International law firm Withers and its Singapore alliance, Withers KhattarWong, have represented Marriott International in securing their first JW Marriott and EDITION hotels in Singapore.
Marriott will take over the management of the luxury South Beach hotel from owners South Beach Consortium and City Developments Limited (CDL), and re-brand the property to “JW Marriott Hotel Singapore South Beach” in late 2016. The landmark South Beach hotel is part of the mixed-use South Beach development, concept designed by Foster & Partners.
Located in the downtown area, the hotel has over 600 rooms and suites, with interiors expertly designed by Philippe Starck.
The Singapore Edition will be an eight-storey, 190-room boutique luxury development located in the Orchard Road district. A 2019 opening date is expected. EDITION is a luxury-lifestyle brand conceived by visionary hotelier Ian Schrager in partnership with Marriott International.
“These are hugely exciting and significant deals for Marriott, signed on the eve of their transformational merger with Starwood,” said Robert Williams, Asia Pacific head of Withers’ hotels and hospitality team.
“Establishing a 2-hotel relationship with Singapore heavyweights CDL, after a hard fought operator selection process, is a major result for Marriott.
“Giant mixed use projects like these are complex and demanding, but becoming the new norm for city developments in the region.
“Our international team were delighted to help Marriott on these important deals,” he said.
Williams led the Withers’ team, working with Singapore-based partners Carla Barker and Deborah Barker and assisted by lawyers Ushan Premaratne and Itishree Tyagi.
In recent months, Withers’ hotels and hospitality team has advised Pro-invest Group on a AUD$300 million capital raising for its inaugural Australian hotel fund and represented SilverNeedle Hospitality Group on a AUD$300 million three hotel lease deal with the Queensland Investment Corporation.
Withers represents leading owners and operators in the sector. The team specialises in acquisitions and sales of hotels and resorts, mixed-use hotel projects, negotiating hotel management, franchising and leasing deals, operating platform M&A transactions, and providing capital raising, fund structuring and vacation ownership advice.