Franklin Street Acquires Hospitality Leader HWE in Major CRE Expansion

TAMPA, FL – January 13, 2026 – In a strategic move poised to reshape the national commercial real estate landscape, full-service firm Franklin Street has acquired Hodges Ward Elliott (HWE), a premier real estate capital advisor with a dominant fifty-year legacy in the hospitality sector. The acquisition, announced today, integrates HWE's powerhouse brokerage team into the Franklin Street platform, significantly bolstering the latter's institutional capabilities and national reach.

While financial terms were not disclosed, the deal is structured to preserve the strength of the HWE brand. The firm will continue to operate under its current name, with its long-tenured leadership and brokerage teams remaining intact. This structure aims to combine HWE’s deep-seated expertise and client relationships in the hotel industry with the broad, diversified service offerings of Franklin Street, which include insurance, project management, capital advisory, leasing, and property management.

A Calculated Move for National Dominance

This acquisition marks the most significant step yet in Franklin Street's aggressive and deliberate national growth strategy. The Tampa-based firm has been methodically expanding its footprint, opening offices in Nashville and Dallas in 2025 and appointing a new regional managing director in Miami. The move to bring HWE into its fold transcends mere geographic expansion; it represents a strategic leap into the upper echelons of institutional-grade transactions, particularly within the lucrative hospitality market.

"This is an important and significant step as we continue to build a firm that offers exceptional client service and tailored solutions across all asset classes nationwide," said Tony DeSisto, president and chief operating officer at Franklin Street. "HWE's experience with executing institutional deals will benefit Franklin Street as we expand our reach and market share."

By integrating a firm renowned for handling high-value, complex hotel deals, Franklin Street not only diversifies its portfolio but also gains immediate credibility and market share in a highly specialized sector. The acquisition is a clear signal of the firm's ambition to compete at the highest level across the country, leveraging HWE's established reputation to attract a new class of institutional clients.

Uniting a Hospitality Juggernaut with Full-Service Capabilities

Hodges Ward Elliott brings a formidable track record to the partnership. Over the past five years alone, its teams have closed a staggering $17 billion in transactions. This includes 30 deals valued at over $100 million each, demonstrating its prowess in the large-scale institutional space. In 2025, the firm completed $1.5 billion in transactions, with a portfolio of high-profile sales that included the W London, Viewline Resort Snowmass, Planters Inn Charleston, and the Gabriel South Beach note sale.

The synergy for HWE's existing and future clients is a cornerstone of the deal. Hotel owners and investors who have long relied on HWE for premier brokerage and capital markets advice will now gain seamless access to Franklin Street's comprehensive suite of services. This integrated platform offers a one-stop solution for the entire real estate lifecycle, from acquisition and financing to insurance, management, and eventual disposition.

"Joining together with Franklin Street allows HWE to build momentum and expand our ability to serve clients with the high standard of service we hold ourselves to and our clients expect," stated Bill Hodges, chief executive officer of HWE. He added that the firm is "emboldened by what the future holds" and will continue its focus on institutional transactions while expanding its service capabilities.

The Cultural Blueprint for Growth

Both Franklin Street and HWE leadership have emphasized that the partnership is built on more than just complementary business lines; it is founded on a shared cultural alignment. In an industry where talent and relationships are paramount, this focus on a common ethos of hard work, collaboration, and a client-first mentality is presented as the critical ingredient for successful integration and long-term growth.

"They have built a reputation as the premier firm in hospitality real estate by embodying qualities our founder and Chairman Andrew Wright established Franklin Street on; hard work, collaboration, and a strong culture that values its people," DeSisto noted in his statement.

This sentiment is echoed by HWE's leadership, who view the move as an evolution that honors their firm's legacy. HWE has long been distinguished by the long tenure of its team, a testament to a culture that fosters loyalty and deep industry relationships. The acquisition is seen as a way to amplify this legacy with the robust infrastructure and resources of a larger national platform.

"Our legacy is built off the character, culture and commitment to excellence of Bill Hodges, Jack Ward, and Mark Elliott," said Clint Hodges, managing director at HWE. "The next chapter for our team is to build on what was established by our founders and to continue that tradition with the backing and support of Franklin Street's infrastructure."

Kurt Keaton, president of real estate services at Franklin Street, reinforced this vision of intentional growth. "As we grow, we're going to be relentless in building a firm that is true to our foundations and core values," he said.

Capitalizing on a Resurgent Hospitality Market

The timing of the acquisition appears particularly astute, aligning with a period of strong recovery and bullish investor sentiment in the hospitality sector. Following the global travel disruptions of recent years, investor confidence has rebounded sharply. Projections for 2025 and beyond show a significant appetite for hotel assets, with over half of investors planning to increase their allocation to the sector relative to other commercial real estate classes.

This demand is particularly strong for the types of properties HWE specializes in: upper-upscale and luxury hotels in prime urban and resort locations. With U.S. hotel occupancy rates steadily climbing back toward pre-pandemic levels and the robust return of business and group travel, the market is ripe for major transactions. By acquiring a leader in this space, Franklin Street positions itself to capture a significant share of this renewed investment activity. The combined entity is now better equipped to service the full spectrum of hospitality needs, from multi-billion-dollar institutional portfolios to the more than half-billion dollars in hotels under $25 million that HWE sold in 2025 alone.

As part of the integration, HWE team members have already begun joining existing Franklin Street offices in key markets, including Atlanta, Dallas, Nashville, Orlando, and Tampa, setting the stage for the newly formed powerhouse to begin executing on its expanded, nationwide mandate.