Client:

The Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) acting on behalf of the Savannah-Georgia Convention Center Authority (SGCCA)

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Hotel Overview​​​

Expected to open in the summer of 2028, The SGCCA broke ground on the 444-room Signia by Hilton Savannah in October 2025. Developed in partnership with the GWCCA, the hotel will serve as the Savannah Convention Center's headquarters hotel and help capitalize on the $276 million expansion, completed in February 2025, that doubled its size to 660,000 square feet, increasing exhibit space to 200,000 square feet as well as adding a 40,000-square-foot ballroom and 22,500-square-feet of additional meeting space across 15 new meeting rooms. The hotel will be branded Signia by Hilton, managed by Hilton, and offer more than 34,000 square feet of world-class meeting space, five food and beverage outlets, an outdoor pool, and a Club Signia. ​

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Scope of Work​​

Our firm was engaged to conduct market research, make facility recommendations, supply hotel financial projections and produce a market forecast to inform municipal hotel-motel tax collection projections.

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Specific parameters of the engagement included the following:

• Gathering information regarding the level and characteristics of demand likely to be generated for the proposed hotel and newly expanded convention center.

• Conducting a meeting planner survey of past and potential users of the convention center to gain feedback regarding conference and meeting trends, as well as discover potential user preferences of a headquarters hotel.

• Evaluating the performance of existing competitive conference and group meeting-oriented facilities in the market and the region.

• Estimating market sellout nights by segment (group, corporate, and leisure) to inform market impact projections, as well as the hotels’ segmentation and rate positioning.

• Studying the existing plans and recommending changes to facilities, services, and amenities to shrink the economic feasibility gap.

• Preparing a ten-year forecast of the hotel’s income and expenses in a format consistent with the Uniform System of Accounts.

• Preparing a ten-year forecast of the City of Savannah’s hotel-motel tax collections using a variable correlation back testing analysis. 

• Providing a written report suitable for presentation to government officials, debt sources, the rating agency (S&P Global Ratings), and the structured finance group (Morgan Stanley).

• Stress-testing projections against the past three recessions to help underwriters assess default risk and identify potential liquidity issues. 

• Defending and discussing projections with the rating agency related to their efforts to assess the deal’s creditworthiness.

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Results​​

• Presented recommendations to the SGCCA, Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Songy Highroads and Matthews Southwest Hospitality (the co-development partners), resulting in the addition of a guestroom floor to enhance the project’s viability and further capitalize on the newly expanded convention center.

• Delivered all research, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations in a full narrative written report.

• The deal received a credible rating from the rating agency and Morgan Stanley was able to successfully raise the required capital through selling bonds.

• Savannah-Georgia Convention Center Authority and Hilton Hotels & Resorts celebrated official groundbreaking in October 2025, with the hotel expected to open in the summer of 2028.

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