This episode of The Future Built Smarter examines the state of the hospitality market with IMEG’s Bob Winter—one in a series of conversations with the firm’s market sector leaders.
Most recently serving as an IMEG client executive in southern California, Bob is now turning his full attention to the growth and continued development of IMEG’s portfolio in the hospitality sector—a market he has led for several years and in which he has vast experience. “I absolutely am excited,” he says of his r...
This episode of The Future Built Smarter examines the state of the hospitality market with IMEG’s Bob Winter—one in a series of conversations with the firm’s market sector leaders.
Most recently serving as an IMEG client executive in southern California, Bob is now turning his full attention to the growth and continued development of IMEG’s portfolio in the hospitality sector—a market he has led for several years and in which he has vast experience. “I absolutely am excited,” he says of his re-established focus.
“Our hospitality group includes MEP, structural, technology, and architectural lighting experts, and our teams are spread across the country, from New York and Philadelphia to Chicago, Denver, Las Vegas, and Southern California. “Hospitality is relationship-based,” he adds, with teams assembled for specific projects based on the type of project and expertise required, regardless of where a project is located. “Projects led by developers or architects in Chicago could be taking place in other markets throughout the country, maybe South Florida, for example. It always helps if we have an office where the project is, which we often do, but the design can be done by a remote team.”
Bob’s key goals include expanding IMEG’s work in luxury resorts, adaptive reuse, and major renovation projects. “The more complicated, the more challenging projects—those are the ones we want to acquire more of,” he says. Efficiency is another priority. “I want to work with the team so that we’re very efficient in our execution, taking advantage of hospitality’s repetitive design elements. Every property is unique, but guest room stacks are often similar, for example.”
While economic uncertainty has been “top of mind” in the industry for the past year and a half, he says 2025 has been identified as a year of “cautious optimism.” One area of growth is in branded residences, which help finance hospitality projects. “We have a number of these that we were successful in winning—like a Dream Hotel with condos, a Waldorf project with residences, and a Breckenridge Grand Vacation project,” he says. Another area of opportunity is in property improvement plans (PIPs), which require hotels to undergo updates every seven to 10 years. “Certainly, during COVID, PIP requirements got lax,” Bob says. “Some properties look tired as a result. But PIPs are no longer optional going forward.”
A key geographic area for growth is the Sun Belt—particularly Florida, Texas, Georgia, and South Carolina. “There’s quite a bit of work happening there,” he says. He also sees renewed investment interest in San Francisco and San Diego. “San Francisco is attracting private equity interest because properties can likely be obtained at a good deal, and recovery is noticeable.”
Despite the uncertainties in the market, Bob remains optimistic about the future of hospitality. “Hopefully by the end of Q1 or Q2, we’ll see a resurgence,” he says. “Consistent schedules, less delays, and more activity across the board—that’s what I’m hoping for.”
