Celebration Pointe Partners with Real Estate Powerhouse O’Connor Capital Partners to Lead National Leasing and Property Management Efforts

GAINESVILLE, Fla; July 23, 2018…Celebration Pointe, North Florida’s premier mixed-use development, located in the highly visible and heavily traveled intersection of I-75 and Archer Road in Gainesville, today announced a partnership with O’Connor Capital Partners for Celebration Pointe’s property management and national leasing initiatives.

“This partnership is a giant leap in the continued progression of Celebration Pointe, which has already established itself in many ways as North Central Florida’s premier mixed-use destination,” said Ralph Conti, a development partner in the project. “We are delighted to integrate O’Connor into the development. This is representative of a major national player partnering with a strong local partner to deliver unparalleled results.”

O’Connor Capital Partners, a recognized industry leader, is a privately-owned and independent real estate investment, development, and management firm. Over their 35 years in business, they have a well-earned reputation for successfully managing and spearheading leasing efforts for notable developments around the globe.

“It’s an incredible honor to build a new neighborhood that gives fans, visitors, and residents alike an inviting place to eat, shop, play, and hang out. A place where residential offerings and office space underscore the sense of community,” said Francis Scire, Senior VP and Head of Leasing, Marketing, and Brand Management for O’Connor Capital Partners. “Celebration Pointe engages its guests and caters to their desire for a truly authentic experience to enhance their visit. It gives them a place to celebrate and we are very proud to be a part of that.”

Already home to the recently opened Nike Factory Store, Tommy Hilfiger, Bass Pro Shops, Kilwins, and the area’s first luxury seating, state-of-the-art Regal Cinemas RPX theater complete with food and lounge, Celebration Pointe is just getting started. The project is also unveiling a fully leased, five-story Class A office building at 5001 Celebration Pointe Avenue with 70,000 SF of office space on four levels, above 13,000 SF of retail space on the ground floor. Together, with the already open global headquarters of software giant Info Tech, there will be nearly 700 office workers at Celebration Pointe by year end.

Gainesville is the core of a super-regional trade area population of more than 1.6 million people and is growing at rates as high as 2x the national average. The highest growth is occurring in affluent neighborhoods with the highest retail spending and Gainesville has a rising number of households that make more than $150,000 a year. Roughly 25 percent of Florida’s annual 100 million tourists drive through Gainesville.

“There’s an undeniable spirit and passion shown by our regional customers for Gainesville and of course for the University of Florida just a few miles down the road,” said Julien Emmanuel, Franchisee, Kilwins. “The enthusiasm is infectious. We are thrilled with the traffic our store has received and are very excited to be here in the heart of Gator Nation.”

Recently, Celebration Pointe announced a partnership with the Florida Gators athletic department to draw in the 150,000 fans who travel to Gainesville every home game weekend during football season. The agreement includes Celebration Pointe hosting Gator Talk radio shows with UF head football and basketball coaches. The campaign is being branded as “Celebration Pointe, Where Gators come to Celebrate.”

About Celebration Pointe

Located at the intersection of I-75 and Archer Road, Celebration Pointe is a 160-acre, one million-plus-square-foot mixed-use development. Major anchor tenants include Bass Pro Shops, which opened November 2016, Nike Factory Store, Tommy Hilfiger and the area’s first luxury seating, state-of-the-art Regal Cinemas RPX theater complete with food and lounge which opened in early 2018. The project will also contain a 140-room Hotel Indigo, which is slated to open in November 2018. In addition to some 300,000 square feet of Class-A office space, Celebration Pointe will feature approximately 400,000 square feet of many first-to-market retailers and restaurants, as well as a mix of highly experiential and entertainment venues. Celebration Pointe will also have the area’s newest selection of luxury apartments and urban townhomes.

About O’Connor Capital Partners

Founded in 1983, O’Connor Capital Partners (www.oconnorcp.com) is an institutional real estate investment, management, and development firm based in New York City and run by CEO, Bill O’Connor. The firm pursues acquisitions, developments and residential conversions on behalf of its institutional funds, separate accounts, and own account. O’Connor primarily targets retail and residential opportunities throughout the United States and Mexico. Since inception, O’Connor has acquired or developed over $30 billion of property, including over 55 million square feet of retail space and over 30,000 residential units globally.