The next generation of leisure wellness experience is being defined with the launch of CIVANA—a hospitality and real estate company comprised of spa and wellness industry leaders who originated the Sustainable Wellness position by connecting individual wellbeing to planetary health.
CIVANA has built a platform to tether wellness programming, sustainable design, and hotel asset/property management in a proven model promoting “Sustainable Wellness” for healthier living and travel. By satisfying today’s consumer appetite for a deeper guest experience, social connection, and health and wellness environment through its affordable leisure travel and lifestyle platform, CIVANA creates a niche that sets itself apart in a competitive market.
“The established wellness immersion resorts target the top 10 percent of the affluent travelers, leaving 90 percent of this market underserved. CIVANA will bring a more attainable wellness experience to a larger target market, designed for today’s sophisticated traveler of all ages,” says Kevin Kelly, CIVANA Chairman/CEO.
By satisfying today’s consumer appetite for a deeper guest experience, social connection, and health and wellness environment through its affordable leisure travel and lifestyle platform, CIVANA creates a niche that sets itself apart in a competitive market.
Anchoring the CIVANA platform will be a collection of sustainable wellness resorts and communities; the first is the 189-room Carefree Resort located in the Greater Scottsdale, Arizona area. The $40 million project with funding from Great Western Bank will transform the 1964 mid-century modern hotel, began August 2017, that will result in updated rooms and public spaces, world-class spa, movement studios, state-of-the- art fitness center, and healthy cuisine with emphasis on sustainable design. The Carefree renovation is scheduled to be completed in September 2018.
CIVANA has assembled a “best in class” executive team led by former Canyon Ranch President and Chief Branding Officer, Kevin M. Kelly. As CEO and co-owner of the storied Two Bunch Palms Spa Resort, Kelly converted the property into the first carbon neutral resort in North America and coined the term “Sustainable Wellness” to connect individual wellbeing to planetary health. Kelly co-founded The Community of Civano in 1995, the first large scale, master-planned sustainable development in the US that received accolades from the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency, Governor of Arizona, and White House.
CIVANA’s seasoned executive team includes the former VP of Finance & Development for Miraval & Canyon Ranch, Larry Lamy, and Spa, Wellness & Brand executive Rianna Riego who assisted Kelly in the rebranding of Two Bunch Palms. Riego also opened and operated several independent spas for Marriott International and KSL Resorts. Advisor and CIVANA board member is former COO of Canyon Ranch, Peter Smith. Smith also held senior officer positions in the international hotel and cruise line industries. The asset will be co-managed by Holualoa Companies, a real estate investment firm with over $2B of transactions founded by Michael Kasser. As an ironman tri-athlete and board member, Kasser has had a lifelong commitment to wellness and fitness.
The additional founding partners and board members include Atlanta based manufacturing entrepreneurs and real estate developers Marc Skalla, Beau King, and Adam Ross. Mr. Skalla is the Managing Partner of Blackshear Capital Management Inc. Blackshear currently has holdings in Wellness, Hospitality, Manufacturing and Real Estate. Mr. King is President of Kim King Associates, LLC, a respected Georgia-based family development company founded in 1972. Mr. Ross has developed both technology platforms and real estate and is co-founder of HEX, a digital consultancy.