Tuscaloosa resident raises concerns about Sports Illustrated resort

Tempers heated up in Tuscaloosa when many residents spoke out against the development of the Sports Illustrated resort at the City Council on Tuesday night.

“This is a brand new concept. I heard them say flagship, I say guinea pig. Other than one place in the Dominican Republic where there is gambling, this concept does not exist,” said a Tuscaloosa resident.

The nine-story hotel resort would also consist of restaurants, shopping centers and timeshares, a concept that raises many questions.

“I am very uncertain about this partnership between Travel Leisure and Sports Illustrated. I’m very unclear who will own it, who will run it and what the rules will be,” said Janet Crowder of Tuscaloosa.

“How will this impact ambulance response times at this location based on crowd occupancy and events,” one Tuscaloosa resident said.

Developers of the company addressed the City Council’s questions at the public hearing. One of them was an explanation of how the company plans to sell a hotel throughout the year.

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“Some of our owners will be inclined to use these hotel rooms as they operate outside of their points with the options they have within the timeshare,” the Sports Illustrated representative said.

With much uncertainty surrounding developers’ plans for traffic and safety on the North Tuscaloosa resort site, some residents feel the idea doesn’t fit.

“I don’t want the Sports Illustrated concept here at all, they have Margaritaville, it sounds a bit like Roll Tide Ville to me, I think we can do better,” Crowder said.

In a statement to ABC 3340, the company hoped for a positive vote to move the project forward.

“Putting people to work and providing the community with a new, family-friendly resort that will bring new income to the local community.”

Previously the project passed unanimously through the city’s Planning and Zoning Board, now developers must return and re-argue their case in hopes of building in Tuscaloosa.