Fifty Stones Capital Group Closes $11.8MM Loan for Orlando Hotel Turnaround Project

Orlando, FL – September 18, 2025 – What began as a struggling hotel on one of the busiest tourism corridors in the United States is now on the path to becoming a premier Radisson-flagged destination, thanks to Fifty Stones Capital Group’s successful closing of an $11.8 million loan.
In March 2024, a team of four investors purchased the property, then operating under the Grand Magnuson flag, for $6.2 million. Though the hotel’s location in Orlando, Florida, placed it in one of the strongest hospitality markets in the world, the property was underperforming due to years of poor management. What others saw as a liability, the sponsors saw as an opportunity. With $4 million of debt still outstanding, they approached Fifty Stones Capital Group with a bold request: structure financing to breathe new life into the asset and transform it into a thriving Radisson-flagged hotel.
The numbers told a compelling story. The business plan included $7.2 million in renovations to fully modernize the property, $2.2 million in soft costs and interest reserves to stabilize operations, and a signed franchise agreement with Radisson that included $2.5 million in key money to be released at certificate of occupancy. A stabilized appraisal of $16.5 million reinforced the project’s potential value. What the sponsors needed was a lending partner willing to look beyond the property’s troubled past and underwrite its future.

Fifty Stones Capital Group immediately deployed its underwriting and due diligence team. The analysis was comprehensive, examining the hotel’s historical struggles, the depth of the renovation scope, the strength of the sponsor group, the guarantors’ financial capacity, and the proven track record of the operator, a hospitality professional with more than 20 years of experience managing multiple brands across diverse markets. Orlando’s booming tourism market, anchored by theme parks, conventions, and year-round demand, became a cornerstone of the analysis.
After rigorous scrutiny, Fifty Stones Capital structured an $11.8 million loan at 75% leverage. The financing was crafted with precision: staged disbursements tied to renovation milestones, protective covenants to safeguard capital deployment, and upfront sponsor equity with all origination fees and expenses due before funding. The Radisson franchise agreement and $2.5 million key money incentive were integral to the risk assessment, strengthening the project’s outlook and aligning with the long-term stabilization plan.
“Hospitality repositioning is never simple, but the combination of strong guarantors, an experienced operator, and a brand as trusted as Radisson made this project one we believed in,” said Mark Shea, the CEO of Fifty Stones Capital Group. “Orlando’s market fundamentals are exceptional, and this project exemplifies the type of complex, high-upside deal where our creative capital solutions thrive.”

Closing the transaction required focus, collaboration, and speed. Fifty Stones Capital worked closely with the sponsors to align on renovation budgets, contingency planning, and construction timelines, ensuring the financing would support the project through every stage. The result was an efficient closing that unlocked the capital needed to transform the property into a revitalized, income-producing hospitality asset.
For Orlando’s competitive hotel market, the conversion represents more than just a brand change, it is a complete turnaround story. With renovations underway, the once-overlooked property is on track to emerge as a refreshed Radisson destination, backed by experienced ownership, strong financial structuring, and the disciplined approach of Fifty Stones Capital Group.

About Fifty Stones Capital Group
Fifty Stones Capital Group is a private lending and investment firm specializing in creative financing solutions for complex real estate projects nationwide. Known for disciplined underwriting and the ability to close deals traditional lenders often avoid, the firm partners with developers, investors, and operators to fund acquisitions, development, and repositioning projects that create long-term value.