Driftwood Florida Space Coast Portfolio – Private

Driftwood Capital offers accredited investors an exclusive opportunity to invest in a portfolio of four premium-branded beachfront hotels on Florida’s Space Coast featuring 1,218 guest rooms, 166K square feet of meeting space, and 21 food & beverage outlets. Once completed, the Driftwood Space Coast Portfolio is expected to represent more than 62% of the Space Coast’s beachfront hotel guest room inventory. The portfolio generates cash flow from two operational full-service hotels, Hilton Cocoa Beach and Crowne Plaza Melbourne. Additional revenue is anticipated from the newly constructed upscale element by Westin Melbourne extended-stay hotel, which is expected to open in Q2 2024. Lastly, scheduled to open in 2026, the Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa is expected to dominate the region as an iconic destination resort, and we believe will induce demand to the market.

Click here to see important disclaimers and disclosures

Target Preferred IRR1

12.0%

Target Common IRR1

30.3%

Hold Period1

6 Years
Florida Space Coast

Deal Overview

  • New equity of at least ~$170M required for initial closing.
  • Total equity is expected to be ~$330M, of which there will be a minimum of ~$40M of preferred equity investment and a maximum of ~$135M of preferred equity investment.
  • A 12% annual coupon is anticipated to be paid current each quarter in arrears.
  • Capital Call 30% upon commitment
  • Remainder called at the discretion of the Sponsor over an 18-month period
  • Number of hotels

    4

  • Number of rooms

    1,218

  • Market

    Space Coast, FL

  • Year built/Renovated

    2019—2026

  • Target closing

    Q3 2024

  • 2027E NOI

    $63.6M

  • Management

    DHM

  • Placement fee

    1.5%

  • Fund management fee

    1.5%

Property Overview

Program

  • Hilton Cocoa beach

    • Keys: 295
    • Meeting Space 22K SF
    • 300 linear feet of beach frontage
    • $10M ($34K/ key) spent on transformational renovation that positions the Hilton as the current market leader
    • 141% RevPAR Index projected in 2024
    • Six food & beverage outlets
    • Well utilized, versatile function and event space

  • Crowne Plaza Melbourne

    • Meeting Space 20K SF
    • Largest beachfront group house in Melbourne
    • $18.5M ($64K/key) renovation of guest rooms and public spaces 2018-2019
    • Outside deck replacement in 2023
    • Operational synergies expected with adjacent element by Westin Melbourne opening in 2024

  • element Melbourne

    • Target Opening: 2024
    • Keys: 130
    • Meeting Space 500 SF
    • Newest hotel product on Melbourne Beach by more than a decade and the first beachfront element by Westin
    • Premium amenities that exceed brand standards with an elevated pool deck overlooking the Atlantic Ocean
    • Lack of extended stay and Marriott product in the vicinity is expected to capture outsized market share
    • Only Marriott-branded beachfront extended stay hotel in 170-miles of oceanfront, from Daytona Beach to Juno Beach
    • Opportunity for operational cost savings and synergies with adjacent Crowne Plaza Melbourne

  • Westin Cocoa Beach Resort and Spa

    • Target Opening: 2026
    • Meeting Space 123K SF of indoor and outdoor meeting and event space
    • Expected to be a transformative development, positioned in one of the top five fastest growing MSAs in the US
    • State-of-the-art resort and conference facility designed by world-renowned architect, Gensler
    • Marriott distribution gap – no full-service Marriott beachfront properties for 160-miles, from Daytona Beach to Hutchinson Island
    • Unprecedented $30M grant from Brevard County, $1M per year for 30 years, to promote the Resort
    • $25M Marriott Performance Guaranty
    • Updated construction costs of market-tested GMP (Gross Maximum Price) in September 2023

Portfolio Properties

Westin Cocoa Beach Resort and Spa

View Details

502

Keys

15.7

Beachfront Acres

2026

Target Opening

123.7K SF

Meeting Space

11

F&B Venues

Marriott

Brand Parent

Westin Cocoa Beach Resort and Spa

  • Expected to be a transformative development, positioned in one of the top five fastest growing MSAs in the US
  • State-of-the-art resort and conference facility designed by world-renowned architect, Gensler
  • Marriott distribution gap – no full-service Marriott beachfront properties for 160-miles, from Daytona Beach to Hutchinson Island
  • Unprecedented $30M grant from Brevard County, $1M per year for 30 years, to promote the Resort
  • $25M Marriott Performance Guaranty
  • Updated construction costs of market-tested GMP (Gross Maximum Price) in September 2023

Hilton Cocoa Beach

View Details

296

Keys

8.0

Beachfront Acres

1986/2023

Open/Renovated

21.7K SF

Meeting Space

6

F&B Venues

Hilton

Brand Parent

Hilton Cocoa Beach

  • 300 linear feet of beach frontage
  • $10M ($34K/ key) spent on a transformational renovation that positions the Hilton as the current market leader
  • 141% RevPAR Index projected in 2024
  • Six food & beverage outlets
  • Well utilized, versatile function and event space

Crowne Plaza Melbourne

View Details

290

Keys

9.9

Beachfront Acres

1979/2019

Open/Renovated

20.0K SF

Meeting Space

3

F&B Venues

IHG

Brand Parent

Crowne Plaza Melbourne

  • Largest beachfront group house in Melbourne
  • $18.5M ($64K/key) renovation of guest rooms and public spaces 2018-2019
  • Outside deck replacement in 2023
  • Operational synergies expected with the adjacent element by Westin Melbourne opening in 2024

element Melbourne

View Details

130

Keys

2.6

Beachfront Acres

2024

Target Opening

525 SF

Meeting Space

1

F&B Venues

Marriott

Brand Parent

element Melbourne

  • Newest hotel product on Melbourne Beach by more than a decade and the first beachfront element by Westin
  • Premium amenities that exceed brand standards with an elevated pool deck overlooking the Atlantic Ocean
  • Lack of extended stay and Marriott product in the vicinity is expected to capture outsized market share
  • Only Marriott-branded beachfront extended stay hotel in 170-miles of oceanfront, from Daytona Beach to Juno Beach
  • Opportunity for operational cost savings and synergies with adjacent Crowne Plaza Melbourne

Florida Space Coast

Investment Rationale

Impressive scale in an unparalleled location

Spanning over 36 beachfront acres within Florida’s thriving Space Coast, the curated portfolio epitomizes high-value hospitality real estate. With 1,218 keys, 166k SF meeting space, 21 food & beverage venues, and a significant market share (11.1% of total market keys), four unique and complementary hotels are set to transform the high barriers-to-entry Space Coast region.

Extremely high barriers to entry

Stringent zoning, entitlements, community buy-in, and the Brevard Barrier Island Area Protection Act limit competition and protect investment value. In fact, element Melbourne took just over 2.5 years to get entitled and Westin Cocoa Beach Resort and Spa took 5+ years to get shovel-ready, which required obtaining a special development district designation to get the desired height through a community referendum for approval.

Prime market with strong demand generators

The Space Coast we believe has unstoppable momentum of both leisure and business demand generators. Leisure wise, the Space Coast is the closest beach to Orlando amusement parks and MSA which attracts approximately 60M annual visitors. Cocoa Beach was named the US Top Surfing Destination, which attracted 2.5M visitors to Cocoa Beach in 2022. In addition, Port Canaveral is the #1 Busiest Cruise Port in the World with 7M annual visitors. Lastly, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex received 1.5M visitors in 2022 and the Kennedy Space Center hosts 1 out of 3 lower orbit launches in the US.

 

Business demand is fueled by the Aerospace industry, which contributed $4.2B to the county’s economy in 2021 and Defense industry, given proximity to US Patrick Space Force/Air force Base & defense Contractors with 14K active personnel and $29B budget. Also, the Aerospace boom, with 72 launches in 2023 and a projection to over 300 launches per year by 2026, the industry is driving high demand for all types of Real Estate, which other than hospitality also include specialized industrial facilities near Cape Canaveral, with major developers investing $500M+ in projects to cater to companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX.1

 

This combination we believe proves out the resiliency of the Space Coast hotel market, which has witnessed RevPAR growth of 6% YoY on average2, showcasing remarkable stability.

 

 

1 WallStreet Journal

2 CoStar and Company Projections

Decade long presence on the Space Coast

Headquartered in Florida, Driftwood Capital possesses extensive experience and history within the Space Coast, having been invested in the region since 2013. With over a decade of market presence, including major renovations of the Hilton Cocoa Beach and Crowne Plaza Melbourne, as well as developing the new element by Westin Melbourne and for the last five years lead the entitlement and design process of the new Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa.

Recently renovated

The Crowne Plaza Melbourne completed a $18.5M ($64K per key) renovation of guest rooms and public spaces in 2018-2019 and $10M ($34K per key) was spent on a transformative renovation of the Hilton Cocoa Beach in 2023, which helped position the hotel as the current competitive set leader.

Compelling incentives for Westin Cocoa Beach Resort & Spa development

The portfolio benefits from a $30M grant from Brevard County and an anticipated $25M performance guarantee from Marriott. This, combined with the absence of full-service Marriott beachfront properties along the 160-mile coastal area between Daytona Beach and Hutchinson Island, presents a unique opportunity within an underserved, premier market.

Diversified portfolio

Drawing from the top 3 hotel brands: Hilton, Marriott, and IHG reservation systems and loyalty programs, we believe provides the distribution power to achieve strong top-line revenues across various segments (Upper Upscale – Westin, Upscale – Hilton and Crowne Plaza, and Upscale Extended Stay – element).  In addition, the portfolio provides a blended investment offering across cash-flowing assets and future upside through new developments – one more imminent, element Melbourne, and approximately 2-years later, the landmark Westin Resort & Space Cocoa Beach.

Experts Discussing the Strength of Market & Barriers to Entry

Lisa Sexton

Senior Vice President, Development Hospitality Expertise for Marriott International

Watch Video

Dale Ketcham

VP of Government & External Affairs for Space Florida

Watch Video

Wayne Justice

Commissioner, Secretary/Treasurer of Canaveral Port Authority

Watch Video

Ben Malik

Former Mayor of Cocoa Beach

Watch Video

Keith Capizzi

Mayor of Cocoa Beach

Watch Video

Rita Pritchett

Brevard County Commissioner for District 1 & Chairwoman for the Tourism Board of the County

Watch Video

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Driftwood Capital?

Driftwood Capital is an innovative investment business that we believe is built on the solid foundation of a most trusted name in hospitality. We’ve created a hospitality ecosystem to help make smart investments secured by sponsor capital. As professionals well-versed in acquisitions, development, and lending, we source, underwrite, structure, and close investments across diverse markets and asset types, from name brands to boutique properties. We then bring our extensive experience in hotel management to each investment, seeking to add value and improve operations to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns in hospitality.

How does Driftwood Capital differentiate itself from other hotel owners, operators, and developers?

  • Aligned Interests: We are invested in each deal alongside our investors.
  • Institutional Quality: We provide accredited investors access to investment opportunities traditionally reserved for institutional investors.
  • Above-Market Returns: Investors typically receive any quarterly distributions from day one, with annual returns historically between 7% and 10% and 15%+ XIRR.
  • Personalized Portfolio: Investors create their own investment portfolio by selecting the deals that appeal to them.

Is there an investment minimum?

Yes, generally, the minimum investment is $50,000 USD, although the amount could vary from deal to deal.

How often are distributions paid?

Any distributions are expected to be paid from operating cash flow at the project GP’s discretion, generally 30 days after the quarter closes.

How does Driftwood Capital’s business model work?

Driftwood Capital purchases cash-flowing hotels, land for development, or funds loans before syndicating to accredited investors. In the case of acquisitions, Driftwood Capital generally engages its affiliated management company, Driftwood Hospitality Management, to help streamline operations and improve performance. The company typically maintains an ownership stake in each deal. Based on historical performance, investors are expected to receive 7-10% annual returns and an XIRR above 15%.

How does Driftwood Capital update investors about their investments?

A fundamental pillar of Driftwood Capital’s value proposition and success is an experienced Investor Relations team that seeks to deliver timely, accurate, and transparent information to all investors. Our dedicated, in-house Investor Relations team is available to address current or potential investors’ questions or concerns. Additionally, investors are expected to receive quarterly reports on individual hotels’ operating and financial performance issued 30 days after the quarter closes. Finally, Driftwood Capital’s Investor Portal — investors.driftwoodcapital.com — further differentiates us from commercial real estate peers and provides investors 24/7 access to their investment anywhere in the world via secure technology. The portal also houses encrypted access to open investments and tax documents.

What tax documents does Driftwood Capital provide?

We typically provide all investors with a Schedule K-1 for their respective investment in any Driftwood-sponsored investment. Schedule K-1 is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax form issued annually that reports each partner’s share of a partnership’s earnings, losses, deductions, and credits.

What documents are required to invest with Driftwood Capital?

Driftwood Capital requires the following documentation for compliance purposes:

Investing as an individual with one subscriber

  • Valid, unexpired government-issued ID
  • IRS Form W-9
  • Valid investor accreditation letter
  • Completed and executed the Subscription Agreement

Investing as an individual with more than one subscriber

  • Valid, unexpired government-issued ID
  • IRS Form W-9
  • Valid investor accreditation letter
  • Completed and executed subscription agreement by both investors
  • Given more than one subscriber, the investors MUST SELECT one of the following within the Subscription Agreement:
  • Tenants in common
  • Joint tenants with rights of survivorship
  • Tenants by the entireties

Investing via Entity (LP, LLC, C-Corp, or SD IRA)

  • Valid, unexpired government-issued ID
  • IRS Form W-9
  • Valid investor accreditation letter
  • Entity’s Articles of Incorporation and Operating Agreement (not necessary if investing via SD IRA)
  • Completed and executed the Subscription Agreement

Investing via Trust

  • Valid, unexpired government-issued ID
  • IRS Form W-9
  • Valid investor accreditation letter
  • Trust agreement
  • Completed and executed the Subscription Agreement

What is an accredited investor?

In the United States, to be considered an accredited investor, individuals must have a net worth of at least $1,000,000, excluding the value of their primary residence or have a household income of at least $200,000 each year for the last two years (or $300,000 combined income with your spouse or spousal equivalent) and have the expectation to make the same amount this year. The term “accredited investor” is further defined in Rule 501 of Regulation D of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Why do I need to prove I’m an accredited investor?

Deals offered by Driftwood Capital or any of its affiliated funds are typically offered pursuant to SEC exemptions from public registration which require that we verify an investor’s accreditation.

How do I prove I am accredited?

In order to provide Accredited Investor status, you can provide financial statements from a bank/brokerage account showing net assets over $1 million dollars; 2 years of Federal tax Returns or a valid investor accreditation letter from a CPA or an attorney. An alternative would be to visit one of the third-party sites listed below and provide Driftwood Capital with an accreditation letter:

https://www.verifyinvestor.com/
https://www.earlyiq.com/investor-verification

* Driftwood does not accept self-certification of investor accreditation.

What is an investor accreditation verification letter?

An Accredited Investor Verification Letter is a legal document provided by a qualified accountant, investment advisor, or lawyer who can certify your accreditation. The verification letter is valid for up to 3 months from the date it is executed.

Driftwood Capital is an innovative investment business that we believe is built on the solid foundation of a most trusted name in hospitality.

We’ve created a hospitality ecosystem to help make smart investments secured by sponsor capital. As professionals well versed in acquisitions, development and lending, we source, underwrite, structure and close investments across diverse markets and asset types, from name brands to boutique properties. We then bring our extensive experience in hotel management to each investment, seeking to add value and improve operations to deliver superior risk-adjusted returns in hospitality.

Learn More