Budget

• What is the current project budget or the capital range allocated for development (select the bracket that best matches)? Options: Under $25,000,000 (below typical engagement), $25,000,000–$49,999,999 (near lower bound), $50,000,000–$99,999,999, $100,000,000–$499,999,999, $500,000,000+ (above typical engagement)

Decision-makers

• Who are the key decision-makers or approval bodies for committing to development services? (select all that apply) Options: Development principal / owner, Investment committee, CFO or finance lead, Brand or operator approvals, Lender or financing agent, Local sponsor or JV partner, Other
• Is the primary approver available for a short discovery conversation in the next two weeks? Options: Yes — available, Yes — available but prefers delegate, No — not available within two weeks

Timeline

• What is your target timeline for a go/no-go decision or financing close? Options: Within 1 month, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, 12+ months
• What is the primary driver of that timing (e.g., option expiry, financing window, brand commitment)?

Regulatory & financing constraints

• Are there material entitlement, environmental, or financing conditions that must be resolved before detailed site work can begin? Options: No significant constraints expected, Yes — entitlement or environmental approvals pending, Yes — lender or investor financing contingency, Yes — sovereign or committee approval required, Other
• If yes, please briefly describe the constraint and the expected resolution or decision date.

Where this all begins

• How did this opportunity come onto your radar?
• Who on your team will lead development decisions and who must sign approvals? Options: Development principal, Head of investments, CFO/Finance committee, Head of real estate, External investment committee
• When do you expect to have site control, an option, or ownership in place? Options: Already in hand, Within 1 month, 1 to 3 months, 3 to 6 months, More than 6 months
• Estimate the target project scale and total committed capital range in USD. Options: $50M to $100M, $100M to $200M, $200M to $350M, $350M to $500M, Over $500M
• Describe the primary investment objective for this site, for example capital appreciation, steady income, or strategic brand expansion.

Where the current plan breaks or could surprise you

• What single site, market, or approval risk would make you walk away from the project today?
• How have past projects in your portfolio missed their RevPAR or occupancy targets, and what caused those misses?
• Which entitlement, environmental, or community concern do you view as the most volatile on this site? Options: Environmental permitting, Community opposition, Zoning variances, Heritage/cultural restrictions, Utility or easement disputes
• Tell me about the last time a construction escalation shifted your returns, and how long it took to course-correct.
• If that risk were realized, who inside your organization would escalate and what immediate decision would they likely take?

The other options you are weighing

• Tell me which alternatives you are considering and the gaps they leave compared to your goals.
• What would have to be true about your current internal approach for you to keep managing this without an outside partner? Options: Dedicated internal development team, In-house entitlement expertise, Pre-identified contractor with resort experience, Sufficient contingency reserves, Other
• List the incumbent advisers, developers, or operators already involved on the file. Options: Internal development lead, Existing external developer, Brand/operator under consideration, Local planning consultant, No incumbents yet
• Would anyone internally prefer solving this without external help, and if so, what is their strongest argument? Options: Cost avoidance, Speed, Control of design, Preserve developer margin, Not applicable
• In what way would staying with the current path affect your timeline or ability to meet financing windows?

Who's essential and who can stop it

• Name the individuals or committees that must approve feasibility, entitlement, and construction phases, and indicate which one holds final veto power.
• Estimate the number of external agencies or landowners with approval authority that could delay the project. Options: None, 1 to 2, 3 to 4, 5 or more, Unsure
• Identify the person who will own day-to-day decisions once work starts and the executive sponsor who will fund escalations. Options: Development manager, COO of operating company, Head of investments, External project director, Other
• If an approver refuses to sign a phase, what is your fallback escalation path and expected timeline to resolution?
• Which approval milestone do you expect to be the most likely gating issue for lender draws? Options: Building permit, Environmental clearance, Finance close, Construction contract executed, Authority to commence works

Operational realities that either enable or kill a schedule

• Identify the single permit, approval, or financing milestone, if missing, that would prevent construction from starting.
• Do you already have named contractors, a committed lender, and a defined construction contingency? Options: All three committed, Contractor only, Lender only, Contingency defined only, None committed
• Explain who controls access to the site and whether there are physical constraints that will affect early mobilization.
• Assess the quality and availability of the data you rely on for feasibility modeling, including historical occupancy and comp sets. Options: High quality and accessible, Moderate, needs cleanup, Sparse and incomplete, No reliable data available, Unsure
• When an external data feed or integration is required, who owns those contracts and can they grant access within 2 weeks? Options: No owner identified, Internal IT/data owner, Third-party vendor, Can grant access within 2 weeks, Cannot grant access quickly

Budget, commercial terms, and the things that change decisions

• Identify the commercial term or fee structure that would make you walk away or require a fundamentally different delivery model.
• Provide your tolerance for construction cost escalation as a percentage of the current estimate. Options: 0 to 5%, 5 to 10%, 10 to 20%, More than 20%, Not yet defined
• List the payment milestones, holdbacks, or governance items you would insist on before releasing the first fee tranche. Options: Feasibility report approved, Entitlement milestone, Design milestones, Finance close, Other
• Reflecting on past partners, what fee or incentive structures actually aligned project delivery with your return targets?
• Assuming commercial terms met your needs, how quickly could you commit to start work? Options: Immediately, Within 2 weeks, Within 1 month, 2 to 3 months, Longer

What success looks like and the metrics that matter

• Define the RevPAR or occupancy shortfall that would trigger a change in operator or a major remediation within the first two years.
• Rate your confidence in the market assumptions used in the feasibility study. Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Neutral, Skeptical, Not confident
• Select the operational metric that matters most to your investment committee, or choose other and specify. Options: RevPAR, GOPPAR, Occupancy, Average daily rate, Other
• Describe the reporting cadence and decision gates you would expect during construction and pre-opening. Options: Weekly updates, Biweekly meetings, Monthly board briefs, Milestone-triggered reports, Other cadence
• Should early indicators lag target, what contractual lever or governance decision would you expect to change scope or stop the program?

Agreeing next steps that accelerate or stop the timeline

• Assuming feasibility numbers are validated in 30 days, what would still prevent you from signing the engagement that week?
• Provide the roles or titles that must attend the contract review and confirm if they can meet within your preferred decision window. Options: Development lead, CFO/Finance committee, Legal counsel, Investment committee chair, External counsel
• Give the shortest realistic procurement timeline between final commercial terms and a signed agreement from your side. Options: Same week, 1 to 2 weeks, 2 to 4 weeks, 1 to 2 months, Longer
• Specify the single deliverable or milestone you would require before releasing the first payment. Options: Feasibility report acceptance, Entitlement secured, Design package approved, Construction contract executed, Other
• Do you have legal, procurement, or governance policies that typically extend negotiation beyond standard timelines? Options: Yes, long review cycles, Yes, but manageable, No special policies, Unsure
• Finally, what would make you sign this week rather than ask for more time?

• Site Visit Planning and Hypothesis Confirmation
• On-Site Field Investigation and Constraints Capture
• Stakeholder Interview Workshop, Regulatory and Community Risks
• Operational Constraints Workshop, Brand and Logistics
• Consolidation and Decision Session, Site & Stakeholder Findings

• Publish the operational constraints matrix and required design change list for the design team.
• Commission the immediate studies required to remove information gaps for high-priority permits.
• Validate operational model assumptions against site conditions
• Operational constraints matrix that lists constraints, impact on operations and design, and severity ratings.
• Decision on which brand standards require formal variance and which operational requirements must be preserved.
• List of design or program changes to incorporate into the next design iteration with estimated cost impact triggers.
• Confirm scope and success criteria for the site visit
• Quantify preliminary cost-impact triggers for the highest-severity operational constraints.
• Prepare documentation requesting brand variance where operational constraints prevent standard compliance.
• Recap key findings from fieldwork and workshops
• Delivery of a consolidated site and stakeholder findings report and a prioritized risk register with mitigation timelines.
• A documented decision to proceed, proceed with conditions, or pause, with required conditions clearly listed.
• Agreed list of follow-on deliverables and the minimum information required to start the next stage.
• Publish the consolidated findings report, risk register, and mitigation plan within 72 hours.
• Update the project timeline to include mitigation milestones and pre-phase deliverables required to proceed.
• Prepare the scope outline and budget triggers for the Engagement Scope stage based on the agreed conditions.
• Finalized site visit itinerary and stakeholder interview schedule that enables validation of top hypotheses.
• Prioritized hypothesis list with the data required to validate each item and acceptance criteria for validation.
• Clear data collection protocol including photo/geotag standards and list of immediate surveys or tests to request on return.
• Distribute the prioritized hypothesis list and the finalized site visit itinerary to attendees.
• Prepare the site visit kit including photo templates, geotagging method, and interview question sets.
• Schedule confirmed interview times with regulatory and community contacts for the on-site period.
• List immediate surveys or tests to commission following the field visit if triggered by findings.
• Zone-by-zone site walkthrough and evidence capture
• Complete site constraints register with geotagged photos and a short description for each constraint.
• Identified and classified entitlement risk flags that require follow-up studies or stakeholder outreach.
• List of immediate constructability or logistics issues requiring mitigation before design finalization.
• Compile and deliver the geotagged photo package and initial site constraints register within 48 hours.
• Flag any urgent technical risks and initiate commissioning of full surveys or tests as required.
• Prepare a short list of site areas needing immediate protection or access control during subsequent work.
• Review regulatory map and required permits
• A documented permit pathway with timelines and the missing studies required to file permit applications.
• Prioritized list of community and stakeholder risks and agreed initial engagement or mitigation steps.
• Decision on whether any observed entitlement issues require a redesign or a formal variance process.
• Produce a permit pathway summary including timelines and the list of required studies.
• Schedule follow-up outreach with identified regulatory contacts and community representatives.
• Targeted technical inspections
• Review brand standard implications and exceptions
• Review and prioritize hypotheses to validate
• Review prioritized risk register and mitigation plan
• Capture community and stakeholder sentiment and risk
• Assess back-of-house, deliveries, and utility constraints
• Document entitlement and land-use observations
• Workshop mitigation and engagement options
• Define stakeholder interviews and on-site sessions
• Agree required pre-phase deliverables and timeline
• Confirm required studies and deliverables for permitting
• Set data collection protocol and logistics
• Decide critical design responses
• Decision and next steps
• Immediate logistics, safety, and constructability notes

• Prepare Resort Concept Program and Unit Mix
• Develop Schematic Architectural Package
• Prepare Entitlement Submission Package
• Manage Permitting and Agency Approvals
• Coordinate Geotechnical and Environmental Investigations
• Develop Construction Documents and Specifications
• Administer Cost Estimating and Budget Control
• Manage Contractor Procurement and Contracting
• Provide Construction Management and Site Supervision
• Create Development Pro Forma and Financing Plan
• Implement Brand Standards and FF&E Procurement
• Commission Building Systems and Punchlist Closeout
• Deliver Pre‑Opening Training and SOPs
• Run Pre‑Opening Staffing and Operational Readiness

Prepare Resort Concept Program and Unit Mix

• Describe the target guest segments and the average daily rate (ADR) bands you expect to design the resort around
• Provide the preliminary unit typologies and counts (e.g., studios, one-bedroom suites, villa units) and the total target keys Options: Less than 50 keys, 50-150 keys, 151-300 keys, More than 300 keys
• How many revenue-bearing accommodation categories require a separate prototypical room layout (e.g., standard, suite, villa)? Options: 1, 2, 3, 4+
• List the public amenity types to include in the program (e.g., resort pool, spa footprint in sq ft, signature F&B outlet count, golf)
• Who must formally approve the final unit mix and program (development principal, brand approver, lender) and what deliverable will they sign? Options: Development principal, Brand approver, Lender representative, Joint approval
• Confirm which of the following are explicitly out of scope for the concept program (select all that apply) Options: Interior finishes procurement, Detailed FF&E specifications, Construction implementation, Operations staffing beyond concept

Develop Schematic Architectural Package

• What acceptance criteria will confirm the schematic package is approved for design development (for example signed schematic design set, area schedule within +/-5% of target gross floor area)?
• Provide the list of drawings and diagram types required in the schematic set (site plan, massing, concept typical room plans, building sections, landscape sketch)
• Identify site planning constraints that must be reflected in schematics (coastal setback line, maximum building height, protected tree canopy areas)
• Specify the target gross floor area (GFA) and net assignable area (NAA) assumptions to use for area schedules
• Indicate the named approvers who will sign off the schematic deliverable and their required response time for comments Options: Owner decision maker, Brand technical representative, Lender reviewer, Combined review
• Provide known site-level conditions that affect schematic design (slope percentage ranges, existing access roads, critical easements)

Prepare Entitlement Submission Package

• What acceptance evidence will validate the entitlement package is complete for submission to authorities (for example agency completeness letter, assigned application number, required environmental checklist)?
• List the specific permits and approvals required for your site (for example zoning variance, conditional use permit, coastal development permit, water quality permits)
• What studies must accompany the entitlement submission (environmental impact report or EIR, traffic impact study with peak-hour vehicle pivot, noise study, archaeological survey)?
• When are the planning commission or local board hearing cycles that will constrain submission timing?
• Who will be responsible for preparing community outreach materials and managing public meetings (presentation boards, comment logs, FAQ)? Options: You provide community liaison, We manage outreach, Collaborative approach
• Identify any known entitlement risks to be mitigated in scope (endangered species, archaeological sensitivity, coastal access conflicts)

Manage Permitting and Agency Approvals

• Provide the list of permitting authorities and regulatory regimes the project must engage (county planning, coastal commission, state water board, fire marshal)
• Indicate required utility agreements and whether service capacity studies are on file (water service agreement, sewer capacity letter, electrical service capacity study) Options: Water, Sewer, Electric, Telecom
• Specify the target permit milestones and typical lead times you expect (submittal to entitlement approval, permit issuance to NTP)
• Identify who will pay permit fees and deposits and whether bond or mitigation security will be required Options: You pay fees, We pay on your behalf and invoice, Split responsibility
• Are there required mitigation or monitoring programs to be implemented during construction (stormwater pollution prevention plan, habitat monitoring)? Options: Yes, No
• Confirm any statutory timelines or appeal windows that create critical decision gates (environmental review clock, appeal period length)

Coordinate Geotechnical and Environmental Investigations

• Describe the geotechnical scope required (number and depth of boreholes, CPT or SPT testing, slope stability analysis, liquefaction assessment)
• Provide existing geotechnical or environmental reports on file and their dates
• How many boring locations or test pits are you estimating and where should they be concentrated (pad locations, access roads, critical slopes)? Options: 1-5, 6-12, 13-25, More than 25
• What environmental surveys are required (Phase I/II environmental site assessment, wetlands delineation, biological baseline surveys)?
• Who will provide site access, traffic control, and utility locates for field work and on what schedule?
• Identify any remediation or site stabilization work that should be budgeted based on known conditions (soil contamination, slope repair)

Develop Construction Documents and Specifications

• What acceptance criteria will confirm the construction documents are approved for permitting and bidding (complete CD set with structural and MEP engineer stamps, specifications, and a final cost estimate within the agreed tolerance)?
• Specify which disciplines must be fully coordinated in the CD set (architectural, structural, MEP, civil, landscape, lighting, kitchen equipment)
• Indicate whether you prefer performance-based specifications, prescriptive specifications, or a hybrid for major systems Options: Performance-based, Prescriptive, Hybrid
• What code editions and local design standards must the CDs reference (local building code year, accessibility standards, fire code)?
• For bidding, do you require a bill of quantities or trade package breakdown to be produced with the CDs? Options: Bill of quantities (BOQ), Trade package breakdown only, Neither
• Specify who will provide final engineer stamps and architect seals for permit submission and whether digital files are acceptable Options: We provide stamped files, You provide local stamp, Collaborative

Administer Cost Estimating and Budget Control

• Provide the target hard cost budget, owner contingency percentage, and soft cost allowance used for initial feasibility
• Estimate the frequency of cost reporting you require (monthly earned value, bi-weekly trade package updates, milestone-based updates) Options: Weekly, Bi-weekly, Monthly, Milestone-based
• Which estimating deliverables do you require at each design stage (order of magnitude, schematic budget, detailed pre-bid estimate, GMP reconciliation)?
• Identify the acceptable contingency draw rules and change-order thresholds that will trigger executive review Options: Contingency draw >5%, Change orders >$100k, Other
• Specify if an independent cost estimator is required for verification and at which milestones Options: Schematic, Design Development, Construction Documents, Pre-bid
• Confirm which escalation indices or regional labor premiums should be included in the cost model

Manage Contractor Procurement and Contracting

• Which procurement route is preferred for the project (general contractor lump-sum, construction manager at risk with GMP, design-build)? Options: GC lump-sum, CM at risk (GMP), Design-build, Multiple prime packages
• List prequalification criteria for bidders (minimum annual volume, relevant resort experience, required bond capacity, safety record)
• Specify required contract forms or key commercial terms (owner retention, liquidated damages per day, insurance limits, warranty duration)
• Indicate whether you require pre-bid site tours, and if so how many and who will attend Options: No site tours, 1 scheduled tour, Multiple tours by request
• Identify long-lead items to be procured prior to contract award (kitchen equipment, specialty glazing, FF&E items) and target lead times in weeks
• Who will administer bid evaluation scoring and what weighted criteria should be used (price, schedule, prior resort experience, proposed team)?

Provide Construction Management and Site Supervision

• Describe the desired level of on-site representation (owner's rep full-time, weekly site visits, daily supervision) and estimated hours per week Options: Full-time on-site, Part-time weekly, Daily oversight by duty manager
• Who will be responsible for daily construction logs, Request for Information (RFI) tracking, and submittal review routing? Options: We handle logs and RFIs, You handle, Shared responsibilities
• Specify QA/QC and third-party testing requirements (material testing lab, structural observation, weld inspection) and frequency
• Indicate the threshold for issuing stop-work or safety directives and the required safety documentation (program, toolbox talks, incident reporting)
• List the reporting cadences and deliverables you require during construction (weekly schedule updates, monthly earned value reports, photo logs) Options: Daily photos, Weekly reports, Monthly earned value
• Identify the required change-order approval workflow and monetary thresholds that escalate to executive approval

Create Development Pro Forma and Financing Plan

• Provide the model inputs for the development pro forma (land cost, hard cost, soft cost, financing rate, expected stabilized RevPAR and occupancy)
• Specify required financing deliverables (sources and uses schedule, draw schedule tied to construction milestones, lender covenant tests)
• Indicate target return metrics for investors and lenders (target IRR, equity multiple, loan to cost, debt service coverage ratio)
• For each financing source, list required documentation and milestone conditions (term sheet, commitment letter, interest reserve triggers)
• Identify tax, incentive, or subsidy assumptions to include in the pro forma (tourism tax credits, PILOT agreements)
• Confirm whether scenario stress tests are required and which downside assumptions to model (RevPAR -10%, construction escalation +15%, 6-month entitlement delay)

• Master Services Agreement (MSA)
• Statement of Work (SOW)
• Fee Schedule & Milestone Payment Schedule
• Governance & Decision Gate Matrix
• Retention / Pre-Construction Authorization
• Acceptance Criteria & Billing Trigger Protocol
• Change Order Agreement
• Insurance & Indemnity Addendum
• Subcontractor Procurement & Flowdown Terms
• Termination, Suspension & Wind-Down Agreement

• Post-Acceptance Go-Live Health Check
• First Operational Measurement (Weeks 4-10)
• 90-Day Realization Review
• Quarterly Business Review — Performance and Issue Burn-Down
• Annual Lessons Learned and Enhancement Planning

• Publish the prioritized enhancement roadmap with quarter-by-quarter delivery windows.
• Deliver an updated revenue and margin forecast reflecting realized performance to date.
• Schedule technical or operational detailed review sessions for any item requiring specialist support.
• Quarterly performance trends
• Maintain alignment on how quarterly performance maps to the projections recorded in Executive Outcome Alignment.
• Agree a prioritized enhancement roadmap with delivery windows for the coming quarter.
• Close or re-scope persistent issues with agreed permanent remediation actions.
• Re-confirm success criteria and owners
• Record permanent remediation tasks for persistent issues and set target close dates.
• Update the operational calendar and reflect impacts in the next forecast iteration.
• Annual performance vs model
• Document the top 6 lessons learned that materially affected realization and distribute them to stakeholders.
• Agree the prioritized enhancement list for the next 12 months with estimated impacts on RevPAR or occupancy.
• Establish the governance rules and SLAs for the shared issue and enhancement channel.
• Publish the annual lessons learned report and circulate to executive and operational teams.
• Finalize the prioritized enhancement roadmap with estimated costs and target impact timelines.
• Implement the agreed governance framework for the shared channel, including SLA expectations and reporting cadence.
• Confirm the operational handover items are complete or have agreed remediation dates.
• Identify and prioritize any critical blockers that need resolution within the first 30 days.
• Agree a short-term monitoring cadence for early operational signals.
• Publish the go-live issues log with remediation dates and current status.
• Deliver a training completion schedule for remaining staff roles within 7 days.
• Enable monitoring dashboards and distribute access to named team leads.
• Present 30- to 60-day performance versus projections
• Determine whether RevPAR and occupancy are trending toward the targets recorded in Executive Outcome Alignment.
• Agree a corrective action plan with timelines that addresses the primary drivers of any shortfall.
• Ensure all remediation items are entered into the shared issue channel with expected closure dates.
• Publish a remediation plan for the top three variance drivers with target completion dates.
• Add all agreed operational fixes and enhancement requests to the shared channel and tag priority and target dates.
• Deliver a revised short-term forecast reflecting agreed corrective actions.
• Cumulative 90-day performance summary
• Confirm which operational metrics from Executive Outcome Alignment have been realized and which remain off-target.
• Document a clear path to close outstanding blockers with dates and expected outcomes.
• Decide whether additional short-term support is required to protect projected returns.
• Publish a prioritized list of unresolved blockers with recommended interventions and timelines.
• Validate operational handover items
• Enhancement backlog grooming
• Lessons learned capture
• Quantify financial impact of variances
• Root-cause diagnosis for variance
• Agree corrective actions and timelines
• Review remediation progress and outstanding blockers
• Prioritize next-year enhancements and investments
• Staffing and training status
• Persistent issues and root-cause mitigation
• Early operational signals and monitoring
• Operational calendar and capital impacts
• Formalize shared issue and enhancement governance
• Update shared issues and enhancement channel
• Agree escalation or extended support plan
• Open issues and immediate remediation plan