NEW YORK CITY-Locally based Fortress Investment Group’sacquisition late last week of CWCapital gives Fortress control of a$183.6-billion portfolio of loans and securities, including morethan $160 billion in special servicing assignments. It alsoeffectively closes the books on the recent buying spree formarket-leading special servicers, especially as LNR Partners haslaunched a recapitalization of its business.

“That was really the last frontier,” Mike Kent, US president ofasset and property management services for Colliers International,tells GlobeSt.com. He questions whether investment firms that wereleft out of the run on leading special servicers will be able tofind comparable opportunities.

“Special servicers were the last independent silo, if you will,”says the Los Angeles-based Kent. “I don’t know that there are otherbusiness lines to move towards. People are just expanding theirservice lines and looking to become more efficient in theirexisting silos.” Growing revenue through acquisitions will now haveto be accomplished on a piecemeal basis, he adds.