What Level of Education Should You Expect at MRDC 2010?
Expect experts who can effectively communicate current market conditions and can translate that data into actionable strategies. Expect a level of conversation and networking that respects your status in the resort development industry. Expect answers to questions about your situation and information you can use to your advantage.
If you're not familiar with the Mexico Resort Development Conference, take a look below at the program from our previous Conference in December, 2008. As you'll see, the Conference is designed to deliver top-level information from people who are on the ground in Mexico working on the very issues and strategies we discuss at the Confere. The quality of information and networking opportunities for this market are unparalleled in the industry and, we believe, the main reason MRDC
We've begun work on this June's educational agenda, identifying the most critical issues and lining up the experts who can best speak to them. We'll begin posting details in the Spring once we start finalizing the program.
When the Conference agenda has been posted, an email will be sent out to prior Conference attendees and those on our opt-in email list. If you are not on the mailing list, you may subscribe by sending an email to the conference list manager.
Monday, December 8, 2008
6:00 – 7:30 pm
Welcome Reception
DAY 1 — Tuesday, December 9, 2008
7:30 – 9:00 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 9:15 am
Welcoming Comments and Introductions
Speakers:
Brett K. Ellsworth, President, Contact Development Company, LLC
José M. Larroque, Principal Partner, Baker & McKenzie
Kevin Roberts, Vice President and Counsel, Contact Development Company, LLC
9:15 – 10:15 am
Mexico Tourism Trends and Resort Development Industry: The Current State and Outlook
This opening panel will address the current state and outlook on the travel and tourism industry in Mexico. Both global and country level perspectives will be presented in the context of the current economic environment. This session will address major purchaser, development, investment and financing trends related to resort hotels and second home real estate in Mexico. The session will also include a presentation of the most recent results of the widely-acclaimed Ypartnership/Yankelovich National Travel Monitor™ of the emerging lifestyles and travel habits of Americans and their implications for marketing Mexico.
Moderator:
Chuck Bedsole, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal
Speakers:
Peter Yesawich, CEO, Y Partnership
10:15 – 10:45 am
Networking Break
10:45 am – Noon
Today's Capital Markets - Creative Techniques In a New Financial Environment
As a result of the U.S. housing bubble bursting along with the sub-prime mortgage meltdown, capital markets and financing for resort/residential projects have changed dramatically from a year ago. Find out how much these events have affected the appetite of investors and financial institutions for underwriting projects. Learn where the money is going and new creative financing techniques to attract the capital to keep your projects going. Panelists will also communicate the criteria for attracting project financing, the type of projects that are getting financed and how some of the new financing tools can be implemented.
Moderator:
Bruce D. Greenberg, President, Valuaciones Montaña Verde SA de CV
Speakers:
Steve Elliot, Chief Investment Officer, The Mira Companies
Eduardo Medina, Asset Manager, ING Clarion Partners
Justin Mehren, Managing Director, Latin America Capital Group
Matthew Miller, CEO and President, Conficasa Mortgage
Noon – 1: 45 pm
Keynote Luncheon
Mark Harmon, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Auberge Resorts
1:45 – 3:00 pm
Changing Market Conditions: How to Address Changing Market Conditions and the Current Concerns and Problems Facing Investors, Lenders and Developers
The current worldwide financial crisis is having its own effects on Mexico's resort development industry. This panel will address new matters facing many players in the industry today, including:
- Lack of liquidity/insolvency
- Construction/delivery deadline issues
- Possible foreclosure decisions
- Review of new market buyers/absorption/product/pricing/consumer confidence/buying power
- Consumer payment defaults
- Legal and tax protection under a reorganization process (Mexican Chapter 11)
Moderator:
Gaspar Gutierrez-Centeno, Partner, Baker & McKenzie
Speakers:
Chuck Bedsole, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal
Bruce D. Greenberg, President, Valuaciones Montaña Verde SA de CV
Mauricio Monroy, Managing Partner, Deloitte Baja California
3:00 - 3:15pm
Networking Break
3:15 – 4:15pm
Mixed-Use Resort Development - Components to Consider for Inclusion In Your Resort Project
The term "mixed-use" has a wide range of definitions. It could be used to simply mean a hotel with a residential component and/or perhaps a golf course. Today, the "programming" of resort/residential projects requires significantly more creativity and includes understanding your market much better than in the past. Panelists will share their current experience as to which components are necessary today to attract buyers and close sales in a tougher, more competitive environment.
Moderator:
Greg Cory, Senior Vice President, Economic Research Associates
Speakers:
Marco Larrea, Principal, EDSA
Rick Norton, President, Norton Consulting
Juan Diego Perez-Vargas, Principal, KMD Architects
4:15 – 5:15 pm
Mexico’s Legal and Tax Structures in the Wake of the New IETU (Flat Tax)
Learn about the effects of the new IETU (flat tax) as its first year of implementation has begun. Understand how it works in conjunction with the existing Income Tax Law and how it is impacting companies. Learn about alternatives to manage this tax and how best to structure new investments.
Moderator:
José M. Larroque, Principal Partner, Baker & McKenzie
Speakers:
Mauricio Monroy, Managing Partner, Deloitte Baja California
Rodolfo Sanchez-Arellano, Partner, Baker & McKenzie
5:15– 7:00 pm
Cocktail Reception
DAY 2 — Wednesday, December 10, 2008
7:30 – 9:00 am
Registration and Continental Breakfast
9:00 – 10:15 am
Investment Spending: Turning Your Land Into a Brand
Panelists will discuss the issues and considerations that are involved in evaluating the “branding” of the hotel, residential and other components within resort projects. How you do it. Why you do it. The risks and rewards that come with the territory.
Moderator:
Toni Alexander, President and Creative Director, InterCommunications, Inc.
Speakers:
Rich Centolella, Principal, EDSA
Brett Ellsworth, President, Contact Development Company, LLC
Tom Harrison, Principal, Colony Capital, LLC
Mark E. de Reus, President, de Reus Architects
10:15 – 10:45 am
Networking Break
10:45 – Noon
Marketing and Sales: It's Time to Get Back to Work
Record-breaking sales over the past few years have made us all a bit lazy. Up until this year, sales was like shooting fish in a barrel and marketing took a back seat. Today, to produce sales in a more challenging market, marketing has come back to the forefront of project planning. Learn what is working and what is not in today's marketplace. Hear from a team of panelists that have been successful at both marketing and sales in the "tough times".
Moderator:
Len Silverfine, Founder, The Big Idea Co.
Speakers:
Michael Coyle, Founding Partner, Replay Resorts, Inc.
Peter Feldman, President, etainia, inc
Mitch Creekmore, Senior Vice President, Stewart International
Chris Snell, President, Snell Real Estate
Noon – 1:30 pm
Luncheon
1:30 – 2:30 pm
Resort Amenities: Programming and Designing for Profit and Sales
More decisions on travel and the purchase of vacation homes involve taking into consideration the entire family: spouses, children and grandparents. Thus, resort projects today require a much broader range of amenities to appeal to today's buyers. Gone are the days where a great golf course, some tennis courts and a spa sufficed as an amenity package. While golf, tennis and spas are critical components in most projects, hear from experts who plan and design these amenities and learn what has changed to address a more sophisticated and versatile market. Also hear about new amenity programs that were not even in our vocabulary just a few short years ago. You'll be surprised what is expected at today's most successful resort/residential projects.
Moderator:
Kevin Roberts, Vice President and Counsel, Contact Development Company, LLC
Speakers:
Jason McCoy, President, Greg Norman Golf Course Design
Steve Sandborg, Senior Vice President, InterCommunications, Inc.
Paul Stringer, Senior Vice President New Business Development, Nicklaus Design, LLC
Don Vita, CEO, Vita Planning and Landscape Architecture
2:30 – 3:00 pm
Networking Break
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Sustainable Resort Development: Building Green - Why It's Good Business Policy
We will talk about why it pays to design, build and operate with sustainability in mind. We will address how LEED may influence green design and space construction in Mexico and why it may make good business sense to achieve LEED certification in Mexico. This session will also include an update on current trends of regulatory enforcement in Mexico.
Moderator:
Federico Ruanova, Partner, Baker & McKenzie
Speakers:
Todd Coleman, LEED AP, Project Manager, VITA Planning and Landscape Architecture
Clark Stevens, President, New West Land Company, LLC
Steven Zubkoff, Managing Partner, Sustainable Community Advisors
4:00 - 4:15 pm
Closing Remarks
Speakers:
Brett K. Ellsworth, President, Contact Development Company, LLC
José M. Larroque, Principal Partner, Baker & McKenzie
Kevin Roberts, Vice President and Cousel, Contact Development Company, LLC
