Edward E. Wicks
Ed focuses his practice in the areas of real estate transactions and development, secured financings and workouts, leasing transactions and hospitality law.
In Ed Wicks' years of experience, he has:
- Represented public and private hospitality companies in the acquisition, management, financing, debt restructuring and disposition of domestic and foreign hotel and resort properties;
- Represented lenders, special servicers and borrowers in securitized financings, loan enforcement and workouts, and the acquisition of commercial mortgage loans from private and governmental portfolios;
- Represented retail property owners and tenants in the disposition, acquisition, operation and leasing of portfolios throughout the United States;
- Represented phased commercial and residential developments, including complex multi-use project declarations and affordable housing projects;
- Represented public real estate investment trusts in purchases and sales of commercial properties and residential apartment complexes located throughout the country, including acquisitions through bankruptcy proceedings; and
- Represented Asian and European investors and lenders in acquisitions and financings of U.S. properties.
Areas of focus
Education & Credentials
Education
- The University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1975
- University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, A.B., magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, 1972
Bar and Court Admissions
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Illinois
Professional Recognition
Listed as Illinois "Leading Lawyer" in Real Estate Finance
Listed in Chicago Magazine, "Illinois Super Lawyer"
Listed in Leading Lawyer Magazine's Top 100 Real Estate Lawyers in Illinois
Listed in Best Lawyers in America: Real Estate Law, 2009-2024
*The Supreme Court of Illinois does not recognize certifications of specialties in the practice of law and no certificate, award or recognition is a requirement to practice law in Illinois.
Impact
Professional Leadership
- Chicago Bar Association, Real Property Law Committee
News
Professional Experience
Hotels & Leisure
Four Seasons, Washington, D.C.
Represented Strategic Hotels and Resorts in the acquisition of the Washington, D.C., Four Seasons.
Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay, Half Moon Bay, CA
Represented Strategic Hotels and Resorts Inc. in the acquisition of this resort. The Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay Resort is located on the Pacific coast south of San Francisco and may be one of the last newly constructed resorts permitted to be built on the California Pacific coast due to coastal protection regulations now in effect.
Luxury and Business Class Hotel Debt
Representing owners of luxury and business class hotels and resorts since 2006 in connection with more than $10 billion of structured debt. Hotels and resorts include Barton Creek Spa & Resort, Grove Park Inn, Hotel del Coronado, Fairmont (Chicago, IL; Scottsdale, AZ), Four Seasons (Mexico City, Punta Mita and Washington, D.C.), Hilton (Hawaiian Village and San Francisco Union Square Hotel), Homestead Resort, Hyatt La Jolla, InterContinental (Chicago, IL; Miami, FL), JW Marriott Essex House, Loews Santa Monica, Marriott Lincolnshire, Parc 55 San Francisco, Ritz Carlton (Half Moon Bay and Laguna Niguel) and Westin St. Francis.
Hotel and Resort Debt Restructuring
Represented public REIT in restructuring of $500 million revolving debt line of credit.
Represented Owner and Asset Manager of High-end Hotels and Resorts
Represented Strategic Hotels and Resorts and predecessor companies in the purchase, sale and financing of approximately 40 upper-upscale and luxury hotels and resorts in North America (including Mexico) and Europe.
Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Laguna Niguel, Dana Point, CA
Represented a private company in the acquisition and financing of this hotel. Represented a public company in a subsequent acquisition of this hotel.
InterContinental, Chicago, IL
Represented Strategic Hotels & Resorts Inc. in the acquisition of a majority interest in this hotel, including negotiation of the hotel management agreement, the joint venture agreements, the financing documents and the refinancing of this hotel.
InterContinental, Miami, FL
Represented a public company in the acquisition of a majority interest in this hotel, including negotiation of the hotel management agreement, the joint venture agreements, the financing documents and the refinancing of this hotel.
The Fairmont, Dallas, TX
Represented a private fund in the acquisition and financing of this hotel, and represented ownership in a refinancing of this hotel and in an exchange transaction.
The Fairmont, San Jose, CA
Represented a private fund in the acquisition and subsequent expansion of this hotel, and represented ownership in a securitized refinancing of this hotel and exchange transaction.
Counsel to Resort Investors
Counsel to equity investors of a resort located in Colorado.
Rosewood Hotels & Resorts LLC
Representation of the owners in the sale of Dallas-based Rosewood Hotels & Resorts LLC hotel management company and five North American properties under Rosewood management for $800 million to China-based New World Hospitality and individual investors. Properties sold in the transaction included the Carlyle Hotel in New York, NY, the Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe, NM, Rosewood Little Dix Bay in the British Virgin Islands, the Rosewood Crescent Hotel and the Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, both in Dallas, TX. The Perkins Coie team had acquired all of these assets from the various owners in transactions dating back to 1997 (transaction received the "M&A Deal of the Year Award" at the 2012 ALIS Conference).
Bankruptcy Sale of a Luxury Hotel
Represented a bidder in the bankruptcy sale of a luxury hotel in downtown Boston. The hotel was part of a mixed use development involving hotel, office, retail, residential and convention center elements. As such, there were multiple owners of high rise buildings subject to numerous reciprocal easement and other agreements governing the operation of the site. This matter required the analysis of complex underlying title documents, surveys and other relevant matters and preparation of a purchase and sale agreement that was both competitive, given the nature of the auction, and yet protected our client, all in less than two weeks.
Real Estate
Optima Refinances "Optima Signature"
In 2015, Perkins Coie client Optima, Inc. embarked on the construction of "Optima Signature". Optima Signature is a 57 story residential community in the Streeterville neighborhood of Chicago. The building is LEED Silver Certified, and contains 1.5 acres of community amenity space across three floors including indoor and outdoor heated swimming pools, cabanas, bars, and fitness center offering a virtual workout studio and steam rooms. On September 28, 2018, Perkins Coie represented Optima, Inc. in the $215,000,000 term loan replacement of the construction financing. Perkins Coie had previously represented Optima, Inc. in the negotiation of the original construction financing.
Downtown Chicago Mixed Use Development
Represented the developer in coordinating the acquisition and development of 20 building parcels in the largest remaining undeveloped site near downtown Chicago. The project included high-rise residential, hotel, townhome, retail and park improvements overlooking Lake Michigan, and required preparation of a master development declaration, subdivision plat, multi-level street dedications and complex easement agreements.
CMBS financing for Pier 39
Represented Pier 39 Limited Partnership, the owner of one of the best known San Francisco tourist destinations, in CMBS financing, simultaneous defeasance of prior CMBS financing and ownership arrangements with equity investors. The financing included dealing with complex issues of property rights over San Francisco Bay.
Retail Property Portfolio Dispositions
Represented a real estate investor in the sale of leased and owned properties throughout the United States acquired from national retailers desiring to dispose of excess real estate holdings no longer needed for their operations.
Mixed Income Development*
Represented a developer in its successful response to a public RFP to raze and redevelop approximately 20 blocks of substandard housing into a mixed income development.
Mixed-Use High-Rise Development in Chicago's River North Neighborhood
Representation of the owner in its development and construction financing for a multi-tower high-rise mixed-use retail and residential development in Chicago's River North area, including senior and mezzanine construction financing and preparation of REA to address common ownership issues in a high rise development.
Affordable Housing Program for Municipality*
Represented major municipality in implementing program to facilitate sale of affordable single family homes.
Institutional and High Volume Real Estate and Leasing Transactions
Supervised a Commercial Real Estate Services and Leasing Group in providing real estate services to institutional owners with high volume transaction needs. Implemented intranet system to facilitate transaction processing, due diligence, document management and tracking.
TIF Financing Project
Represented a public interest finance group in connection with TIF financing for affordable and market rate housing developments.
Represented Purchaser of Granite and Limestone Quarries
Represented SPO Partners & Company in the $420 million purchase of 12 limestone and granite quarries primarily in Georgia and Tennessee.
LifeStorage
Representation of LifeStorage since its inception in acquisition and financing of self-storage real estate portfolios.
Optima Sonoran Village - Scottsdale, Arizona
Represent a joint venture of Optima, Inc. and DeBartolo Real Estate Investments, LLC in the development of Optima Sonoran Village.