LONDON – July 11, 2018 – A cross-border real estate sector team from global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP represented BENCHMARK®, a global hospitality company, and Gencom, its capital partner, on their strategic investment in etc. venues, a UK-based conference centre provider. The deal closed June 2018.
Led by Global Real Estate Practice Chair Robert J. Ivanhoe (New York, Real Estate), Shareholder Michael P. Goldberg (London, Corporate), and Associate Daniel M. Woolston (London, Corporate), the investment was a key move for Benchmark, whose aim was to expand into Europe, and etc. venues, whose aim was to expand globally. Greenberg Traurig advised on all aspects of the transaction, the W&I insurance, the debt finance obtained, and the UK aspects of the new management incentive scheme that was put in place at completion.
The team also included (amongst others) Shareholder Emma L. Menzies (London, Finance) and Associate Alistair McKechnie (London, Finance), who advised on the financing aspects of the deal, as well as Shareholder Clive Jones (London, Tax), associates Lacy J.Gratton (London, Corporate), Charlotte I. Parnes (London, Corporate), Rob Collier-Wright (London, Employment), Natalie Clare Steur (London, Real Estate), James Cox (London, Real Estate), Benjamin Shem-Tov (London, Tax), and trainee solicitors Tunç Ilgin (London, Corporate), Eleanor Sedgley (London, Tax), and Tristan O’Brien (London, Finance).
BENCHMARK® published its own release announcing the deal.
About Greenberg Traurig's Real Estate Practice: The Greenberg Traurig Real Estate Practice is a cornerstone of the firm and recognized leader in the industry. The firm’s real estate attorneys deliver diversified and comprehensive counsel for property acquisition and investment, development, management and leasing, financing, restructuring, and disposition of all asset classes of real estate. The team draws upon the knowledge and experience of more than 400 real estate lawyers from around the world, serving clients from key markets in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America. The group’s clientele includes a broad range of property developers, lenders, investment managers, private equity funds, REITs, and private owners. The firm’s real estate team advises clients on a variety of matters across a broad spectrum of commercial, recreational, and residential real estate, including structured equity and debt and the hybrids.
About Greenberg Traurig: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has more than 2,000 attorneys in 38 offices in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, was named the largest firm in the U.S. by Law360 in 2017, and is among the Top 20 on the 2017 Am Law Global 100. Web: www.gtlaw.com Twitter: @GT_Law.