Baha Mar, the $3.5 billion integrated destination gaming resort, and SLS Hotels today announced the signing of a management agreement that will bring SLS Hotels' distinctive service, style and sophistication to Baha Mar's 300-room luxury lifestyle hotel, including its 107 residences. SLS at Baha Mar will be the brand's first international venture, and will complement SLS' soon-to-open hotels and resorts in Las Vegas, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle, Brickell, Miami and China, as well as its signature hotels in Beverly Hills, California and Miami Beach, Florida.

The award-winning SLS Hotels, a division of global hospitality company sbe, joins Baha Mar's portfolio of world-class hotels, including Rosewood, Grand Hyatt and the Baha Mar Casino & Hotel, which will cater to an array of upscale international guests. The 20-year management agreement will bring the expertise of Sam Nazarian, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of sbe, to the lifestyle property's hotel, restaurants and nightlife. Coming off of the success of its partnership with Related Florida in developing and selling the residences at SLS Brickell, SLS LUX Brickell and Hyde Hotels and Residences, sbe's ability to seamlessly blend hospitality and residential lends itself very well to the SLS Residences at Baha Mar. SLS Hotel at Baha Mar will make its debut at the scheduled December 2014 opening of Baha Mar.

"SLS will bring a spark of creativity and fun that fits in brilliantly with Baha Mar's distinctive array of brands and partners," said Sarkis D. Izmirlian, Baha Mar's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "Sam Nazarian's ability to be ahead of market trends has differentiated his eclectic hotels, nightlife, restaurants and cutting-edge design and will bring a truly unique experience to Baha Mar guests. Also, the company's experience in creating, selling and managing luxury real estate properties will bring additional value to the SLS Residences at Baha Mar."

Sam Nazarian said, "SLS at Baha Mar represents a collaboration of best-in-class hospitality partners led by Sarkis' unbelievable vision, and is a perfect fit with our core strategy of developing and managing luxury lifestyle hotels and residences aimed at higher-end leisure and business travelers. Baha Mar's stunning beach location and fully integrated master plan make it a breathtaking destination for sbe's global clientele, both for lifestyle entertainment and for an unrivaled residential experience."

Tom Dunlap, Baha Mar's President, noted that SLS' award-winning hotels, restaurant and entertainment brands, including Cleo, with Danny Elmaleh's perfect execution of Mediterranean cuisine, Japanese-fusion restaurant Katsuya by Starck and the Hyde Lounge nightclub, have built a singular, upscale profile for the company. "SLS guests are exactly the kind of guests that will be attracted to Baha Mar: affluent, sophisticated, fun," Dunlap said. "They live and play in the markets we most want to attract: Miami, Las Vegas, Latin America. We are thrilled to welcome SLS to Baha Mar."

Baha Mar, featuring an innovative integrated design by architect Mike Hong, will offer upscale hotels, a state-of-the-art casino, luxury shopping, fine dining, nightlife, outdoor adventures, art galleries, golf, tennis and wellness experiences to compete with the best the world has to offer. Its high-profile partners include a host of outstanding names such as golf legend Jack Nicklaus; ESPA Spa at Baha Mar; and Kravitz Design, the firm led by Grammy Award-winning performing artist, actor and designer Lenny Kravitz. Kravitz Design has also designed for SLS South Beach and SLS Las Vegas.