SBE launches expansion to Latin America and the Middle East
The company that began with a handful of hip nightclubs in Los Angeles has announced its latest expansion, adding hotels, restaurants and condominium projects in Latin America and the Middle East.
SBE, founded by nightclub mogul Sam Nazarian, confirmed it reached 10 agreements this week to more than double its portfolio of hotels and condominium projects to 50 by 2021 and add 24 restaurants and lounges.
Most of Nazarian’s projects are either management or licensing agreements, including plans to manage a new SLS hotel in Doha, Qatar, slated to open in 2020, and an SLS hotel in Mexico City, slated to open in 2021. SBE also plans to manage condominium projects in Buenos Aires and Punta del Este in Uruguay.
The privately held SBE company, which launched in 2002, includes more than 130 hotels, nightclubs and restaurants with brand names including SLS, Delano, Mondrian, Redbury, Katsuya Cleo, Umami Burger, Hyde Lounge and Skybar.
Nazarian’s company also said it has signed a deal to open 10 Umami Burger outlets in Mexico and has begun discussions to bring the upscale burger joint to the Middle East.
Nazarian made headlines two years ago when he sold his interests in a casino project in Las Vegas after the Nevada Gaming Control Board, performing a routine background investigation, discovered that he had taken illegal drugs and had been targeted for extortion payments.
The hotel and casino project retained the SLS brand.
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