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Key Points
- Johnson sold the Middleburg building to Diamondback Hospitality for $2.23 million but retained the Market Salamander brand rights.
- The sale aligns with Johnson’s broader realignment, following Salamander Collection’s expansion, including a partnership with Aspen Meadows Resort.
- Johnson, co-founder of BET, has investments spanning real estate, sports, and hospitality, with an estimated net worth of $1 billion.
Sheila Johnson, the first Black female billionaire in the U.S., has sold the Middleburg building that housed Market Salamander to Florida-based Diamondback Hospitality LLC for $2.23 million. This sale marks a shift in her hospitality portfolio as she moves on from the property after two decades.
The deal, executed through her entity Salamander Market LLC, follows Johnson’s decision to close Market Salamander in 2024 after 20 years in business. While she no longer owns the 3,700-square-foot building, she held onto the intellectual property rights, meaning the name and brand of Market Salamander were not part of the sale.
Market Salamander, which opened in 2004, was Johnson’s first step into the hospitality industry. The European-style market and café became a local favorite, known for its fine wines, private-label olive oil, and gourmet dishes crafted by Salamander Hotels’ culinary team.
Hospitality portfolio realignment
The sale reflects a broader shakeup in Johnson’s hospitality portfolio. A year earlier, her luxury hospitality brand, Salamander Collection, expanded its reach by finalizing a groundbreaking partnership with Aspen Meadows Resort. Since taking over management in 2022, Salamander Collection has been spearheading extensive renovations, including upgrades to guest suites and the addition of the Resnick Center for Herbert Bayer Studies.
Under Johnson’s leadership, Salamander Collection has continued to grow, integrating three new properties into its portfolio in 2022, bringing its total to seven. The company, which employs more than 3,000 hospitality professionals, has earned recognition as USA TODAY’s Best Luxury Hotel Brand, with locations spanning the U.S., the Caribbean, and beyond.
Sheila Johnson’s legacy in luxury hospitality
Johnson, who became a billionaire in 2001 after co-founding and later selling Black Entertainment Television (BET) to Viacom for $3 billion, has diversified her wealth across real estate, sports investments, and luxury hospitality.
In addition to being the CEO of Salamander Hotels & Resorts, she is a minority owner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the group that owns the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals, and Washington Mystics.
With an estimated net worth of $1 billion, Johnson remains one of the wealthiest Black businesswomen in the U.S., following only Oprah Winfrey and Rihanna. Her investments in luxury hospitality, including resorts in South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Jamaica, and Anguilla, continue to redefine modern luxury while preserving her entrepreneurial legacy.
