Ben Hittman represents real estate investment funds, public and private REITs, institutional investors, developers, and other investors, owners, sponsors and operators in complex real estate transactions. His work encompasses acquisitions and dispositions, joint ventures, development agreements, and financings across the capital stack for commercial, industrial, office, gaming, hospitality, and multifamily assets and portfolios. Ben stays current on market trends affecting the intersection of real estate and technology, as well as growing investor interest in data centers.
Ben has structured and negotiated several sophisticated platform joint ventures for hospitality and mixed-use projects, multifamily communities, life science developments, and other asset types. Ben’s practice includes representing gaming industry clients in property acquisitions, sale-leaseback transactions, and development agreements. Ben also assists clients with mixed-use project development and construction financings, REIT-compliant joint venture transactions, and the development and construction financing of unique assets such as cold storage facilities and data centers.
Experience
Representative Matters
• Represented an international real estate investor in the formation of strategic platform joint venture to acquire, recapitalize, and develop up to $2 billion in luxury hospitality and mixed-use projects across North America, as well as its direct investment into its joint venture partner’s real estate management and development business.°
• Represented a private real estate investor in its $580 million acquisition and financing of a long-term ground lease in New York City.°
• Represented a publicly traded international real estate investor in platform joint venture with a global institutional investor to acquire and manage core-plus multifamily communities across the Western United States, seeded with a $800 million portfolio and targeting an additional $700 million in acquisition opportunities.°
• Represented Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. in entry into binding agreement with the Oakland Athletics and Bally’s Corporation for the development of new Major League Baseball stadium and luxury hotel and casino at the site of the Tropicana Las Vegas.°
• Represented Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. in the acquisition of three casinos from The Cordish Companies for aggregate consideration of $1.81 billion, comprised of a mix of qualified debt assumption, cash, and newly issued operating partnership units.°
• Represented Gaming and Leisure Properties, Inc. in entry into a Master Development Agreement with Penn Entertainment for the funding of $575 million in development costs for relocation and expansions of four casino and hotel resorts.°
• Represented a global real estate private equity firm in joint venture to acquire and develop 69-acre mixed-use project in Cary, North Carolina, together with $200 million construction loan and entry into development agreement with the Town of Cary.°
• Represented a global real estate private equity firmin multiple acquisitions and joint ventures to acquire and develop life science assets in South San Francisco.°
• Represented a global real estate private equity firmin ground lease with a university and joint venture with a national real estate developer to develop mixed-use property near university campus.°
• Represented a real estate developer and its joint venture partner in the $365 million acquisition and financing of an office property located in downtown Boston.°
• Represented a nationally recognized real estate operator in the formation of a platform joint venture with a university endowment for the acquisition and renovation of multifamily properties across the United States.°
• Represented a nationally recognized real estate investment manager in the formation of two REIT-compliant joint ventures for the acquisition and financing of adjacent office and industrial properties in Los Angeles.°
• Represented an international real estate investment fund in its $240 million sale of a portfolio of net leased office properties across the United States.°
• Represented investment arm of international insurance company in sale of interests in a Spanish company as owner of Uruguay forest farmed for timber for over $110 million.°
• Represented developer of industrial cold storage facilities in multiple construction loans totaling over $150 million.°
• Represented private real estate hospitality fund in formation of multiple joint ventures with international investors to acquire and renovate hospitality assets across the United States.°
• Represented global real estate private equity firm in formation of platform joint venture with international life insurance company to acquire and decarbonize multifamily assets across United States.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Hittman prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, LLP.
Recognition & Leadership
Awards & Accolades
• Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, "Ones to Watch," Real Estate Law, 2021-2025
Professional & Community Involvement
• Member, Boston Bar Association, 2016-Present
• Pro Bono Counsel, Greater Boston Legal Services, 2016-Present
