Investor buys new 84-room hotel for $11.7M

TAMPA — A hospitality-focused investment fund purchased the Hampton Inn Tampa Busch Gardens for $11.7 million.

The sale was announced in a statement from Hunter Hotel Advisors, which represented the buyer. A local Tampa developer sold the new construction, four-story, 84-room hotel at certificate of occupancy for $140,000 a key, according to the statement. No other information on the buyer or seller was available in Hillsborough County property records.

“The buyer was attracted to the new hotel's Hilton brand and prime location directly across from Florida's popular Busch Gardens,” states the release.

Trey Scott in Hunter's Jacksonville office and Shamir Patel in Hunter's Orlando office worked together on the transaction. Stephen Gaylor, head of Hunter Capital Markets, arranged $8.83 million in financing for the acquisition of the hotel.

Hunter Hotel Advisors' clients range from real estate investment trusts and private equity firms to regional hotel owners. Hunter has sold and financed more than $2 billion in single assets and portfolio transactions since since January 2014.