Home | About Westgate Resorts | Company History
Through David A. Siegel's vision, persistence and resourcefulness, Central Florida Investments, Inc. (CFI) has become the largest privately held corporation in the Central Florida area.
Founded in 1970 as a real estate development firm, CFI now operates dozens of other businesses in addition to Westgate Resorts including: hotels, insurance, magazines, real estate, travel services, oil, cattle, and internet companies.
From a tiny orange grove and the dream of a man working out of his garage, Westgate Resorts and its parent company, Central Florida Investments (CFI), have grown into the largest privately-held timeshare company in the world employing over 6,500 around the United States.
Westgate's newest and most ambitious product is a testament to the vision of the company's founder. Soaring fifty stories above the strip in Las Vegas, Nevada, the PH Towers Westgate is the only timeshare property directly connected to a major hotel/casino on the Las Vegas strip. When completed, the project will boast over 2,850 timeshare units and thirty-two luxury penthouse condominiums and will cost an estimated $1 billion.
1970
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David A. Siegel starts a real estate development firm with an office located in his family garage.
1976
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CFI opens the Mystery Fun House.
1982
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The Westgate family of resorts is born when Westgate Vacation Villas starts sales one mile from
Walt Disney World® Resort with 16 villas.
1986
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Florida Magazine publishes an article saying Westgate Resorts will one day be the world's largest timeshare resort."
1991
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Vacation Industry magazine calls Westgate Resorts an "Orlando success story."
1995
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Westgate Miami Beach opens. Features five hundred feet of sandy beach and the only fishing pier
on Miami Beach.
1996
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Westgate Lakes Resort & Spa opens in Orlando and quickly becomes the second largest timeshare
resort in the world.
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David Siegel is recognized as Entrepreneur of the Year for the State of Florida.
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Westgate Daytona Beach opens within walking distance of the world famous Daytona Beach pier.
1997
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Central Florida Investments (CFI) publishes its first issue of I Love Orlando magazine.
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Westgate Towers opens, just minutes from Walt Disney World® Resort.
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Westgate Resorts/CFI is one of the largest privately held corporations in Central Florida with more than $300 million in sales. U.S. timeshare sales reach $2.72 billion. There are 5,000 resorts worldwide and global sales are estimated at close to $7 billion.
1998
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Westgate Resorts opens a 210,000 square-foot call center in Ocoee, Florida. The call center is one of the most technologically advanced centers of its kind.
1999
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Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, opens and is located at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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A 3,000-unit tower expansion project of Westgate Vacation Villas begins.
2000
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Construction begins on Westgate Park City Resort & Spa in Park City, Utah, the company's newest
resort with plans to open for the 2002 Winter Olympics.
2001
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Westgate Flamingo Bay at Las Vegas opens. Westgate now includes eight resorts, with ownership
at 180,000 and growing.
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The Westgate Resorts Foundation is formed to serve the needs of the community in which Westgate does business, and support company employees in need. CFI publishes its first issue of I Love the Smokies magazine.
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Westgate Resorts purchases the 1,600-acre River Ranch near Lake Wales, Florida.
2002
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Westgate River Ranch opens in Lake Wales, Florida.
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Westgate Blue Tree Resort at Lake Buena Vista opens in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
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Westgate Resort purchases Coral Sands in Miami and rebrands it Westgate South Beach.
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Westgate Resorts purchases Grenelefe Golf & Tennis Resort in Central Florida.
2003
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Westgate Palace opens in Orlando, Florida.
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Westgate Resorts purchases the Ramada Plaza Hotel & Inn Gateway in Kissimmee, Florida.
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Westgate Historic Williamsburg opens in Williamsburg, Virginia.
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Leisure Resorts Orlando is purchased.
2004
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Westgate Resorts purchases Grand Vista Resorts which has properties in Branson, Missouri; Springfield, Missouri; Tunica, Mississippi; and Mesa, Arizona.
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Houston Sales Center, the opening of our first offsite sales center includes a full-size model
with a living room and kitchen styled after Westgate Vacation Villas newest tower expansion project,
a master bedroom built to create the experience of Westgate Park City, and a second bedroom that reminiscent
of Westgate Las Vegas.
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Westgate Resorts purchases the Holiday Inn Hotel in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.
2005
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Westgate Resorts announces a partnership with Planet Hollywood to build a new resort and casino
in Las Vegas, PH Towers Westgate. The new development is the first and only
vacation ownership building directly connected to a major hotel/casino on the Las Vegas Strip.
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CFI publishes its first issues of I Love Vacations and I Love Las Vegas magazines.
2007
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Westgate Resorts begins development and construction of two new vacation ownership projects
Westgate Garden Walk at Anaheim, in Anaheim, California and Westgate Myrtle Beach Oceanfront Resort in South Carolina.
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The grand opening of the Wild Bear Falls indoor water park at Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort & Spa in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, takes place, marking a new milestone for Westgate Resorts in family
entertainment. Wild Bear Falls, a 60,000 sq. ft. indoor water park is the largest indoor water park
in the south.
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Corporate History
