Following the launch of Evermore Orlando Resort earlier this year, property owner and developer Dart Interests has added Orlando hospitality veteran Fred Sawyers to lead the resort as managing director. Sawyers will lead the day-to-day operations of the resort while the previous managing director through the opening phase, Wally Zak, has been promoted to vice president of asset management for Dart Interests.
Sawyers has overseen multifaceted resort complexes in Orlando. Over the last decade, Sawyers ran Disney-area resorts for two nationally renowned hotel brands. In his role at Evermore, Sawyers will oversee operations of the Orlando property.
“We’re moving into an important phase of operational stability and excellence, establishing the resort’s unique value to our target consumer while providing an exceptional Evermore experience,” Stewart Brown, EVP of Dart Interests, said in a statement. “Fred’s reputation as a valued leader and his vast experience make him ideal to carry our one-of-a-kind resort into its next phase of operation.”
Evermore Orlando Resort opened in January right next to Walt Disney World. The resort has accommodations ranging from two-bedroom villas and four-bedroom flats to 11-bedroom houses, all owned and managed as one resort and offering many of the services and conveniences of a hotel. The property also includes Hilton’s newest managed luxury hotel, the Conrad Orlando. The development includes Evermore Bay, a lagoon with 20 acres of beaches and swimming areas, making the property Orlando’s first beach resort.
“Leading Evermore is truly a one-of-a-kind opportunity,” Sawyers said. “As such an innovative concept, we have a blank canvas for what can come next. ... My predecessor, Wally Zak, brought on an incredible team, and now we’re ready to explore the full range of possibilities.”
Sawyers has served on the board of directors for both Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association as well as Visit Orlando.