Named to Florida Trend’s annual list of most influential business leaders for years, Bill is a member of the firm’s Hospitality & Leisure Group, which has handled over $30 billion in real estate transactions throughout Central Florida, the United States, and Canada. With almost 40 years of experience in real estate acquisition, finance and development, Bill provides comprehensive guidance on the unique challenges faced by clients in this ever-changing and highly competitive sector. He advises hotel and resort owners in connection with all aspects of their business, including development, operating agreements, licensing, franchising, lodging and financing matters. He also serves as general counsel to Visit Orlando, the region’s convention and visitor’s bureau.
Equally passionate about working with clients in the sports and entertainment arena, Bill is well-known for helping to make Central Florida a destination for high-profile sporting events. A skilled negotiator, he is frequently relied upon by sports and entertainment clients to handle high-stakes agreements. His successful negotiation of multi-year television agreements with ABC and ESPN secured national broadcast exposure for Florida Citrus Sports and its two annual bowl games at Camping World Stadium. He also leads negotiation of team selection agreements for the organization’s college bowl games with the Big 10, SEC, ACC and Big 12 conferences. A longtime advocate for Camping World Stadium, he played a key role in its renovation and related funding.
Bill’s commitment to the community is reflected through his countless hours of service and leadership at numerous Central Florida organizations. He is a founding board member of Lift Orlando, a nonprofit working to revitalize neighborhoods around Camping World Stadium. Bill also currently serves on the executive committee and board of directors of the Orlando Economic Partnership. He is also a past chair of the CRA Advisory Board, the Downtown Development Board for the City of Orlando, Florida Citrus Sports, the Orlando Economic Partnership, and the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce.
At the state level, Bill is an active member of the Florida Council of 100 and has served as a board member and executive committee member of both Enterprise Florida and Space Florida. During his six-year gubernatorial appointment as Space Florida Chair, he led the organization’s partnership with NASA, local and state governments, and the private sector in operating Florida’s two spaceports, greatly expanding the state’s ability to dominate the growing commercial space market and create jobs in this unique sector.
With his many leadership roles at the local and state level, Bill has developed a broad network of collaborative relationships throughout Florida that brings added value to his clients in their pursuits.
