James F. Risoleo

James Risoleo is betting big on Southern California and its ability to attract millions of people from around the world every year, if only for a visit. 

As the chief executive officer of the world’s largest lodging real estate investment trust — aptly named Host Hotels & Resorts — Risoleo oversees six major hotel properties in Southern California with more than 4,300 rooms in total. These include the 370-room Marina del Rey Marriott in L.A.’s Westside and the 1,628-room Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego — one of California’s largest hotels. 

With the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics on the horizon, industry players are racing to be Games-ready as the region is projected to draw 15 million visitors for the global spectacle. Under Risoleo’s leadership, Host has poured capital from its “Transformational Capital Program” into keeping its assets top-tier. 

The 1,628-room Manchester Grand Hyatt is undergoing a top-to-bottom, multiyear transformation on schedule to be complete in 2027. And the firm recently finished a $20 million makeover of the 393-room Westin South Coast Plaza in Orange County to refresh its rooms ahead of an anticipated tourism surge.

Host has now invested $1.7 billion across 24 renovations since 2018, and Risoleo said well-timed redevelopment and capital discipline have separated the company from its competition.

“Of the 24 transformational renovations we’ve completed or underway, 20 are stabilized and delivering nearly 900 basis points of yield index improvement,” Risoleo said during the REIT’s second-quarter earnings call. “That’s why we continue to outperform.”

The company reported comparable hotel revenue per room grew 3 percent since last year, and that golf and spa revenues continue to grow. “This is further indication that the high-end consumer is prioritizing spending on premium experiences,” he said.