In 1977, Mr. McNeill sold his mortgage banking business and began buying and selling commercial property throughout the Mid-South.   In 1984, Spence Ray joined the company and MCRE began to actively purchase, develop, and build commercial property.   Their projects ranged from retail strip centers near the University of Memphis, to over 20 flex industrial buildings in Bartlett, TN, to Class A office space on Ridge Lake Blvd. in Memphis.

In 1984, Mr. McNeill became one of the initial franchisees of Hampton Inns in the country. He ultimately formed one of the very first hotel Real Estate Investment Trust called Equity Inns which he took public in 1993.  ENNS was traded on the NYSE and was eventually purchased by a private equity group led by Goldman Sachs for over $2.3 billion in 2008.

He is a member of the Society of Entrepreneurs in Memphis, TN, and has served as President and Director of the Memphis Mortgage Bankers Association, the Tennessee State Mortgage Bankers Association, and the Board of Trustees of the University of Memphis Foundation, National Commerce Financial (NYSE), Interstate Hotel Corporation (NYSE), Rhodes College and Wetlands America Trust.

MCRE continues to develop properties throughout the Mid-South based on the principles of integrity, creativity and high quality that Mr. McNeill established.