The CRE Connection · Samy Soussan

Connector in Chief and Founder of The CRE Connection Podcast | Madison Title, Business Development

Uri Man is the Founder and CEO of The Lagoon Development Company which develops large crystal clear lagoons with beach life and watersports for master-planned communities and as stand-alone attractions. The company’s mission is to make luxury beach life accessible to the general public. Mr. Man previously led the technology company Crystal Lagoons US Corp’s entrance into the US market. ​ When first introduced to the US market, the crystal clear lagoon concept was pitched to land developers as a way to improve the quality of life for home owners who would value walking to turquoise blue water and white sandy beaches moments from their new homes. With tremendous demand from the general public, the idea of opening the lagoon as a ticketed attraction was born. The Lagoon Development Company is making this dream a reality with the Lago Mar crystal clear lagoon, the first lagoon in the United States which has beaches for residents as well as an attraction open to the public for paid access. ​ The Lago Mar lagoon has residential beaches reserved for home owners of the top selling community. On the opposite end of this lagoon the Lagoon Development Company has offered limited time, limited capacity events to the general public such as Lagoonfest Texas. The company is now raising capital to build a world class permanent beach club for the general public on the southeast end of the lagoon. ​ The Lago Mar lagoon is the largest in the United States by perimeter and length and anchors a future 100-acre mixed-use entertainment district. When complete the mixed-use project will boast new waterfront hotels, restaurants and bars along with retail shopping and entertainment. ​ As CEO of Lagoon Development, Mr. Man leads the most experienced lagoon development team in the country made up of talented design, development, construction and marketing professionals. The company has a 3rd lagoon under construction in Katy, Texas and will have an additional lagoon under construction in the next 12 months in Cypress, Texas. ​ Mr. Man has been entrenched in the real estate development scene since 2002 having sourced and overseen developments including more than 4,000 apartments and homes as an executive of The Related Group, Gables Residential and Ram Development. Over the past 15 years, Mr. Man’s ground-up development projects ranged from single-family master-planned communities, to market rate garden and high-rise apartment and condominium projects, to a 300,000 square foot retail lifestyle center. Mr. Man was also an executive of the Florida Panthers NHL Hockey Team where he led the development of the team’s new NHL training facility. ​ Mr. Man holds a General Contractor license and Real Estate Broker’s license and has taught real estate and business courses at Florida Atlantic University and University of California, Berkeley. Mr. Man serves on the Executive Loan Committee of Land Tejas, Houston’s top ranked residential development company (ranking #1 by number of lots developed and sold this year). Mr. Man has served on the Urban Land Institute (ULI) National Community Development Council. Mr. Man was awarded the Florida ‘Young Leader of the Year’ award by the ULI for his ability to bring stakeholders together for the greater good of the local community and his personal contributions to the real estate development industry. Mr. Man has served on the boards of several charities and has been active in raising funds for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, Friends of the Israeli Defense Fund (FIDF), and the Miami Dolphins NFL Cancer Challenge. ​