Tiger Woods, Justin Timberlake among those involved in the project
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – April 28, 2023 – Attorneys at global law firm Greenberg Traurig, P.A. represented the interests of Wellington Equestrian Partners (WEP) in the creation of a new joint venture with NEXUS Luxury Collection, a real estate development and asset management company whose investors include pop singer Justin Timberlake, golf legends Tiger Woods and Ernie Els, and Joe Lewis of Tavistock Group.
The joint venture plans to develop a 600-acre residential community centered around the Wellington International equestrian showgrounds and the 18-hole Cypress golf course in Wellington, Florida.
The proposed community, called The Wellington, will feature single-family homes and condos, a commercial district with a hotel, shops and restaurants, a public riding facility, and access to the golf course, among other amenities. Led by entrepreneur Mark Bellissimo, WEP recently acquired the golf course for $35 million with assistance from Greenberg Traurig. The plan calls for renovating the golf course and doubling the size of the horse showgrounds.
“Greenberg Traurig is very proud to support Mark in his vision to keep Wellington as a world leader in the equestrian sector for years to come. Mark’s unique understanding of Wellington and the equestrian market is an asset for the community and was instrumental to completing this joint-venture transaction,” said Bruce C. Rosetto, a Corporate Practice shareholder in the firm’s West Palm Beach office, who led the Greenberg Traurig team representing Bellissimo and WEP. “We were able to assemble a team with deep knowledge and experience in equestrian matters, while pulling from the firm’s strong bench of corporate and real estate attorneys whose areas of focus include club membership programs.”
“This was a particularly challenging transaction, given that many aspects of the deal involved sophisticated title and survey matters, permits, and approvals, as well as the complexities associated with the acquisition of a golf course and related facilities,” West Palm Beach Real Estate Practice Shareholder Marcia H. Langley added.
In addition to Rosetto and Langley, the Greenberg Traurig team included West Palm Beach Hospitality Practice Shareholder Dennis W. Hillier; Real Estate Shareholder Glenn A. Gerena and Corporate Of Counsel Bracha Pollack, both based in Fort Lauderdale; and West Palm Beach Real Estate Associate Laura Maxwell.
Rosetto and Pollack are members of the firm’s Equine Industry Group, a multidisciplinary team of attorneys who handle equine-related litigation and transactional matters that affect the operations and livelihoods of entities and individuals in the equine world. The group’s clients include owners, riders, trainers, vendors, and organizations in the polo, show jumping, and Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing and breeding spaces.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP has more than 2650 attorneys in 45 locations in the United States, Europe and the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia. The firm is a 2022 BTI “Highly Recommended Law Firm” for superior client service and is consistently among the top firms on the Am Law Global 100 and NLJ 250. Greenberg Traurig is Mansfield Rule 5.0 Certified Plus by The Diversity Lab and is recognized for powering its U.S. offices with 100% renewable energy as certified by the Center for Resource Solutions Green-e® Energy as a member of the U.S. EPA’s Green Partnership Program. The firm is known for its philanthropic giving, innovation, diversity, and pro bono. Web: www.gtlaw.com.