San Francisco - Overview

HVS San Francisco, with a staff of 17, is located in the heart of San Francisco’s financial district. Suzanne R. Mellen, CRE, MAI, FRICS, established this second office of HVS in 1985, in the firm’s first step toward developing a nationwide practice. Since that time the San Francisco office has gained a reputation for consistent quality and professional integrity. Under the direction of Suzanne Mellen and Elaine Sahlins, HVS San Francisco has performed varied consulting and valuation assignments throughout the US, the Caribbean, Fiji, Mexico and Guam.

In addition to hotel market studies and appraisals, the San Francisco office has developed expertise in the analysis and valuation of lodging companies, resorts, marinas, casinos, conference centers, golf courses, houseboats, recreational vehicle parks and campgrounds, and possessory and partial ownership interests. The San Francisco office also has significant experience providing expert testimony in litigation, from property tax appeals to bankruptcy court and damage assessments. In addition to single asset valuations, the San Francisco office of HVS has performed numerous valuations of multi-asset hotel portfolios.

HVS staff serves as advisors in the development of new hotels, working with architects and developers to conceptualize the optimal lodging product for a particular site, assist in franchise and management contract negotiations and provide on-going development guidance. Our feasibility studies and appraisals have wide acceptance among a broad base of developers, investors and the lending community.

San Francisco sponsors a number of professional conferences each year, including ALIS (American Lodging Investment Summit) and JMBM’s Meet the Money, both in Los Angeles.

Under the direction of Elaine Sahlins, the San Francisco office researches and compiles the annual HVS International Development Cost Survey, and is also responsible for developing the derived equity yield and capitalization rate data utilized by the firm. Suzanne R. Mellen developed the mortgage-equity capitalization formula and software utilized in the firm’s valuations.

The HVS Asset Management and Strategic Advisory Services and HVS Gaming Services divisions of the firm were established in the San Francisco office consistent with our continuing mission to serve our clients in every aspect of the hospitality industry.

Under the direction of Mark Lynn, the Asset Management and Strategic Advisory Services Division, in addition to providing asset management and operational evaluation services, provides strategic planning and organizational restructuring, assistance in due diligence, management company evaluation/selection/contract negotiations, and expert witness testimony.

The Gaming Services Division performs feasibility studies and valuations of existing and proposed casino hotels and stand-alone gaming operations. Studies have been performed in most gaming jurisdictions throughout in the United States and the Caribbean, as well as in Macau, China and Moscow, Russia. Our services have been utilized by a number of Native American tribes in strategizing their development of full service resorts, recreational-vehicle parks, golf courses, etc.