David J. Sangree, MAI, CPA, ISHC, is President and Founder of Hotel & Leisure Advisors, an international hospitality consulting firm. He is a graduate of Cornell University School of Hotel Administration and an MAI designated appraiser with the Appraisal Institute. In addition, he is a member of the International Society of Hospitality Consultants and is a Certified Public Accountant. Sangree’s expertise is in the feasibility analysis, appraisal, and valuation of hotels, resorts, indoor waterpark resorts, waterparks, amusement parks, and family entertainment centers. He has completed studies on more than 4,000 properties in all 50 states and internationally. He has prepared hotel studies for all chain scales, including economy, limited service, full-service, extended-stay, upper upscale, luxury, and resorts, and indoor waterpark resorts. Sangree is a nationally recognized expert in the waterpark industry, having completed over 1,000 studies of various waterpark resorts since 1999. Recognizing Sangree as an industry leader, Aquatics International twice named him, most recently in 2019, in their “Power Issue” of the most powerful people in the aquatics industry. The World Waterpark Association honored him with induction into their Hall of Fame in 2022 and with their Executive Board Award in 2016. Both of these awards signify his commitment to the waterpark industry and identify him as helping to shape some of the latest trends. Sangree has appeared on Good Morning America, CNBC, and Fox8 News in segments concerning hotels, resorts and waterparks. In addition, he is a regular contributor to many industry publications, offering his expertise on various hospitality industry segments.
