Christopher W. Payne

Christopher W. Payne leads Ballard Spahr’s Resort, Hospitality, and Timeshare Group. Chris advises developers, owners, hotel operators, and lenders on resort and mixed-use projects, bringing together work in real estate acquisitions, land-use development, construction, condominium law, vacation ownership, hotel development, and secured lending.

His current work includes hotel, vacation ownership, and residential resort developments across North America, including projects in Mexico and the Caribbean. These developments often feature ski, golf, spa, culinary, or beach amenities.

• Represents a privately held family office in the development of mixed-use projects, anchored by boutique hotels
• Represents a privately held company in Los Cabos in the development of an ultra-luxury hotel with branded residences
• Represents a publicly held timeshare company in timeshare/trust registration, regulatory compliance, association governance, and real estate development in California, Arizona, and Colorado

• Represents a privately held timeshare and hotel company in timeshare registration, regulatory compliance, secured lending, and real estate development matters in California and Colorado
• Represents the developer of Hokuala, Kauai Lagoons, a multiphase, mixed-use resort community in Kauai Hawaii, featuring a private residence club, residential condominiums, and a golf, beach, and amenities club
• Represents the developer of a branded private residence club located within Kiawah Island, South Carolina
• Represents the developer of Chileno Resort and Residences, a multiphase, mixed-use hotel, spa, beach club, and second-home community with the master-planned golf community of Chileno Bay, Los Cabos, Mexico

• University of Denver Sturm College of Law (J.D. 1993)
  Member, Board of Editors, Denver University Law Review; Member, Order of St. Ives
• University of California, Los Angeles (M.A. 1989, urban planning and architecture)
• University of California, Santa Cruz (B.A. 1986)

• Chambers USA, real estate: hotels and leisure (Colorado), 2014-2026 (highest tier 2016-2026)
• The Best Lawyers in America, Real Estate Law (Denver), 2026, 2027
• The Legal 500, Real Estate, 2020, 2021, 2023-2025; Real Estate Finance, 2021

• Colorado Bar Association
  Real Estate Section, Member of Executive Council, 2009-present; Council Chair, 2013-2014
• American Resort Development Association
  Co-Chair, Ethics Committee, 2020; Trustee, 2013-present; Federal Legislative Committee, 2013-present; Audit Committee, 2019; Chairman's League, 2005-2013
• Colorado Hotel & Lodging Association, Governmental Affairs Committee, 2010-2019
• Urban Land Institute, Resort Entertainment Tourism & Leisure Product Council, 2018-2019

• "Termination of Hotel Management Agreements after Eden Roc," Colorado Real Estate Journal, May 1, 2013
• "Condo-Hotels: Stuck between a Hard Rock and the SEC Rulings," Colorado Real Estate Journal, May 15, 2012
• "HMA Document: A Must-Read before Acquiring Hotel Property," Colorado Real Estate Journal, May 4, 2011
• "Recreational Club Conversions Can Present Challenges," Colorado Real Estate Journal, April 21, 2010
• "Resort Area Amenities Agreements, Clubs and Recreational Covenants," Colorado Real Estate Journal, April 15, 2009

• "Hot Legal Topics at Home and Abroad," Annual Convention, ARDA, May 2018
• "Condo Conversion Panel," Multi-Family Product Council Program, ULI Colorado, November 16, 2017
• "Global Trends in Shared Vacation Ownership," Annual Convention, ARDA, April 2014
• "Foreign Corrupt Practices Act," Annual Convention, ARDA, April 2013
• Moderator, "How To Re-Position and Re-Launch Struggling FI Projects," Ragatz Fractional Conference, March 2012
• "Ultimate Q&A: The Future of Fractional," Annual Conference, Fractional Summit USA, August 2011
• "Fractionals 101 – Part One," Annual Conference, Ragatz Associates, March 2011
• "Short-Term Fractional Price Drops… Long-Term Consequences? What Can Lowering the Price Mean to Marketing, Sales and Operations?"ARDA, April 2010
• "Critical Legal Issues in the Fractional Interest Industry," Annual Conference, Ragatz Associates, March 2009
• Co-panelist, "Impact of the Troubled Market on Resort Development," CLE International, Resort Development, August 2008
• Co-panelist, "Developing South of Our Borders," Annual Convention, American Resort Development Association, April 2008