What’s the Deal? | The Four Seasons Private Residences Las Vegas & Craig Eddins

Can you tell me about your background in real estate?

I started in college in marketing and then hotel school. From there, I transitioned into developing hotels on the construction side. I did that for a while and then transitioned over to the real estate side of the business, working with a group here in Las Vegas for many years. We were developing master-planned communities anchored by golf courses, with production builders and custom home sites, and I did a myriad of other land acquisitions for both commercial and residential projects.

After the big crash of 2008, I started working on a more global scale and fell in love with branded residences and high-rise living combined with resort concepts. Eventually, my friend Jim Reilly, the brainchild of this Las Vegas project, reached out, and I came back home to work on something of this scale. It’s fantastic and a new avenue for Las Vegas. I couldn’t be more thrilled.

What makes the Four Seasons Private Residences in Las Vegas unique?

It’s a perfect mix of hospitality and home. In the Four Seasons world there are only five residential-only properties globally without a hotel component. Most Four Seasons developments have hotel rooms alongside residences, but this one is purely residential, with all the amenities and services you’d expect from Four Seasons. Set within the 1200-acre MacDonald Highlands community which will include 1200 homes, the development provides a sense of belonging. Complementing this residential setting, we will have 56 full-time Four Seasons-trained employees providing hospitality-level service.

Typically, Four Seasons developments are on mountainsides or beaches, like in Jackson Hole or Cabo San Lucas. Here, we’re in a gated community outside the Las Vegas Strip, offering incredible views. We're far enough removed on the side of this mountain in a private enclave, but with additional amenities and access to a golf course and a tennis pavilion. 

When you arrive at the Four Seasons Private Residences, you’ll be greeted as you would at a luxury resort, but you also have the option of pulling into your private garage, taking your elevator, and heading straight to your residence without any interaction.

Were there any challenges in securing financing or developing the land?

Securing the land was a partnership between Jim Reilly and Richard MacDonald, whose family has been developing here for over 40 years. Richard’s reputation and history helped us get the necessary approvals. We’ve already broken ground with the roadways and site work well underway and the major construction financing is being finalized so we can begin vertical construction soon.

Since we launched sales in May of 2023, we’ve already hit over $530 million in sales, which just goes to show how much demand there is for a high-quality, branded residences like this in Las Vegas.

What was the permitting process like for building on the side of a mountain?

There are some unique natures of building on the side of a mountain and that goes back into having the right architect. Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo (WATG) is phenomenal in this space. If you look around the globe at some of the most iconic resorts with a residential component, we have, a dream team on the development side. We have the greatest architect in the business for this type of product especially with their interior design division, Wimberley Interiors.

Who would you say has been a crucial partner in this development?

Jim and Kris Reilly, the brains behind this project, come from Azure Resorts & Hotels, which focuses on luxury residential and hospitality projects. Our second partner is Luxus Developments, based out of New York and Edmonton, Canada, specializing in boutique and bespoke projects. The third partner is Two Roads Development from Miami, known for high-rise developments. It’s a collaborative effort, with each group bringing its own internal teams and expertise.

What was the selection process regarding amenities?

I’ve been friends with the Wolfgang Puck team for a long time, and it made sense to partner with them to further enhance the project's appeal. We’re bringing the best of Wolfgang Puck’s offerings, including Spago, Chinois, and his new Italian concept, Caramá. It’s important to keep our 171 residents happy, so we’ll have a rotating menu to provide varied, world-class dining. We think it will be one of the most sought-after dining experiences in Las Vegas.

Beyond having this exceptional culinary partner, our residents will experience a truly service-driven lifestyle with the Four Seasons team. We’re offering one of the most expansive wellness facilities the brand has, along with multi-level resort-style pools, a la carte services, and access to scenic walking and biking trails throughout the community. It’s all designed so that our residents have everything they need right at their fingertips.

How do you keep buyers engaged after they’ve purchased and before construction is complete?

We stay in touch with regular emails, and our sales executives also keep in contact with buyers. We’ve held events to build a sense of community. Recently, we hosted a party at Wolfgang Puck’s Caramá, and many of our buyers traveled to attend. At the event, we provided project updates, shared new renderings, and formal announcements, ensuring everyone is up to speed on the latest developments. 

We recently opened our brand new Four Seasons Discovery Studio within the MacDonald Highlands community. We operate this space by appointment only, it allows buyers to come and receive firsthand updates and view new assets and materials we are constantly acquiring. Buyers can also start thinking about design options, like selecting between modern light or dark palettes. We’ve also created turnkey furniture packages for them to consider, even though they’re a couple of years away from moving in.

What’s been the most challenging and rewarding part of your role?

Time is the biggest challenge. I’m moving into the building myself, and I want it done tomorrow. Our buyers are patient, but they also want to move in as soon as possible. Getting the project built is a major undertaking, but it’s exciting.

What advice would you give to someone starting out in real estate?

Be consistent in what you offer and persistent in your efforts. Another important piece of advice is to find someone who can mentor you. I’ve been lucky to have several mentors throughout my career, and their guidance was invaluable. Find someone who can take you under their wing and then listen and learn from them.