Press Release - Kansas City's first Spark by Hilton

Kansas City’s first Spark by Hilton

The Seville Plaza Hotel changed hands to new ownership ahead of a $2.8 million renovation as Kansas City’s first Spark by Hilton.

Leawood-based Prevail Alternative Assets, together with Stay It Forward Hospitality, on Thursday acquired the 76-room hotel at 4309 Main St. from GLI Hospitality. The new ownership group, HS KC Plaza LLC, includes a mix of new and previous investors, including Doug Gamble, co-owner of GLI Hospitality and principal with Stay It Forward Hospitality.

A sale price is not yet available for the hotel, which soon will be converted from a Trademark Collection by Wyndham property.

Kansas City’s Seville Plaza conversion represents exactly the type of investment we seek out for our investors, a high-quality, transit-oriented location with strong demand drivers and a clear value creation path,” Prevail CEO Kerry Lawing said in a release. “With the streetcar expansion, shrinking hotel supply, and the upcoming World Cup, this property is positioned to deliver both meaningful returns and a lasting impact on the Kansas City community. Founded in 2021, Prevail is a private real estate investment firm that focuses on strategic acquisitions across multiple subsectors. The Johnson County firm had $413 million in real estate assets, with a nationwide portfolio of 12 apartment, medical, assisted-living and business park properties as of late February.

“We are excited to partner with Prevail on this project,” Gamble said in the release. “Their experience in raising and structuring capital, combined with our hotel revenue generation, creates the right foundation to reimagine the Seville Plaza as Kansas City’s first Spark by Hilton.”

Hilton launched Spark in September 2023 as a premium economy hotel brand with practical amenities and simple, inspired designs. The brand focuses primarily on hotel conversions through franchisees and has grown quickly to more than 170 properties, according to its website. One Spark hotel is open in Lansing, and another is expected to open in November in Grain Valley. Seville Plaza Hotel’s renovation will remake the four-story property’s guest rooms, lobby, public areas, exterior and landscaping. The hotel has had its Wyndham flag since late 2022, before which it was a Best Western Plus property.

It is next to a streetcar stop at 43rd and Main streets. Its sale come less than a month before an Oct. 24 grand opening planned for the 3.5-mile southern streetcar extension. First National Bank of Hutchinson will provide up to $6 million in acquisition and renovation financing for the Seville Plaza Hotel. Rhode Island-based TPG Hotels & Resorts is planned to operate the new Spark by Hilton. The rebranded hotel is expected to open in March.

Read the article: Article on KC Business Journal »