At Dreamscape, we are stewards of both creativity and capital. Our goal is to (re)develop residential, retail, hospitality, entertainment and gaming properties into unique and dynamic environments that command attention and maximize value for our investors.
Dreamscape's mission is to generate long-term financial prosperity through a diversified portfolio of differentiated, forward-thinking real estate projects.
Our focus is on creating multi-faceted and dynamic residential, retail, hospitality, entertainment and gaming experiences.
Led by Founder and CEO Eric Birnbaum, Dreamscape’s team has forged deep connections within the commercial real estate industry nationwide. With trust established and a proven vision, Dreamscape has access to proprietary, off-market deals and is able to transact with speed, skill and integrity. We strive to efficiently acquire properties and then (re)develop them into fully realized and uniquely vibrant destinations. In doing so, we aim to promote and celebrate contemporary cultural values while fostering lasting financial success.
Dreamscape’s team also has a strong and unique network of creative collaborators within the music, fashion, food and beverage and design worlds, having worked with top talents across varied industries – including music and fashion powerhouse Pharrell Williams, renowned interior designer Ken Fulk, award-winning architect Morris Adjmi, nightlife and F&B impresario David Grutman at Groot Hospitality, Jeff Zalaznick at Major Food Group, and many others. We aim to cultivate new and unexpected relationships on an ongoing basis so that each of our properties deliver a unique, innovative and memorable imprint.
For Dreamscape, real estate is a source of both value and diverse cultural engagement. By galvanizing bespoke and specialized experiences, we strive to nurture distinctive, lively and worldly communities.
Dreamscape is headquartered in New York City. Additionally, we have on-ground staffing in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami.
Led by Founder and CEO Eric Birnbaum, Dreamscape’s talented team of real estate professionals has collectively deployed in excess of $35 billion in capital across residential, retail, hospitality, entertainment and gaming experiences with decades of experience in these verticals. Eric and his team have worked on a diverse portfolio of significant properties, including critically acclaimed endeavors such as Henry Hall in New York's Hudson Yards, The Pod Hotel in New York’s Times Square, The Goodtime Hotel in South Beach, Miami, The Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and 5420 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.
“Dreamscape focuses on well-located real estate and seeks to create lasting and one-of-a-kind experiences that are targeted to generate outsized returns.”
Eric is a New York City-based real estate developer. Eric began his career in 1996 on Wall Street at Bear Stearns. He left Wall Street and joined Vornado Realty Trust in 2002 where he worked in both Acquisitions and Development. While at Vornado, Eric participated in over $1.5 billion of transactions. In early 2008, Eric started his own development company that has subsequently transformed into a diversified real estate and gaming platform known as Dreamscape Companies. Dreamscape owns residential, hospitality and gaming assets in high barrier to entry growth markets; including: New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Nashville and Las Vegas.
Over the course of his real estate career, Eric has developed a diverse portfolio of significant properties, including critically acclaimed endeavors such as Henry Hall which was awarded “best new multi-family development” by Multifamily Executive. Eric has also stewarded other major well-known projects, including The Pod Hotel in New York’s Times Square, a popular and unique 710-room hotel and mixed-use ground-up development, The Goodtime Hotel, a mixed-use hospitality concept in Miami’s South Beach and is currently restoring the iconic Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas into premiere resorts.
A native of New York City, Eric is an avid runner and a New York Mets fan. His favorite hometown restaurants include Legacy Records, Carbone and Tal Bagels. He lives on Manhattan’s Upper East Side with his wife, their three children and Cooper, their Goldendoodle.
Eric holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from University of Pennsylvania.
Tom Ellis has worked with Eric Birnbaum since 2003. Immediately prior to joining Dreamscape, Tom was Vice-President at Imperial Companies from 2014 to 2019, and before that worked at ELB Holdings and Vornado Realty Trust. Prior to joining Vornado in 2003, Tom worked for Bank of America Securities (now Bank of America/Merrill Lynch). Over his career, Tom has played an integral role in buying, selling and structuring both residential, retail, hospitality and gaming assets. Tom has been involved in over $6 billion of capital deployment since 2003. While at Vornado, Tom closed over $3 billion of acquisitions and re-financings of office, retail, apartment and industrial properties in New York City, Washington DC, San Francisco, Texas and Mexico.
Tom is a native Virginian that now calls Manhattan’s Yorkville neighborhood home. In New York City, Tom’s favorite restaurants are The Writing Room, City Winery and Legacy Records (along with anywhere that’s broadcasting Arsenal F.C. English Premier League matches). When not in Yorkville, Tom likes to visit the Jersey Shore, Long Island’s North Fork and his brother in Los Angeles.
Tom holds a Bachelor of Science in Commerce from McIntire School of Commerce at the University of Virginia.
Thomas Evans serves as Chief Marketing Officer at Dreamscape Companies, a real estate firm focusing on residential, retail, hospitality, entertainment and gaming. In this role, Evans oversees the strategic planning and execution of programs designed to drive acquisition, engagement, and retention throughout all marketing channels.
A lifelong Nevadan, Evans brings more than two decades of hospitality marketing and advertising expertise to Dreamscape. Throughout his career, he’s garnered years of experience in marketing luxury resorts and assisted with the opening of more than 10 hotels and casinos throughout the United States, including the renowned Bellagio and ARIA resorts in Las Vegas. Evans’ accomplishments include developing pre and post-opening marketing plans for CityCenter, the world’s largest privately funded residential, retail and resort project. He has led initiatives within brand development, online marketing, direct marketing, social media, advertising, brand partnerships, promotions and on-property communications.
Prior to working at Dreamscape, Evans was the Chief Marketing Officer at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas where he guided revenue-focused marketing strategies that were influential in the overall transformation of the resort and eventually one of the largest real estate transactions in Las Vegas history.
Evans holds a Bachelor’s of Arts degree in communications with an emphasis in advertising from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his three children, attending sporting events and participating in all things athletic.
Scott Broder oversees Dreamscape’s hospitality group. Prior to joining Dreamscape, Scott was the Head of Hotel Investments at The Witkoff Group, where he oversaw all aspects of hotel acquisitions, dispositions and asset management. The hotel portfolio at The Witkoff Group included several prominent locations including the EDITION West Hollywood and the Park Lane Hotel and PUBLIC Hotel in New York City. Before Witkoff, Scott was the Director of Acquisitions at Sunstone Hotel Investors (NYSE:SHO). Over Scott’s career, he has completed over $2 billion in hotel transactions, including the acquisitions of Boston Park Plaza, Hyatt Regency San Francisco, the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Maui.
A native of New York City, Scott likes to eat regularly at Bar Pitti, J.G. Melon and Peter Luger Steakhouse. Scott has lived in London, Chicago, and Southern California, though he now calls New York City home once again. Scott loves to travel and live an active lifestyle, regularly playing in a Sunday morning basketball game. When he is not in the Big Apple, Scott enjoys spending time in Sag Harbor playing golf or visiting the beach with family and friends. He’s also a classic car enthusiast.
Scott holds a Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from Cornell University.
Trevor Scherrer has more than 35 years of experience in the Gaming and Hospitality industry, particularly in the Las Vegas market. He has held senior and executive leadership positions at several Las Vegas Resorts including MGM Grand, The Mirage, and New York New York Hotel and Casino. His most recent position was on the opening team as a Resort Development Advisor for the $4.3B Resorts World project in Las Vegas.
As a native Nevadan, Trevor enjoys an active lifestyle hunting, fishing, and off-road racing. He and his family are avid fans of the Vegas Golden Knights and the Las Vegas Raiders.
Trevor studied Business Management at the University of Nevada-Reno.
Joshua Strauss is Co-President of Retail and Entertainment at Dreamscape. He brings over 25 years of industry experience specializing in landlord and tenant representation. Strauss will lead the company’s efforts in immersive retail experiences, traditional retail, and food and beverage within its portfolio, and continue to represent a wide array of Tenants and Landlords in their U.S. and international retail real estate endeavors.
Prior to joining Dreamscape Companies, Strauss served as an Executive Managing Director at Newmark, where he represented major national and international retail, entertainment and real estate companies including Netflix, Sony, Theory, FedEx, NBCUniversal, Pret A Manger, Zadig et Voltaire, Citibank, Equinox Fitness and many others. His storied career boasts many accomplishments including assisting in NBCUniversal’s first foray into Las Vegas with the leasing of a 120,000 square-foot stand-alone building off the Las Vegas Strip, Sony’s Wonderverse in 83,000 square feet at Oakbrook Mall outside of Chicago, IL, representing Howard Hughes in the repositioning and leasing of 150,000 square-feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space at The Seaport District in New York City and representing AFI USA in the repositioning and leasing of more than 180,000 square-feet of retail space at the Times Square Building in New York City, with the latter earning him the Real Estate Board of New York’s (REBNY) Most Creative Retail Deal of the Year Award.
As part of Dreamscape Companies’ redevelopment of the Rio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Strauss’ extensive experience and knowledge will serve an integral role in breathing new life to the 200,000 square-feet Masquerade Village space.
Marc Finkel is Co-President of Retail and Entertainment at Dreamscape. He's a retail leasing specialist with a focus in hospitality and emerging brands. Previously at RKF and Newmark Knight Frank, Marc brings over twenty years of expertise in finding and executing brand strategy from infancy to fruition across all real estate platforms.
Marc has represented tenants including Hatch Collection, Eggslut, Bluestone Lane, The Chobani Company, American Apparel, The Tao Group, The H’Wood Group, 1933 Hospitality, and The Madera Group to match their needs with specific properties. Marc brings an understanding of what works for different usage types while always employing an outside-the-box mentality. He handles the leasing strategy for major projects in Santa Monica, New York City and Miami.
Marc holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School.
Curtis Palmer has been with Dreamscape since its founding in 2019. He brings nearly three decades of real estate experience to the firm. Prior to joining Dreamscape, Curtis held senior positions with Newmark Knight Frank, CBRE and was a founding partner of Brooktree Realty Investors in tandem with Multi-Housing Capital Advisors (MHCA). In those positions Curtis actively sold, financed and managed $25 billion in apartment and office products. During his tenure as a managing partner at Brooktree, the firm acquired over $150 million of apartment-related assets in Southern California during the Great Recession. These were ultimately sold for a profit between 2011 and 2014.
Curtis was born and raised in Miami, though much of his family has long been located in New York City. After living in New York City and Miami Beach as a young adult, he relocated to Los Angeles in 1998, where he currently resides with his wife, two children and an Old English Sheep Dog. A lifelong Miami Dolphins fan, Curtis still owns 10 season tickets that he inherited from his father. Curtis is an avid tennis player who also enjoys hiking in the Hollywood Hills with his family and friends.
Curtis holds a Master of Business Administration from the Herbert School of Business at University of Miami.
Don Purdue brings more than 35 years of experience in Construction and Land Development. He has extensive experience in the development of Master Planned Communities, Golf Courses, and has worked for several notable Fortune 500 companies in senior leadership roles. For the past six years he served as the Vice President of Development, spearheading the remodel of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.
As a native of Las Vegas and third-generation Nevadan, Don is a dedicated member of the community. In 2011, he co-founded Project 150, a local non-profit serving displaced and disadvantaged high school students. He and his wife, Laurie, have raised four grown children in the valley. He is an avid mountain biker, hiker and Golden Knights fan.
Don graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno with a Bachelor of Science in Finance.
Carolyn Ament brings almost three decades of multidisciplinary experience designing boutique and luxury hotels and residential projects to her role overseeing the design aesthetic at Dreamscape.
Prior to joining Dreamscape in 2021, Carolyn was the global Head of Design for Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group and led the vision and design process for the brand’s worldwide portfolio. Her prior positions include Design Director at Tihany Design and Gensler New York, Architect Project Leader at Ian Schrager Company, and Principal at Ament Design & Architecture.
A native of Virginia, Carolyn’s passion for design, art, food, and travel inspires her to explore destinations near and far. She also enjoys cooking, cycling, hiking, swimming, and walking.
Carolyn holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from the University of Virginia.
Connor Grealy joined Dreamscape at its inception. Previously, from 2015 to 2019, Connor was an Analyst and then Associate at Imperial Companies. Since 2015, Connor has been involved in transactions reaching over $600 million in total capitalization across major U.S. gateway markets. Prior to Imperial, Connor was with Acadia Realty Trust, a real estate investment trust in White Plains, NY. There, he was an analyst on the asset management team, overseeing more than 40 mixed-use properties for the company’s private equity platform.
Growing up in Connecticut, Connor always looked forward to the day he could call himself a New Yorker. His favorite plans include attending frigid playoff baseball games at Yankee Stadium, sharing a steaming hot pie from Pasquale Jones with friends and going to just about any concert possible. He currently resides in Williamsburg and refuses to ever move back across the East River to Manhattan.
Connor holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and History from Brown University.
Marty Millman has been with Dreamscape since its founding. He previously served as Vice-President of Construction and Development at Imperial Companies from 2014 to 2019. Before joining Imperial, Marty worked with Eric Birnbaum at ELB Holdings and earlier as Global Account Director at Sefaira, a startup software company with the mission to promote more sustainable buildings by providing the design and development community with innovative web-based energy efficiency analysis software. In that role, he worked closely with some of the biggest architecture firms in the world. Marty also served previously as Senior Project Manager at Colgate Development, where he represented owners and equity partners on The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte (LEED Gold), W Hollywood Hotel and Condominiums (LEED Silver), and various Extell Development projects in New York City.
Marty’s love of food, music, and travel takes him often to New Orleans, his favorite U.S. city. He loves to re-read John D. MacDonald novels, never fails to complete The New York Times Crossword Puzzle, and tries out for Jeopardy every year but has yet to make the cut. Marty lives with his wife and their two boys in Summit, New Jersey.
Marty holds a Bachelor of Arts in Design of the Environment and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Structural Building Systems from University of Pennsylvania, a Master of Architecture from University of Texas at Austin, and a Master of Business Administration from Columbia Business School.
Ryan joined Dreamscape in 2021 and is responsible for sourcing and managing hospitality and gaming opportunities. Ryan previously worked for The Blackstone Group within the Tactical Opportunities asset management and Private Equity groups, where he was responsible for managing portfolio companies on key strategic and operating initiatives. During his tenure, Ryan worked extensively with The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas on key casino development projects. Prior to joining Blackstone, Ryan worked in the Transaction Services consulting group at PwC, where he advised clients on complex transaction and deal-related solutions.
Ryan is a native New Yorker and has also lived in Las Vegas and Washington DC. He currently resides in Manhattan’s West Village, and enjoys exploring the city in search for the best coffee shop, attending New York Giants games, sparring at boxing classes and playing pickup basketball games. Ryan also is a mentor for the SEO Scholars program, which helps high school students navigate both college aspirations and their future careers.
Ryan earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance from Providence College and holds a CPA license in the State of New York.
Tanner joined Dreamscape in the summer of 2022. He is responsible for both acquisition and asset management within the hospitality and gaming division at Dreamscape.
After graduating from college, Tanner spent five years working in the New York Deals team at PricewaterhouseCoopers. During this time, he specialized in valuation, working on dozens of deals across a variety of sectors. He also spent time in complex accounting advisory and pre-deal operational due diligence. After his time at PricewaterhouseCoopers, he spent a year playing competitive tennis down in Florida and then a year backpacking around the world. He returned to the States and, prior to joining Dreamscape, Tanner worked in wealth advisory and created a start-up centered around low-code mobile web applications focused on enhancing the guest and tenant experience at hotels and apartment communities.
Tanner is New Jersey born and raised and currently resides in New York City. He enjoys visiting his family in the burbs, playing tennis in Central Park, and creating ceramics on the wheel in the West Village.
Tanner earned a Bachelor of Science in Finance and a Masters of Accountancy from Wake Forest University and holds a CPA license in the State of New York.
Scott Zinovoy is Vice President of Retail and Entertainment at Dreamscape where he will help direct the company’s efforts in immersive experiences, retail, and food & beverage. Additionally, he will continue to work with a variety of tenants/landlords in their real estate endeavors.
Prior to joining Dreamscape, Zinovoy served as a Director at Newmark where he represented many national/international entertainment brands and retailers--crafting expansion strategies, selecting precise locations, and negotiating both short and long-term transactions. Select clients include Sony, Amazon, Netflix, FedEx Office, Gordon Ramsay, GameStop, Razer and Malin+Goetz. Among his many accomplishments as a tenant representative, he assisted Sony in its leasing of 83,000 square feet in Oakbrook, Illinois; Rise NY in its leasing of 14,000 square feet at 1530 Broadway NYC; Netflix in its leasing of 6 stores throughout the U.S. and in Europe; Razer in its leasing of 10 locations throughout the U.S; and FedEx Office in its leasing of over 20 locations in NYC. Zinovoy has also worked on behalf of many prominent landlord clients, including in the leasing of 50,000 square feet to Lionsgate at 11 Times Square (where he also represented the tenant), and the leasing of 44,000 square feet to Whole Foods Market and 72,000 square feet to Life Time Fitness at 1 Wall Street, the latter of which earned the 2019 REBNY Most Ingenious Retail Deal of the Year Award.
Zinovoy earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Larry Robinson joins Dreamscape as an Associate focused on hotel acquisitions and asset management. Prior to joining in 2021, Larry was at Pebblebrook Hotel Trust supporting the intensive asset management of more than 15 lifestyle hotels and resorts, including a number of major rebranding and repositioning projects. He also helped lead the integration of portfolio best practices as part of the $5-billion public REIT merger between Pebblebrook Hotel Trust and LaSalle Hotel Properties.
As a native of Philadelphia, Larry is an avid Philadelphia Eagles and Sixers fan. On weekends, you can find him playing tennis, traveling to a new destination or coordinating music jam sessions with friends at local studios.
Larry holds a Bachelor of Science from Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration.
Carter joined Dreamscape in 2023 as an Associate focused on hotel and gaming acquisitions and asset management. Carter previously worked for DiamondRock Hospitality (NYSE: DRH) as an analyst on the asset management and investments teams, as well as served on the Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance (ESG) Committee.
A native of Washington, DC and first-time New York City resident, Carter enjoys exploring all the City has to offer, and is especially focused on finding the City’s best slice of pizza. On weekends, Carter enjoys traveling, watching DC and Syracuse sports, and playing golf. He is also a member of the Young Alumni Board at his high school alma mater, The Bullis School.
Carter holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance and Real Estate from Syracuse University.
Laura Chekowitz brings three decades of experience in Interior Design and Project Management. Her capabilities cover all aspects of large-scale interior design projects in the Hospitality, Gaming, Commercial, Retail, Corporate, Institutional and Residential sectors. Prior to Dreamscape, Laura has managed the interior design process for several venues at Resorts World Las Vegas, Sands Corporation/Venetian. For 11 years she served as Senior Designer at MGM Resorts International Design Group and Interior Design Manager with City Center.
Laura calls Las Vegas, Nevada home and has even watched it develop from dirt roads into the mega destination it is today. A lifelong hockey fan, she was elated when the Vegas Golden Knights were born. She enjoys all outdoor activities in the beautiful Las Vegas Valley and surrounding areas.
Laura is a Registered Interior Designer with the Nevada State Board of Architecture, Interior Design, & Residential Design. She's also a nationally certified Interior Designer by the National Council for Interior Design Qualifications. Laura holds an Associate Degree in Art and an Associate Degree in Business from the College of Southern Nevada.
Kat is the Executive Assistant to Eric Birnbaum, CEO and Founder of Dreamscape and serves as Manager of Operations. Kat was an Executive Assistant at Imperial Companies from 2018-20109 and prior to that she oversaw The Abraaj Group’s New York City-based flagship office while simultaneously serving as an Executive Assistant.
Before settling into the corporate world, Kat’s official first job in New York fulfilled her passion for health and wellness. She was a part of the founding team at The Fhitting Room, a high intensity workout studio. Her fitness routine has now changed from kettlebells and rowing machines to chasing around her toddler.
Kat holds a Bachelor of Arts in Public Relations from Monmouth University.
Jacky Zhu has worked with Dreamscape since its establishment in 2019, and previously served as External Controller for Imperial Companies since 2014. Jacky has extensive professional experience in accounting and audit practices, providing an array of services for clients throughout the real estate industry. Through Yehezkel CPA, he works closely with real estate owners, managers, developers and investors that are involved in residential, commercial and retail properties.
Passionate about wellness, Jacky enjoys the peace and quiet of a long hike, the practice of daily meditation, and the atmosphere of a New York Yankees game.
Jacky holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Accounting from Baruch College.
Dreamscape is headquartered in New York City.
Additionally, we have offices in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Miami.