ATLANTA—Kemmons Wilson Companies (KWC) announced that it will merge its hotel management operations—the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, Wilson Hotel Management, LLC—with Valor Hospitality Partners. In addition, KWC will be making a substantial investment in the combined entity, which, along with the merger, is expected to immediately accelerate Valor’s growth. Neither company disclosed terms of the merger.
The company will be headquartered in Atlanta and London while retaining an office in Memphis. The combined operations will encompass 41 properties in the U.S. and the U.K., with 48 corporate employees and well more than 3,000 team members within the hotels. Several of the projects within the U.S. and U.K. are currently in various stages of development or in the pipeline.
Euan McGlashan, co-founder and managing partner of Valor, noted, “When Steve Cesinger and I formed Valor over five years ago, we chose the name Valor to represent our core values of integrity, courage, transparency, and tenacity, and we could not be more pleased to have found a partner with such a strong cultural fit along with a longstanding, highly regarded reputation in the hospitality industry. Kemmons Wilson is one of the most relevant names in the hotel industry, and we are truly humbled and proud to be linked with such an iconic and storied family. This merger is the result of building our reputation through strong commercial results all wrapped in an authentic, award-winning culture where associate engagement means everything to us.”
McLean Wilson, principal, Kemmons Wilson Companies, added, “We have been developing and managing hotels since 1952 when our grandfather, Kemmons Wilson, started Holiday Inn. Over the past 65 years, we have franchised multiple brands, learning the nuances of each. Valor’s proven track record with their team members, excellent service, their focus on full-service hotels and an international portfolio really solidified them as the absolute right partner for us. We are excited to expand our efforts in the hospitality arena through our significant investment and strategic partnership with Valor. Together we can do more and execute better than we could have alone—a real one plus one equaling three.”
Both WHM and Valor have similar strategic visions that a merger will help them realize more quickly. The new entity will leverage the strengths of both companies to continue delivering award-winning service that owners and patrons enjoy and have come to expect. They also remain committed to their focus on culture, ensuring their team members truly understand their importance to and impact on the success of the business.
“Our partnership discussions naturally evolved from our initial conversations because we discovered how aligned our values are for each company and that we have a strikingly similar focus on people and their empowerment in the business,” shared Steve Cesinger, co-founder and managing partner, Valor Hospitality Partners. “Kemmons Wilson’s impressive story strikes a strong chord with Euan and me, as self-made entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry ourselves. We’re thrilled to see these two companies come together and look forward to leading the combined venture into a new era of hospitality management.”
