Lawyers. Some of the most popular articles here are the industry updates, like the ones posted after NYU and the NABHOOD Conference a few weeks ago, with many of the industry experts' top slides.

One of the most popular slides from Jan Freitag of Smith Travel Research posted on www.HotelLawBlog.com
triggered quite a few questions about the impact of currency exchange rates on our industry, so I thought I would offer a little more detail to those who are intrigued by America being on sale because of the fall of dollar against most of the world's major currencies.

Continue reading " Ask the Hotel Lawyer™: America is on sale! Understanding the exchange rate impact on hospitality. " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: August 2, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hispanic Hotel Owners Association (HHOA) and Angela Gonzalez-Rowe talk with Hospitality Lawyer about HHOA's exciting developments

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
2 August 2008

HHOA talks with Hospitality Lawyer - A compelling demographic of opportunity for all and the next big wave of hotel investment. I recently sat down with Angela Gonzalez-Rowe, President of the Hispanic Hotel Owners Association or HHOA (see www.hhoa.org) , to talk about our newest hospitality trade organization. The hospitality lawyers at JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® see some truly compelling opportunities for Hispanics or Latinos and all traditional hospitality players here. Check into this ground floor opportunity!

[And for the curious, I have some demographics of the Hispanic and Latino communities in the U.S., as well as a discussion of what "Hispanic" and "Latino" really mean.]

Continue reading " Hispanic Hotel Owners Association (HHOA) and Angela Gonzalez-Rowe talk with Hospitality Lawyer about HHOA's exciting developments " »

Posted In: Outlook and Trends

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Posted On: July 27, 2008 by the JMBM Global Hospitality Group®

Hospitality Lawyer -- "Can we keep it up?" An increasingly important issue for the hotel industry!

By Jim Butler and the Global Hospitality Group®
Hotel Lawyers | Authors of www.HotelLawBlog.com
27 July 2008

Hospitality Lawyer -- Why we need to maintain the discipline to keep ADRs up! As hotel occupancy rates are tending to soften nationally, the data from Smith Travel Research (STR) tells us that the industry has continued to do well because average daily rates (ADRs) have continued to rise, particularly in the Top 25 markets, and in the market segments that STR calls Luxury, Upper Upscale, Upscale and Midscale without Food & Beverage.

But there is a new threat to industry profits looming on the horizon -- something beyond pestilence, war, recession, and falling airline seat capacity, and this is within our own control if we will just behave rationally. Here's the scoop from www.HotelLawBlog.com.

Continue reading " Hospitality Lawyer -- "Can we keep it up?" An increasingly important issue for the hotel industry! " »

Posted In: Ask the Hotel Lawyer™ , Outlook and Trends

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About the Authors

Jim Butler

Jim Butler is recognized as one of the top hotel lawyers in the world. He devotes 100% of his practice to hospitality, representing hotel owners, developers and lenders. Jim leads the Global Hospitality Group®—a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,000 properties located around the globe.
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Robert Braun

Robert Braun is a partner in JMBM's Corporate Department and a senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,000 properties located around the globe. Bob represents owners in both transactional and operational issues. He advises clients with respect to business formation, financing, mergers and acquisitions, venture capital financing, joint ventures and strategic partnerships. He has represented hotel owners in the negotiation of several hundred management agreements, as well as spa management and franchise agreements. Bob also advises hotel owners regarding telecommunications, software, internet, e-commerce, data processing and outsourcing agreements. To read Bob's articles, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com and select "Management Agreements." For more information, please contact Bob Braun at 310.785.5331 or rbraun@jmbm.com.

Marta Fernandez

Marta Fernandez is a partner in JMBM's Employment and Labor Department and a senior member of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,000 properties located around the globe. As a management labor lawyer with more than 20 years of experience, Marta specializes in representing hospitality industry clients in all aspects of labor and employment including labor-management relations such as union prevention, collective bargaining for single as well as multi-employer bargaining units, neutrality agreements and defense of unfair labor practice charges before the NLRB. She defends employers in administrative and litigation claims, such as employee claims of sexual harassment and discrimination and counsels clients in preventative strategies such as executive training, arbitration enforcement, and policies and procedures. To read Marta's articles, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com and select "Labor & Employment." For more information, please contact Marta Fernandez at 310.201.3534 or at mfernandez@jmbm.com.

Catherine DeBono Holmes

Catherine DeBono Holmes is a partner in JMBM's Corporate Department and a senior member of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,000 properties located around the globe. Cathy assists hotel clients with hotel management and franchise agreements, purchase and sale transactions, and condo hotel regime structuring. She has taken hotel owners through complex RFP processes involving all the major hotel brands. She has significant expertise in condo hotels and advises clients in the specific business and legal aspects of condo hotel regime structuring and documentation, including CC&Rs, HOA docs, unit management agreements, shared facilities agreements, rental management agreement programs and securities compliance matters (structuring, documentation and training). To access Cathy's articles on www.HotelLawBlog.com, click on the topics "Condo Hotels" or "Green Hotels" For more information, please contact Cathy Holmes at 310.201.3553 or cholmes@jmbm.com.

Guy Maisnik

Guy Maisnik is a partner in JMBM's Real Estate Department and a senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,000 properties located around the globe. Guy's deep and broad transactional practice includes complex real estate finance and venture capital transactions, including project finance, commercial finance, leveraged leasing and real estate acquisitions. He assists clients with development, leasing and disposition, loan portfolio acquisitions, loan and debt restructure, workouts and real estate exchanges. Go to www.HotelLawBlog.com for current information in these areas. For more information, please contact Guy Maisnik at 310.201.3588 or mgm@jmbm.com.

David Sudeck

David Sudeck is of Counsel in JMBM's Real Estate Department and a senior member of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group® -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,000 properties located around the globe. David has significant experience in the vacation ownership arena, focusing on the formation and registration of condominiums, timeshares and fractional interest regimes. He negotiates hotel, spa and restaurant management agreements, and assists client in the development, acquisition, sale and leasing of hotels, golf courses and restaurants. For David's take on current issues in the timeshare arena, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com and click on the topic, "Timeshare." For more information, please contact David Sudeck at 310.201.3518 or dsudeck @jmbm.com.

Robert Kaplan

Robert Kaplan is a partner in JMBM's Bankruptcy, Insolvency and Restructurings Group and a senior member of the Global Hospitality Group(r) -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,000 properties located around the globe. Bob represents lenders, special servicers, hard money lenders, community banks, national banking associations, distressed debt investors, and equity investors, positioning them for the best possible outcome by acting expeditiously to preserve value and increase cash flow. His industry experience and his knowledge of the current capital markets -- where distressed assets often include complex deal structures and securitized loans -- allows him to bring creative and effective strategies to the table. When aggressive litigation is the best strategy, he is a vigorous and effective advocate for his clients. Bob represented the securitized lender in the Chapter 11 bankruptcy case filed by the Clift Hotel in San Francisco, and in the subsequent negotiations and successful sale of the loan to a third party. The lender -- acting by and through GMAC Commercial Mortgage Corporation as special servicer -- was the holder of a $60 million loan secured by a Deed of Trust on the Clift Hotel. He has also served as counsel to CapMark, J.E. Robert Company, Inc., AMRESCO Management Inc. and Midland Loan Servicer in their capacity as special servicers on troubled hotel loans in CMBS pools. For more information, contact Robert Kaplan at 415.984.9673 or rkaplan@jmbm.com.

Martin Orlick

Martin Orlick is a partner in JMBM's Real Estate Department and a senior member of JMBM's Global Hospitality Group(r) -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,000 properties located around the globe. Marty specializes in representing hospitality industry clients in Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and defense. He has represented more than 300 businesses in ADA issues, many of them hotels and restaurants, as well as hotel mixed-use properties. Marty is a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL) and a frequent speaker on the ADA and other topics. To read Marty's articles, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com and select "ADA." For more information, please contact Marty Orlick at 415.984.9667 or morlick@jmbm.com.

James Abrams

James Abrams is Of Counsel at JMBM and is a senior member of JMBM’s Global Hospitality Group -- a team of 50 seasoned professionals with more than $60 billion of hotel transactional experience, involving more than 1,000 properties located around the globe. Jim has served the hospitality industry for 40 years and specializes in lodging and hospitality law and in representing and advising trade associations and other non-profit entities. Jim has significant experience in government affairs at the national level, the state level – including the California Legislature and scores of state agencies – and with local governments and agencies. He has authored successful ballot measures and scores of bills for his clients. Jim served as the President and CEO of the California Hotel & Lodging Association from January 1, 1991 through December 31, 2008 and is currently an adjunct professor in the Hospitality Industry Management Program at the University of San Francisco. He is a frequent speaker and writer on all aspects of the law relating to the lodging and hospitality industries, and he is the author of the book Laws Pertaining to the California Innkeeper, which is published by the California Hotel & Lodging Association. To read Jim’s articles, go to www.HotelLawBlog.com. For more information, please contact Jim Abrams at (415) 398-8080 or jabrams@jmbm.com.

Global Hospitality Group®
1900 Avenue of the Stars
7th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067
Direct: (310) 201-3526
Direct Fax: (310) 712-8526
E-mail: jbutler@jmbm.com

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Ask The Hotel Lawyer ™

Ask the Hotel Lawyer™ is a quarterly column that I write for JMBM's Global Hospitality Advisor®. If you have a question you would like to submit to Ask the Hotel Lawyer™ please use the comments box below. While your question may not be of sufficient general interest for the column, I will try to respond to you individually if you leave your contact information below. Jim Butler.