Seattle Times: Bill Gates buys resort plus development land in Punta Mita, near Puerto Vallarta for $200 million

Looks like the Gates family might have a new vacation home. Or, at least, a nice investment.

Cascade Investment, Bill Gates’ private investment arm, is purchasing the Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita and an adjacent 48-acre parcel of development land for $200 million in cash, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

The deal is expected to close in early 2014.

John Pinette, the Gates family’s spokesman, declined to comment on what Gates plans to do with the purchase.

It may simply be that Cascade Investment, or Gates, thinks it’s a good time to increase its investment in the Four Seasons hotel chain.

Earlier this year, Cascade Investment bought the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta for $62 million, according to Hotel Management, and the Four Seasons Hotel Houston for $140 million, according to Bloomberg.

Gates and Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, a Saudi Arabian billionaire, have a 95 percent stake in the chain, according to Bloomberg, which says the two men took the hotel chain private in 2007.

But now, Alwaleed is calling for the company to prepare for an IPO, feeling the time is right, according to The Wall Street Journal. The hotel chain has a new CEO in former real-estate investor Allen Smith and competitor Hilton Worldwide issued its IPO last week.

[Update 4:33 p.m.: Michael Larson, chief investment officer of Cascade Investment, said in a statement:

We are a significant investor in Mexico and hold a long-term positive view on the country and its economy. This is an outstanding property asset. Our investment also underscores our confidence in the property’s management team, the leadership of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts and the strength of the Four Seasons brand overall.

Cascade purchased the resort, which is located on a private peninsula within a 400-acre nature preserve, from Strategic Hotels & Resorts, according to the statement from Cascade. The resort will continue to be managed by Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

This is Cascade’s third purchase of a Four Seasons property in the past 10 weeks, the investment firm said.]

http://blogs.seattletimes.com/microsoftpri0/2013/12/16/bill-gates-buys-resort-near-puerto-vallarta-for-200-million/

EXPLORE LIFESTYLE OPTIONS IN PUNTA MITA, STYLISH GATHERING PLACES AND THE FINEST AMENITIES TO ENERGIZE YOUR BODY AND SPIRIT.

Discover 20 residential communities, 2 Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses, 4 private beach clubs, a tennis club and fitness center, a collection of boutique shops, a private hospital, outdoor activities centers, spa services and a club concierge to guide you.

Lifestyle & Amenities

Owning at the Punta Mita Resort

Punta Mita offers ample opportunities to enjoy artful leisure, with stylish gathering places and the finest amenities to energize your body and your spirit.

Discover two private Jack Nicklaus Signature golf courses, private beach clubs, a tennis club and fitness center, a collection of boutique shops, private medical clinic, outdoor activities centers, spa services and a club concierge to assist you in planning your perfect way to enjoy all that is offered here.

Active-minded residents can enjoy a variety of water sports, from deep sea fishing and diving to surfing and kayaking, as well as land activities that include championship golf, tennis, mountain biking and hiking.

Based on the membership associated with your home or rental property, you will be able to use the following facilities and amenities of Club Punta Mita.

RESIDENT

Pacifico Golf Course
Tennis Center
Residents’ Beach Club

Premier Sport

Pacifico Golf Course
Tennis Center
Residents’ Beach Club

Premier Golf

Pacifico Golf Course
Bahia Golf Course
Tennis Center
Fitness Center
Residents’ Beach Club
Kupuri Beach Club

Two Jack Nicklaus Courses

Club Punta Mita Golf

The private Punta Mita Golf Club is open only to Punta Mita property owners and their guests, and guests of Four Seasons and St. Regis Resorts. Members enjoy access to the comfortably appointed clubhouse, which offers dining, bag storage and other amenities. This is the place to meet your friends—and play.

PACIFICO GOLF COURSE

RATED #1 IN LATIN AMERICA – Highly praised by golfers and golfing magazines, this unique championship course inspired Conde Nast Traveler readers to select the Four Seasons Punta Mita as the world’s #1 golf resort.

Its “Tail of the Whale,” an optional, par-three 19th hole measuring 199 yards, features the only natural island green in the world. The course plays between 5,037 and 7,014 yards. Click here to tour the Pacifico course hole by hole.

BAHIA GOLF COURSE

The newest addition to Punta Mita’s golfing achievement, this second Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course opened in late 2008 and is as stunning as its sister course.

Featuring six ocean holes and playing between 5,180 and 7,030 yards, this championship course rolls through the property of the St. Regis Resort, and among the communities of El Encanto, Porta Fortuna, and La Punta Estates. The challenging and undulating fairway and green complexes offer a wonderful counterpart to Pacifico for golf afficionados. Click here to tour the Pacifico course hole by hole.

Kupuri, Pacifico & the Sufi Ocean Club

The Punta Mita Residents Beach Clubs

Grass & Clay Tennis, Pickelball

TENNIS & FITNESS CENTERS

TENNIS

A variety of fun and exciting tennis activities await at The Punta Mita Tennis Club. Managed by Four Seasons and Peter Burwash International, the recently expanded Punta Mita Tennis Club offers 10 courts – a combination of hard surface and synthetic grass courts—lighted for evening play. In addition, enjoy an apparel and equipment shop as well as men’s and women’s locker rooms.

FITNESS

The Premier Fitness Center, for Club Punta Mita members, features Technogym® cardiovascular and machine weight equipment that allows a comprehensive fitness regimen. Men’s and women’s locker and shower areas allow for a relaxing finish to your workout, leaving you refreshed and energized.

A WORLD OF WATER SPORTS

OCEAN & ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES

Nestled between the lush jungles of the Sierra Madre Mountains and the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, this extraordinary peninsula offers a breathtaking coastline, an inviting seaside playground and a natural magnet for all kind of aquatic and land adventures.

The sparkling waters, pristine beaches, coral reef and occasionally rocky coast inspire a host of delightful experiences: sport fishing, sea kayaking, whale watching, surfing, sailing, diving, spearfishing, snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, horseback riding and mountain biking.

Club Punta Mita offers a full range of ocean and outdoor activities, many of which are provided by our Ocean Activities Coordinator located at the Residents Beach Club and at Sea Breeze Beach Club.