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Regional Commission on Homelessness.
Westgate also donates 1,500 vacations each year to veterans and
active-duty members who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. In addition,
Westgate recruits transitioning military personnel and provides bene-
fits for veterans and reservists who work at Westgate. This initiative
has earned Westgate recognition as a “Most Valuable Employer for
Military Families” by CivilianJobs.com for three consecutive years.
Corporate Citizens
Employees are encouraged to participate as part of the Westgate
CareForce, which can be found in every community with a Westgate
resort. Each property sets its own priorities and interests. “The
employees are the engine that makes it happen,” Frazier says.
“Volunteer opportunities are often the first time employees’ friends and
families come in contact with Westgate Resorts, so it’s a good oppor-
tunity to make a great first impression.”
The programs also make a great first impression on potential
employees. “It’s absolutely a differentiator,” Frazier says. “All things
being equal, today’s employees are going to be attracted to an envi-
ronment where they can make a difference.”
Siegel’s 2014 purchase of the Orlando Predators, an arena football
team, is also having an impact on the Westgate community. The
Westgate Foundation has become involved, providing free tickets to
veterans. It’s not, however, a business plat-
form. “It’s a place where employees can
come together, have a great time, and be
proud that their boss owns a football team,”
says Siegel.
Also in Florida, Siegel and Jim Gissy,
executive vice president of sales and market-
ing, purchased the Cocoa Beach Pier in
2014. Westgate has spent more than US$1
million on restoration, renovating or recon-
structing the entrance, restaurants, and
restrooms. Planned upgrades include
Westgate Resorts’ award-winning Drafts
Sports Bar & Grill and a new fine-dining
seafood concept featuring floor-to-ceiling
views of the Atlantic Ocean and a dance floor
for after-hours entertainment.
Full Steam Ahead
Don’t believe, however, that these philan-
thropic efforts mean Siegel has taken foot off
the Westgate gas pedal. “We’re the most
successful we’ve ever been in our 35-year history,” he says. “We have
$200 million in construction going on right now, adding new amenities
at our resorts, such as waterparks and restaurants. Our closing per-
centages have never been higher, and neither has our employee
morale.”
The July 2014 purchase of the former International Hotel in Las
Vegas (where Elvis Presley performed 635 consecutive sold-out
shows) precipitated a flurry of construction at what is now the
Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. “We have a 28,000-square-foot
(2,601 square meters) Elvis museum that’s bigger than the one at
Graceland. We have the Elvis Presley’s Graceland Wedding Chapel.
We have added new restaurants and will remodel the entire place,”
Siegel says. “There won’t be an inch untouched.”
As is the case at most Westgate Resorts, Westgate Las Vegas will
have signature amenities, including a Serenity Spa & Health Club, and
a list of new cutting-edge restaurants—Sid’s Café (named for Siegel’s
late father), which provides home-style cooking with a flair; Silk Road
Noodle, a modern Asian fusion concept; Ricky Tikki Sushi Bar; and
Westgate’s award-winning Edge Steakhouse.
In addition, Westgate has already completed the renovations to the
casino and pool deck, complete with 19 brand-new cabanas. On the
immediate horizon is a renovation of meeting and convention spaces,
as well as the Superbook sports book facility, slated to open in
September. With a high-definition TV screen, spanning more than 140
feet (43 meters).
Slated to open in summer 2018 is a new resort in Anaheim,
California, at the Anaheim GardenWalk complex, which integrates
retail, dining, and entertainment options. Guests will be at the front
door of the area’s number-one attraction, Disneyland Park. “No one
has a location like ours,” Siegel says. “If you look out your window,
you’re surrounded by Disneyland.”
Wherever they buy, Westgate owners receive a traditional deeded
product. “They own a piece of real estate that’s recorded where the
product is located,” Siegel says. “They still
have as much flexibility as any points opera-
tion. With exchange and other Interval
International benefits, they can go anywhere a
tourist would want to go.”
Siegel attributes Westgate’s continued
success to the Westgate resort experience.
“People are realizing that if you want a quality
vacation, you have to go the timeshare route.
Staying at a hotel with a family of four is more
like prison than a vacation.”
And Siegel intends to continue providing
the quality vacation experience that has
served Westgate and its growing family of
owners well. “I’m working harder than ever to
keep up,” he says. To be sure, as he closes in
on 80, David Siegel has his foot firmly on the
accelerator.
See page 2 for currency conversions.
Developer:
Central Florida
Investments/Westgate Resorts
Headquarters:
Orlando, Florida
Product:
Seasonal floating weeks; owners
can lock in some weeks
Resorts:
28 vacation ownership properties
throughout the U.S., including resorts in
Arizona, California, Florida, Missouri,
Mississippi, Nevada, South Carolina,
Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia
Price:
US$25,000 to US$30,000 for average
two-bedroom, one-week unit
Website:
westgateresorts.com
Social Media:
twitter.com/westgateresorts
instagram.com/westgateresorts
facebook.com/officialwestgate
Westgate Resorts
fast
facts
From helping the homeless
to providing supplies to
schoolchildren, David
Siegel (opposite page) and
the Westgate charitable
foundations address
several philanthropic
efforts in Orlando and
other communities where
Westgate resorts are
located.
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