Gayle Benson, owner of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints and the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans, has bought a controlling stake in the Windsor Court Hotel, adding one of the city’s best-known luxury properties to a growing portfolio of downtown real estate.
Benson acquired the majority interest from Crow Holdings, the Dallas real-estate investor that had held control since 2009, closing the deal on Oct. 30. The price wasn’t disclosed. The Berger Company, led by New Orleans developers Darryl Berger and Ryan Berger, keeps a minority stake and will remain involved in running the hotel, according to HERE New Orleans and the buyers. The ownership group described the deal as the first time in the hotel’s 42 years that it has been held entirely under one ownership arrangement.
Renovation plan
Benson said she plans to invest millions of dollars in upgrades over the next two years to strengthen the hotel’s standing among the country’s top luxury properties, and has described her role as that of a steward for a civic landmark, much as she frames her ownership of the city’s two major-league teams. The scope of work on guest rooms and public spaces hasn’t been detailed.
Local businessman Jimmy Coleman opened the Windsor Court in 1984 ahead of the World’s Fair. It now competes most directly with the Four Seasons, which opened downtown in 2021.
A downtown portfolio
The purchase extends Benson’s holdings around the Caesars Superdome and Poydras Street, which include the adjacent Hyatt Regency, three office towers and three properties at Harmony Circle. Downtown New Orleans has about 26,000 hotel rooms, and occupancy averaged just under 59% over the 12 months through September, while luxury hotels ran closer to 61.5%. Benson has said she expects the upgrades to lift occupancy over the next few years. More New Orleans business coverage is on the HERE New Orleans business page.
