Questions Persist As Developer Reveals Changes To Sports Illustrated Resort Concept

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Tuscaloosa District 3 Councilor Norman Crow, along with representatives from Travel + Leisure, held a public meeting Thursday at Indian Hills Country Club to answer questions and gather community feedback regarding the proposed Sports Illustrated resort on Rice Mine Road.

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"We had a good turnout and it's always good to hear feedback," Crow told Patch. "There were some really good questions that were asked and I think [the developers] have got a few things to address before the council looks at this."

Patch first reported in 2023 when Sports Hospitality Ventures and Travel + Leisure revealed that the first major Sports Illustrated Resorts college town destination was being planned for Tuscaloosa, with the initial plans calling for a nine-story hotel, condo and timeshare units, along with retail space and a second phase of construction.

Developers for the project withdrew their proposal in October as residents raised concerns about the height of the proposed buildings and impacts to traffic. Officials speaking on background to Patch have also said this project is not expected to a big sale tax revenue generator in its latest form, which is more geared toward time-shares and condos than operating as large-scale vacation resort.

"I think the developer made the comment they were already adjusting things and it will probably come to the City Council some time in May for reading and consideration," Crow said following the meeting.

Travel + Leisure Chief Operating Officer Geoff Richards was in attendance on Thursday and gave updates on the latest incarnation of the development, which he said has seen its footprint scaled down by about a third from the initial plans. These changes saw the total number of units reduced from 279 to 161.

Richards also took responsibility for the firm's poor communication in the early stages of public discourse and took the opportunity to hear feedback and answer questions.

He explained that the company operates 220 resorts in the U.S. and said Tuscaloosa was identified as a potential target market after surveys were conducted to get feedback from Travel + Leisure's paying members.

What's more, Richards said there are 14 resorts within a five-hour drive of Tuscaloosa, before claiming that $40 billion to $50 billion is spent annually on sports tourism — an idea he said was part of the reason the firm was attracted to Tuscaloosa.

"It was a relatively natural fit for us," he said about choosing Tuscaloosa for the Sports Illustrated resort concept, which he predicted would produce a net fiscal impact of $37.8 million over 25 years.

When considering the numbers, Richards mentioned that the construction of the project would create 1,000 jobs and the resort, which would be managed by Travel + Leisure, would employ roughly 120 people when it opens.

Richards said at present, his company has already invested $40 million on the project, which is expected to be in the neighborhood of $150 million when it's finished.

Still, the most important topic of discussion during Thursday's meeting were the changes made to the concept before the Tuscaloosa City Council considers it in the coming weeks.

Indeed, Richards said the concept shrank from three buildings to two, and from a nine-story hotel to six stories. He also said the new plans added six new pickleball courts that would be open to the public.

As previously mentioned, traffic is another primary concern for those living in the vicinity of the proposed development on Rice Mine Road. However, TTL Inc. Chief Technical Officer and Executive Vice President Jason Walker said a traffic study had been conducted and explained that there would not be a drastic impact to traffic flow if the resort in its current form is built.

Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox was not in attendance on Thursday but told Patch that the proposed site is one of the most consequential properties in Tuscaloosa that could end up being surrounded by significant investments from taxpayers.

"It's importance cannot be understated," Maddox said. "I have not been briefed on the new development plans nor have I met with the developers; therefore, my perspective is based off cursory information. In my opinion, the development appears to be architecturally underwhelming considering its prominence on our riverfront."

To Maddox's point, the aesthetic of the latest version of the concept was also a talking point Thursday and was compared to the architecture of the Supe Store on the University of Alabama campus, along with the former Tutwiler Hall that was demolished in 2022.

Maddox also questioned the prevalence of timeshares in the project, referring to this as "deeply troublesome" and something he believes calls into question the sustainability of the project and its future redevelopment potential.

"Our riverfront investments will serve Tuscaloosa for generations, which is why it is crucial to explore all possibilities with this and all developments along the riverfront," Maddox told Patch. "This is a council decision, but I believe the developers have significant work in order to secure approval. We have very limited opportunities to develop Tuscaloosa’s riverfront and this property has the potential to be significant for generations. Certainly, our riverfront zoning standards and approval processes reflects this standard.

"Lastly, this site is amazing and needs high-quality development," he added. "Hopefully, the public process will lead to that outcome."

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