Hyatt Pressured Over Delayed Openings as It Speeds Up Mid-Tier Buildout

Hyatt is doubling down on its expansion into mid-market hotels, even as the company said Thursday that its fee growth remains primarily a luxury and lifestyle story. One new initiative: backing a roughly $500 million credit facility to help developers get projects financed for its recently debuted Hyatt Studios brand. Hyatt's stock fell more than 5% in early trading Thursday after the company said some hotels it expected to open in the fourth quarter would more likely open in 2027. "We're taking a measured view on the timing of openings later this year," said CEO Mark Hoplamazian. The hotel group trimmed its net rooms growth forecast for the year to "approximately 6%." In April, it had projected 6% to 7% growth for the full year. To boost the speed of growth of its mid-market brands, Hyatt teamed up last month with a lender, Hall Structured Finance, on a dedicated construction loan program for Hyatt Studios newbuilds. Hoplamazian size