Brian Belt is an AV-rated attorney, practicing real estate, hospitality and corporate law.
Before opening Acevedo Belt, P.A. in 2017, Brian served as a partner in large international and state-wide law firms. Throughout his career, Brian has represented international, national and local corporate clients and owners, lenders and developers of real estate in matters related to a variety of asset classes, including hotels, mixed-use projects, office, multi-family, office/industrial parks, condominiums, retail, and marina projects throughout the country and internationally. His experience includes acquisitions and sales, due diligence, restructuring, land use, leasing, construction and financing. He served as the co-chair of the Hospitality Practice Groups of a large national firm and a large Florida-based firm. He has extensive experience in acquiring, structuring, developing, financing and restructuring complex mixed-use projects and mixed-use hospitality projects. Brian also has worked on a variety of corporate matters, including mergers and acquisitions, joint venture structuring, contract review, bond financings, and corporate finance. He has advised real estate and corporate clients throughout the U.S., Latin America, Europe and the Caribbean. He frequently represents wealthy individuals and families in a variety of matters. A representative list of matters and clients for which he has provided legal counsel is set forth below.
MIXED-USE PROJECTS, HOTEL MIXED-USE PROJECTS, PROJECT STRUCTURING
- Public company developer in connection with ultra-luxury hotel, residential and retail project. Project work included acquisition, drafting and negotiation of construction documents, negotiations with neighboring building owner with respect to shared project amenities, project structuring, including the creation of a vertically subdivided lot regime, hotel condominium documents, negotiation of hotel management agreement with flag, and preparation of residential and hotel condominium documents. Hotel is now flagged as a Ritz-Carlton hotel.
- Owner/developer of Costa Rican mixed-use hotel, branded residential, marina, retail, spa and single family home project, in connection with project structuring and related declarations, negotiation of branded residential, franchise and other documentation.
- Developer in connection with ultra-luxury mixed-use residential property, including ultra-luxury condominiums, townhomes and single family residences, multiple marinas and country club facilities.
- Public company developer in connection with ultra-luxury hotel, retail, and residential mixed-use project in Miami-Dade County. Work included construction document preparation, construction financing, project structuring documentation (including creation of vertically subdivided lots), residential and master association documents, and hotel condominium documents.
- Developer in high-density mixed-use waterfront project (luxury residential towers, office, marina, hotel and retail) in connection with acquisition and due diligence, project structuring, construction loans, development issues, leasing and condominium document preparation and filing. and repeated negotiations with local municipality (regarding water access, the creation of a number of public destination spaces and municipally-controlled spaces within the project).
- Developer in Miami-Dade County in connection with an approximately $400 million mixed-use project (luxury condominium towers, single family, yacht marinas) on environmentally-sensitive land. Representation included project structuring, construction financing, preparation of condominium documents, negotiations with county, annexation into municipality, appearances before municipality, construction, construction loans, development and sales work.
- Public developer client in connection with luxury residential condominium/mixed-use project. Work included acquisition, development, construction loans, construction documents, negotiations with municipalities and creation of public meeting space and negotiation of hotel management agreement with Starwood. This project also included a proposed luxury hotel mixed-use project on adjoining parcel and plans that involved relocation of public rights of way and additional public meeting space and preparation of retail, hotel and condominium structuring documents and declarations.
- Developer of luxury mixed-use project of approximately 1,000,000 square feet in preparation of project structure documents for uses, including retail, restaurant, hotel, residential condominiums, assisted living facility, office towers, and office meetings space.
- Developer of a luxury mixed-use residential, retail and hotel project in Palm Beach County. Work included negotiation of franchise agreement, preparation of project structuring documents (vertically subdivided lots), preparation of residential and hotel condominium documents, construction agreements, construction loan financing.
- Public company developer of large luxury residential condominium complex in New Jersey; federal ILSA filings.
- Developer in connection with the development, project structuring and marina financing for a 700 luxury home mixed-use project in Southwest Florida, including ILSA filing issues, condominium documents, project structuring, community development districts, marina condominium structuring, association documents and governmental entitlements.
- Developer of large mixed-use project that included thousands of residential units and condominium units, multiple retail facilities, luxury hotels, oceanfront amenities, and commercial property.
- Developer of several-hundred-unit mixed-use residential, resort, hotel, commercial and marina project in Ohio in connection with project structuring, sales, ILSA filings and condominium documents.
ADDITIONAL HOSPITALITY MATTERS
- General experience: acquisition and due diligence, construction contracts, construction financing, negotiation of franchise agreements, hotel operating agreements and management agreements.
- National hotel owner in connection with mid-eight-figure refinancing of convention center/meeting hotel in Mid-Atlantic region.
- Developer in connection with hotel management agreement work, hotel project structuring documents, hotel condominium documents and rental management agreements in Miami-Dade County.
- Spanish hotel group in connection with U.S. hotel leasing and other activities.
- Hotel developer in connection with franchise agreement and related negotiations with respect to Mexican hotel.
- Represented luxury hotel developer in connection with hotel operating agreement and rental management agreement in Palm Beach County. Represented subsequent owner in connection with franchise operating agreement.
- Negotiation of franchise agreement and independent hotel management agreement for owner/developer of downtown Chicago hotel.
- Negotiation of franchise agreement for Boston hotel project.
- Acquisition and disposition of hotel projects out of bankruptcy proceedings.
- Developer in connection with proposed ultra-luxury mixed-use four- or five-star hotel project, with Fairmont as the proposed operator; represented developer in connection with structuring, rental management agreements, sales documents, and hotel management agreements.
- National developer and manager of hotels in connection with hotel condominium, structuring and other issues.
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT WORK AND PROJECT FINANCING
- Construction financing of hotel, mixed-use hotel properties and residential projects in excess of $1 billion.
- Public company in connection with multi-lender revolving construction credit facility for multiple residential towers of approximately $500 million.
- Construction contracts in excess of $1 billion for mixed-use hotel projects, luxury condominium projects and other products located throughout the United States.
- Negotiated construction contracts for private developer of ultra-luxury hotel in Broward County, Florida.
- Contractor for $35 million home in connection with construction financing by owner.
- Represented hotel owner in connection with construction loan for luxury hotel project in Broward County, Florida.
- Prepared master construction contract forms for national builder.
- Represented borrower in connection with financing of 3 million square foot office/industrial park
- Represented borrower in connection with construction loans for 200,000 square foot office park.
- Represented clients in connection with construction of projects in the Caribbean.
- Represented developer of luxury hotel project oceanfront Ritz Carlton project in connection with proposed construction contract.
COMMERCIAL AND OTHER REAL ESTATE TRANSACTIONS
- Owner/developer of 200-acre, approximately 3 million square foot mixed use office/distribution/industrial/retail park. Representation included construction, development, structuring, construction financing, sales and leasing work.
- Owner of approximately 5 million square foot mixed use office/distribution/industrial/retail park in connection with construction financing, sales, and leasing work.
- Developer of 500,000 square foot technology park in connection with land acquisition, commercial condominium documents and financing.
- Foreign purchaser of approximately $25 million penthouse unit in ultra-luxury condominium and mixed-use project.
- National acquisition and development fund in connection with a large apartment building project, including work related to acquisition, due diligence, joint venture documents and financing matters.
- International bank in connection with lease negotiations.
- Law firm in connection with lease negotiations.
- National pension fund in connection with leasing at large regional mall.
- Developer in connection with the acquisition, financing, structuring, construction and sale of a 400,000 square foot technology park.
- Family office in connection with proposed hotel and gaming property located adjacent to Las Vegas strip in connection with possible sales and leasing activities.
- Developers in connection with non-taxable low- and moderate-income housing projects.
- Developer of proposed 108-unit single family community in connection with acquisition, sales documents, project financing and general project needs.
- Disposition of office building portfolio located throughout the State of Florida valued at approximately $130 million utilizing innovative technology.
- Acquisition, financing and development of 200,000 square foot condominium office/distribution facility.
- Developer in connection with several thousand-unit, single-family, golf course, condominium, hotels, office and commercial mixed-use project.
CORPORATE AND COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS
- Major international consulting company in connection with multiple acquisition transactions.
- Spanish fund in connection with structuring a variety of joint venture transactions.
- Joint venture structuring in a variety of real estate related transactions.
- Large South American quasi-governmental mining concession in connection with $50,000,000 international financing transaction.
- Financial institution in connection with financing provided to automobile dealerships and subsequent work-outs.
- Medical practices in connection with roll-up sales to hospital.
- Major League Baseball team in connection with player contract negotiations.
- Spanish fund in connection with equity and debt financing and structuring.
- Lending institution in connection with multiple leveraged buyout financing transactions.
- Lending institutions in a variety of corporate finance transactions.
- National developer in connection with $100,000,000 plus bond financing and construction of university dormitories and other facilities.
- General contract negotiations and reviews for numerous clients
- Latin American telecommunications company in a variety of corporate matters and transactions.
- Structuring and implementation of a variety of joint venture agreements and enterprises.
- Variety of companies and business owners in connection joint ventures, mergers, corporate finance, sale and acquisition of ownership interests, assets and facilities.
ADDITIONAL LUXURY CONDOMINIUM PROJECTS
- Public company developer of luxury multi-building project in St. Augustine, Florida, area in connection with financing, negotiations with master builder, master association issues, condominium filings and ILSA filings and construction financing.
- International development company in connection with luxury oceanfront condominium project, including preparation of condominium documents, ISLA filing, and related agreements with adjacent luxury hotel.
- Public company developer in connection with condominium documents for luxury project on Miami Beach.
- Developer of luxury condominium on Williams Island in connection with due diligence, acquisition, master builder issues, master association issues, ILSA filings and construction financing.
- Developer of an ultra-luxury residential condominium tower in Palm Beach County, Florida, in connection with construction, project structuring, marketing, ILSA, condominium filings, marina development and structuring, and sovereign submerged land leases.
- Developer of luxury condominium in Sarasota, Florida in connection with preparation of condominium documents and negotiating agreements with adjoining Ritz Carlton.
- Developer of luxury condominium project in Miami Beach, Florida, in connection condominium documents and construction financing.
MARINA PROJECTS
- Development, acquisition, and construction documents related to marina facility located in Palm Beach County, Florida, owned by a public company developer.
- International marina developer, owner and manager of facilities located in Europe, the Caribbean, United States and Latin America in connection with negotiation of marina management agreements.
- Multi-marina co-op and marina condominium/developer located in ultra-luxury mixed-use development in Miami-Dade County in connection with management, dockominiums, development, sales and entitlements.
- Owner of marina project in Costa Rica as part of mixed-use hotel, residential, branded residential and spa project.
- National luxury developer of a mixed-use project, including luxury boat dry storage facility in connection with real estate, entitlements and project structuring.
- Developer of multiple marina facilities in Bradenton, Florida, in connection with development, construction, financing, structuring, dockominiums, environmental and structuring
Education
- University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D.
- Kalamazoo College, B.A.
Bar Admissions
- Florida Bar
Publications &
Presentations
- “The JOBS Act: Potential Impact on the Sale of Hotel Condominium Units,” Hospitality Lawyer, April 28, 2014, co-author
- “Mixed-Use Projects,” 2014 Hospitality Law Conference, presenter
- “Acquisitions by Foreigners in U.S. Real Property,” Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce, presenter, 2012
- “National Housing and Florida Legislative/Governmental Update,” Duane Morris Real Estate Roundtable, panel moderator, 2012
- “Hotel Workouts: Has the Distressed Debt ‘Tidal Wave’ Arrived in South Florida Hospitality?” Interface Distressed Assets Conference, presenter, 2011
- “Legal and Practical Considerations for Purchasers of ‘Broken’ or Distressed Condominiums,” Inform Legal, January 30, 2009
- “Legal and Practical Considerations for Purchasers of ‘Broken’ or Distressed Condominiums,” Real Estate Finance, Volume 25, Number 6, April 2009
- “Eleventh Circuit Hands a Victory to Developers and Their Construction Lenders: Pukka Ruling Reversed on 99 Lot HUD Exemption,” Duane Morris Alert, December 10, 2008
- “Hotel Acquisitions,” 2008 Hospitality Law Conference, presenter
- “Mixed Use Projects,” 2007 Hospitality Law Conference, presenter
- “IMN Symposium on Hotel Condominiums,” presenter, 2005
- “Distribution Agreements in Latin America,” Journal of Commerce, December 14, 1997
Professional Associations &
Community Involvement
- Florida Bar; Condominium and Planned Community Committee
- American Bar Association
- Camillus House (leading charitable agency for homeless); Executive Committee and board of directors, former member
- University of Miami; Hall of Fame Committee and Executive Committee, former member
- Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami, Inc.; Executive Committee and board of directors, former member
- Beacon Council (public / private economic development body); Executive Committee and board of directors, former member
- Urban Land Institute member; Hospitality Products Council
- First Serve; National board of directors, former member