HDG Legacy, founded in 2022, is a division of HDG Hotels. At Legacy, we focus most prominently on development and management of properties to hold long-term in markets that we know. HDG Legacy is not about the number of rooms or hotels we manage, but about how our values, our people, our guests, our community, and our vision for success are all deeply connected. We believe true success is shared success that is built on relationships, driven by purpose, and sustained by the strength of our interconnected approach.

Our 10th project, the Staybridge Suites Ocala Near Equestrian Aquatics by IHG, is about to be completed. Being so close to another hotel opening got us thinking about our development process – what steps we take, how we organize, who is involved, how we communicate and the value for our audience to learn from it.

Over the next few weeks, we’ll be sharing a 3-part article series, about how Legacy develops our hotels. While we won’t be sharing any proprietary details, the series will offer an inside look at our unique approach to development and what sets us apart in the industry. Stay tuned to discover some of the strategies that drive our success. Here, in part 1, we kick off with the elements around getting started!

Strategic Foundation

Pursuing Projects Based on Company Competencies

As the famous adage goes, a business is either growing or dying. Effectively managing high construction and capital costs is the lifeblood of any successful hotel development and management company. At HDG Legacy, we transcend this challenge by ensuring our development strategy aligns with our core philosophy: being people-centric, innovative, trailblazing, and growth-oriented.

We meticulously consider the interests of five key stakeholders in every hotel development project:

• Shareholders – Ensuring the viability of their investment.
• Team – Promoting growth and investing in the development of our tame members.
• The Guest – Providing highly rated guest service is foundational to the Legacy mission. 
• Brand Partners – Strengthening franchisor/franchisee relationships and maintaining brand integrity.
• Communities – Uplifting and positively impacting the local economy and quality of life.

Our site selection process is particularly strategic in Central Florida’s secondary and tertiary markets. The Legacy team has tremendous market knowledge to share, through hotel development projects, which benefit of all five of its key stakeholders. In addition to considering the market’s demand generators, it is important when considering an investment that the hotel will serve as a catalyst for the community through economic stimulation and growth. Prior to closing on the hotel real estate site, a detailed checklist is completed. It ensures that the site can be transferred to a shovel ready hotel site! Some of the key evaluations untaken during this due diligence exercise deal with zoning compliance, availability of needed utilities, traffic impact, soil conditions and environmental evaluations.  

We also take a disciplined financial approach, avoiding overleveraging by securing 30–40% equity and partnering with shareholders aligned with our long-term vision. This ensures sustainable growth, balanced risk, and resilient operations.  Due to our long-term, trusted relationships with hotel lenders, our borrowing costs are competitive with the market.  

With a strong foundation built on our proven strengths, HDG Legacy continues to deliver impactful, market-appropriate developments.

Action Step for You: Choose development opportunities that align with your core strengths and values, stakeholder values, and long-term business model to reduce risk and build lasting impact.

Collaboration

At HDG Legacy, collaboration is more than teamwork, it’s about strategic alignment and shared success. Our development process relies on close collaboration with brand partners, construction teams, lenders, internal stakeholders and local municipalities. 

Throughout the construction phase, our decades-long relationship with an experienced contractor and civil engineer, ensures a seamless development process. Regular consultations with brand representatives allow us to fine-tune hotel design, amenities, and operations in alignment with brand promises and the changing realities of the marketplace.  This includes value engineering the project to optimize performance without compromising the team and guest experience.  

We also maintain strong communication channels with lenders, offering regular updates and financial transparency to ensure continued trust and alignment throughout the build. Best of all, our projects have a track record of projects coming in under budget while beating their construction timeline!

In essence, collaboration is the glue that binds our vision, execution, and stakeholder relationships. It helps us deliver hotels that are on-brand, on-budget, and on-schedule.

Action Step for You: Create consistent touchpoints with brand, construction, and financial partners early and often to keep every stakeholder aligned and reduce costly missteps.

Read the entire guide! Find part 2 by clicking here and part 3 by clicking here.