Hotelier Jim Korroch will lead the division, which will help sell hotels that have been operating for a number of years and consult with groups wanting to build new ones.
“To me, it’s just kind of a natural … progression,” Korroch says. “Part of what I did so long was finance hotels and do deals.”
Landmark president Brad Saville says hospitality brokerage has been a side of the business he’s been wanting to expand into.
“The hospitality industry is really hot right now,” he says. “Jim was wanting to get into the brokerage side of the business.”
Korroch has sold a number of his hotels in recent years.
A year ago, he sold his SpringHill Suites by Marriott and his Residence Inn by Marriott, both of which are at the Plazzio development at 13th and Greenwich.
He also used to own the Courtyard Marriott in Old Town, among other hotels, and still owns the Fairfield Inn & Suites at WaterWalk.
Korroch also still will operate his A.G. Holdings, which does lodging development, management and consulting, and is still open to doing more hotels himself.
“We’ll bring more hotels here as it makes sense.”
Currently, he’s consulting on some hotel deals in his native Michigan and with the new 127-room Aloft Wichita Northeast hotel that Great Plains Ventures president Susayn Brandes and vice president of development Marque Peer are building on their property north of K-96 and just east of Oliver.
“That is a big job and very, very important to me,” Korroch says.
He says he has connections with various hotel brands and financiers that can help Landmark with its new division.
“By having that resource within their walls, it just makes it a lot easier,” Korroch says.
“We’re not just stuck on Wichita. We’re really looking at the whole region as well.”
Reach Carrie Rengers at 316-268-6340 or crengers@wichitaeagle.com. Follow her on Twitter:@CarrieRengers.