American Leisure Holdings, Inc. Enters into Commitment Letters for Construction Financing for The Sonesta Orlando Resort at Tier
August 18 2005 - 8:57AM
Business Wire
American Leisure Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB:AMLH), announced today that
it has obtained commitments for two credit facilities to be used in
the development of The Sonesta Orlando Resort at Tierra del Sol
(the "Project"). KeyBank, N.A. issued the commitment wherein it is
the lead lender in a $96,600,000 development and construction
facility for Phase I of the Resort which consists of a luxury
vacation home community comprised of 250 town homes and 180
mid-rise condominiums. In addition, KeyBank, N.A. has committed to
fund a second loan in the amount of $14,850,000 as a land loan on
Phase II of the Resort. KeyBank plans to hold approximately $50
million of the combined commitments with the balance syndicated to
other banking organizations. Both loans are expected to close
within 60 to 90 days. Both loans are part of a comprehensive
finance plan for the development of the project that also includes
a Community Development District ("CDD"), which will be used to pay
for the Project's sitework. The Sonesta Orlando Resort is designed
to be constructed in two phases. Phase I is scheduled to include
430 vacation units, a 126,000 square foot Clubhouse (84,000
approximate square footage under air), and one of Central Florida's
largest swimming and recreation complexes which includes a
combination pool and lazy river swimming feature, an outdoor sports
bar and food service, restroom facilities, showers, water-slides,
beach volleyball and extensive sundecks. Phase II is expected to
start during the construction phase of Phase I during 2006 with
full Project completion for all 972 units scheduled during 2007.
Phase II is scheduled to include 542 vacation units and additional
resort amenities. The planned amenities for Phase II include
miniature golf, a flow rider water attraction, a wave pool, a rapid
river, and a children's multilevel interactive water park. The
additional Clubhouse improvements in Phase II are expected to
include the finishing, equipping and furnishing of banquet and
meeting rooms, casual and fine dining restaurants, a full service
spa, a sales center and an owners' club. Phase I has been fully
pre-sold for $166,000,000. Total sales to date on both phases now
total $255,000,000. The estimated costs to complete the
construction of Phase I are $73,000,000 for vertical construction
and $57,000,000 be for other costs such as sales commissions,
permits, developer fees, contingencies, closing costs, bank fees
and interest, and soft costs such as architectural, engineering,
and legal costs. The Company is projecting to spend $24,900,000 in
Phase I for the first phase of its clubhouse and resort amenities
and an additional $21,100,000 in the second phase. The Company
expects that the first phase of sitework for 600 units at an
estimated cost of $19,200,000 will be funded by the Westridge
Community Development District ("District") via the sale by the
District of bonds issued on a non-recourse basis to the Company
("CDD Bonds"). The District was initially created by the Company
and enabled by an order of a Florida State District Court. The CDD
Bond issue is being underwritten by KeyBank Capital Markets. The
Project will occupy 122 acres and fronts US Route 27 approximately
three miles south of US Highway 192 and two miles north of the
intersection of Interstate 4 and US Route 27, between Osceola and
Polk Counties in Central Florida. Malcolm Wright, AMLH President
and CEO said, "The Company is creating a unique development for the
Greater Orlando Community that combines quality construction with
spectacular resort amenities that reflect the entertainment focus
of our area. This is designed to provide both our vacation home
owners and our future resort guests the opportunity to enjoy a
world class resort facility operated by expert management with
special advantages also available from our resort operator, Sonesta
International Hotels Corporation. The Company will continue to
concentrate on growing its vacation resort development projects for
management and distribution through its travel companies, Hickory
Travel Systems, Inc. of Saddle Brook, NJ, an international travel
consortium and travel services provider, and, TraveLeaders of Coral
Gables, Florida, a travel management firm with fourteen offices in
nine states from Florida to California." The Sonesta Orlando Resort
at Tierra Del Sol is Sonesta's first Orlando resort property.
"Orlando is the second largest hotel market in the U.S. and we
believe this extraordinary resort, with its oversized guest
accommodations, location and sensational amenities, will be an
attractive destination for visitors," noted Sonesta President
Stephanie Sonnabend. Sonesta's other Florida properties are in the
South Florida area, specifically Key Biscayne, Coconut Grove and
Sunny Isles Beach. Recently, Sonesta announced plans for a major
renovation to the Sonesta Beach Resort Key Biscayne to take place
over the next three to four years. "We're very excited about
participating in this outstanding project," said Robert Carmichael,
Senior Vice President and Team Sales Leader of KeyBank Real Estate
Capital's Orlando Office. He added, "American Leisure presents a
compelling combination of development expertise coupled with the
synergy of an extensive travel agency network. KeyBank has taken
the lead in underwriting both the conventional construction loans
and the bond financing for this innovative financial model." About
American Leisure Holdings, Inc. American Leisure Holdings Inc.
(OTCBB:AMLH) is an integrated travel services distribution and
travel destination development company. The Travel Division is
comprised of TraveLeaders, and Hickory Travel Systems, Inc., a
travel distribution network whose members produce multi-billion
dollar gross annual sales. The Company's plan is to acquire travel
companies and expand its affiliated travel network within AMLH's
business model for an integrated distribution channel while
continuing its web based and e-commerce solutions development. The
Company is actively working to develop innovative travel and
communication technology to enhance its competitive position in the
travel management and vacation home development arenas. The Company
intends to take advantage of the natural synergy between travel
distribution and the management and development of travel
destinations. This synergy will enhance the performance of the AMLH
Vacation Home Resort Development Division that develops high
quality vacation home resort properties. About KeyBank Real Estate
Capital KeyBank Real Estate Capital is the nation's third-largest
commercial real estate capital provider with nearly $19 billion in
annual financings. It provides construction and interim loans,
mezzanine financing, private equity, commercial mortgages,
investment banking and loan sales and syndications services
nationwide for virtually all property types. Its 800 financing
professionals serve a national client base through 36 locations in
major U.S. markets. KeyBank Real Estate Capital is a business unit
of KeyBank National Association, a subsidiary of Cleveland-based
KeyCorp, one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services
companies, with assets of approximately $91 billion. About Sonesta
International Hotels Corporation Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Nile
Cruises, based in Boston, represents a collection of 25 upscale
hotels and resorts and 3 Nile Cruise ships. Founded in the 1940's,
Sonesta has a long-standing reputation in the hotel industry for
offering properties that are designed to deliver uncompromising
personal service, reflect the culture and history of their location
and provide a memorable experience unique to each hotel. Sonesta's
properties are located in Boston, New Orleans (2), Miami (3),
Orlando (opening 2006), St. Maarten, Brazil, Peru (7), Tuscany (3),
and Egypt (9). For more information about Sonesta Hotels, Resorts
& Nile Cruises, call 1-800-SONESTA (800-766-3782), or visit
Sonesta's website at http://www.sonesta.com. Forward Looking
Statement: This press release contains forward-looking statements
within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. The statements regarding AMLH in this release that are not
historical in nature, particularly those that utilize terminology
such as "may," "will," "should," "likely," "expects,"
"anticipates," "estimates," "believes" or "plans," or comparable
terminology, are forward-looking statements based on current
expectations about future events, which AMLH has derived from the
information currently available to it. These forward-looking
statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that
may cause AMLH's results to be materially different from results
implied in such forward-looking statements. Important factors known
to AMLH that could cause forward-looking statements to turn out to
be incorrect are identified and discussed from time to time in
AMLH's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The
forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as
of the date hereof, and AMLH undertakes no obligation to correct or
update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise.
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