Some people just live and breathe sports, and those type of people will really have the opportunity to capitalize on their lifestyle with Sports Illustrated Resorts.
Its seems as though the magazine company is punting on journalism and getting into the entertainment world with their new venture.
Sports Illustrated started dialing back their publications to just once a month after basically monopolizing the sports magazine market across decades, and this latest announcement shows that the company is shifting their focus from informative to experience.
These resorts are the result of a joint project between Sports Illustrated’s hotel and resort licensee Sports Hospitality Ventures and Travel + Leisure Company. Their plan to create a “network” of these sports themed locations, with many of them planning to be built in major college sports towns.
The idea isn’t the worst I’ve ever heard, and will certainly look to take advantage of the passionate fan bases that surround some of the most popular and followed college campuses. And speaking of, the very first of the Sports Illustrated Resorts is set to be built in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and open in 2025.
The resorts will feature residential condos (for those real sports die-hards), a full-service hotel, a vacation club, and amenities such as pools, bars, live actions sports and entertainment, and numerous dining options.
Based on the renderings, it looks like these Sports Illustrated campus resorts could be a lot of fun:
Just imagine what the atmosphere at one of these places would be like for game week…
Sports Illustrated is clearly excited to get this entertainment venture rolling, and based on how they are talking about it all, these resorts could be popping up all across the country.
Christopher Schroeder, the CEO of Sports Hospitality Ventures, stated:
“Sports Illustrated Resorts are about hospitality, lifestyle, leisure and entertainment where we celebrate not only the legacy of Sports Illustrated, but the path it is on now, by immersing our guests in sports culture and providing the best entertainment, cuisine, fitness, health and wellness to our guests.
People are seeking differentiated experiences that allow them to be more active and participatory, and Sports Illustrated Resorts are delivering the ultimate experiences for guests through the hospitality destinations we are creating.”
Most of us knew Sports Illustrated as a magazine, and with this new line of resorts coming out, the next generation could possibly know it as an entertainment empire.
