Gehr Hospitality, a division of The Gehr Group (www.gehr.com), announced the acquisition of the Aloft Hotel, Jacksonville Airport, located three miles from the Jacksonville International Airport and just 15 miles north of downtown Jacksonville. The acquisition was financed by BMO Harris Bank, and McKibbon Hospitality will manage the hotel on behalf of Gehr Hospitality. Ms. Thuong Luong and Ms. Molly Caccamo of Gehr Hospitality led the transaction on behalf of the Company.

“We like the Jacksonville lodging market, with its rapidly improving local economy, strong employment market, and robust port trade,” said David Lifschitz, President and CEO of The Gehr Group. “We are also excited to add the Aloft brand to our hotel portfolio.”

“We plan to invest additional funds in updating the guest rooms and the public areas,” added Thuong Luong, Chief Investment Officer for Gehr Hospitality. “This will position the hotel as the most recently renovated property in its submarket.”

The Aloft Jacksonville Airport is a modern, select-service hotel that includes 136 guestrooms, the Aloft brand’s signature W XYZ® bar, an outdoor pool, 600 square feet of meeting space, and a 24-hour fitness center. Guests can also enjoy weekly performances by local emerging musicians as part of the hotel’s Live@Aloft music series. In addition to its proximity to the Jacksonville International Airport, the hotel is near the River City Marketplace, a bustling shopping and entertainment complex.

About Gehr Hospitality:

Gehr Hospitality (www.gehrhospitality.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Gehr Group, is a hospitality-focused investment firm based in Los Angeles, California. Gehr Hospitality and its affiliates own a wide range of hotel, nightlife, residential, and commercial real estate assets throughout the United States.

Over the last five decades, The Gehr Group has established a successful track record investing in and operating over $1 billion of hotels, multifamily, office, retail, and industrial real estate properties and creating substantial value through opportunity sourcing and hands-on asset management. The company is currently expanding its real estate portfolio through the acquisition and development of additional hospitality and multifamily real estate assets. Visit GehrHositality.com to learn more.

About McKibbon Hospitality

Headquartered in Tampa, FL and Gainesville, Ga., McKibbon Hospitality creates memorable hospitality experiences that inspire brand and property loyalty. It’s how we’ve grown into one of the largest (and most awarded) hotel development and management companies in the country. We build, renovate and manage properties across the country for Marriott, Hilton, Starwood and other iconic hospitality brands. From hand-picking urban sites to imagining the just-for-you details of a guest experience, from overseeing operations to bringing a brand to life, and everything in between, McKibbon shapes inclusive hospitality development. Visit McKibbon.com to learn more.

About Aloft Hotels

With more than 125 hotels now open in nearly 20 countries and territories around the world, Aloft Hotels, part of Marriott International, Inc., delivers a fresh approach to the traditional staid hotel landscape. For the ‘always on’ next generation of traveler, the Aloft brand offers a tech-forward, vibrant experience and a modern style that is different by design. Aloft is proud to participate in the industry’s award-winning loyalty program, Starwood Preferred Guest®. Members can now link accounts with Marriott Rewards®, which includes The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® at members.marriott.com for instant elite status matching and unlimited points transfer. For more information, please visit www.alofthotels.com and follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.