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HUNTER HOTEL ADVISORS secured $60.2 million in financing for seven hotels, with loans ranging from $5.73 million to $12.8 million and up to 85 percent financing. Prada Hotels, led by CEO Hemal Patel and Lotus Hospitality Investments used the financing to support their expansion. The financing includes SBA 7(a) and 504 loans for: JLL report highlights strong investment opportunities in select-service and extended-stay hotels for 2025, driven by high demand and stable returns JLL: Select-service, extended-stay hotels offer stable returns Extended Stay America Washington D.C. Chantilly Airport, Virginia Extended Stay America Washington D.C. Chantilly, Virginia Candlewood Suites Louisville Airport, Kentucky Candlewood Suites Indianapolis Airport, Indiana Staybridge Suites Denver Tech Center, Colorado Residence Inn Lake Charles, Louisiana Fairfield Inn & Suites Atlanta Vinings/Galleria, Georgia "The year 2024 ended on a strong note and a tailwind propelling us into 2025," said Adeel Amin, Hunter's senior vice president, capital markets. "A renewed appetite for traditional bank loans is emerging, particularly from local institutions, while innovative structures like variable-rate SBA 504 programs are also gaining traction. As the market finds its footing in this evolving landscape, lending is increasingly dictated by debt-service coverage ratios. Consequently, government-backed loans are poised to remain a critical component of the financing landscape for loan requests requiring maximum leverage up to 80 percent or low DSCRs."

THE U.S. SENATE on Wednesday confirmed former Georgia senator and businesswoman Kelly Loeffler to lead the Small Business Administration, the federal agency supporting small businesses with counseling, capital and contracting expertise. AAHOA congratulated Loeffler, expressing confidence that her leadership will bolster industries like hospitality, which drive the U.S. economy. Founded in 1953, the SBA supports small businesses with capital access, disaster relief, contracting opportunities, training, advocacy, and innovation programs, according to its website. "Administrator Loeffler brings a deep understanding of small business challenges and opportunities," said Miraj Patel, AAHOA chairman. "Her leadership at the SBA will be instrumental in expanding access to capital and creating new opportunities for hotel owners and small business entrepreneurs across the country."

AAHOA MEMBERS ATTENDED a virtual briefing hosted by the Biden-Harris Administration on Wednesday, addressing issues affecting small businesses and providing an update on the current economic landscape. Senior administration officials discussed federal efforts to support small business owners, including access to SBA loans, supply chain improvements, and transparency around resort and junk fees impacting the industry. Officials included White House Senior Advisor for Public Engagement Kota Mizutani; SBA Deputy Administrator Dilawar Syed; Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy Karlin Gatton; and Special Assistant for Manufacturing and Industrial Policy Monica Gorman of the National Economic Council. "As highlighted by our speakers, a huge thank you to the members of the Asian American Hotel Owners Association and all the business leaders working to keep our economy running," said Mizutani. "Thank you for all you do."

AAHOA IS CONTINUING its advocacy efforts with new meetings with members of Congress. On Sept. 27, representatives from the association met with Sen. John Hickenlooper, Democrat from Colorado, in Washington at his Capitol Hill office. Hickenlooper, who sits on both the Small Business Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee, met with AAHOA to discuss Small Business Administration loan limit increases as well as fairness and transparency in the franchise industry, according to AAHOA. In Hickenlooper's home state of Colorado, 39.5 percent of all hotels in the state are owned by AAHOA members, comprising 520 hotels and 55,861 rooms, according to a recent study for AAHOA by Oxford Economics. Those hotels provide $5 billion in wages and other compensation, along with approximately 54,490 direct jobs and 101,000 total impact jobs in the state. They provide $8.5 billion in contribution to the state's GDP, and $2.3 billion in federal, state and local taxes along with $201 million in total lodging taxes.

GREATER ACCESS TO capital and addressing the severe labor shortage facing the hospitality industry were the major topics to address for AAHOA's Spring National Advocacy Conference last week. It was the final advocacy conference for Nishant "Neal" Patel as AAHOA chairman. "It was an honor to attend my final advocacy conference as chairman. We brought nearly 200 AAHOA leaders to Washington, D.C., to advocate on behalf of our industry and on behalf of AAHOA's 20,000 members," Patel said in a press release. "Creating relationships with our elected officials is a top priority for AAHOA, and we will continue to work on your behalf, strengthening relationships so we can continue to represent the entire hospitality industry with your best interests at heart." The AAHOA reps met with more than 200 elected officials. Their mission included educating those officials on the importance of hotels to their communities and the economy at large. The issues at hand were essentially the same as those addressed during AAHOA's Fall National Advocacy Conference in September. AAHOA's main advocacy objectives include: More access to capital by increasing Small Business Administration loan caps/limits - Currently, SBA 7(a) and 504 loan limits are capped at $5 million, but AAHOA wants that raised to $10 million, which would be the first increase in the cap since 2010. AAHOA said hoteliers' costs of constructing and purchasing properties have risen past that cap over the past decade.