New-Builds to Watch: Margaritaville Sets Sights on NYC, More…

INTERNATIONAL REPORT—Three new-builds are currently in the works across the U.S. and Mexico, each one embracing a distinctive summer vibe.

Margaritaville Resort, New York City

Located in Times Square at 560 Seventh Ave., near the city’s entertainment district, the 234-room, 29-story property is expected to open in late 2020. Once complete, the $300-million project will have several Margaritaville food and beverage concepts, a rooftop LandShark Bar & Grill and pool, retail space and more.

In addition, there will be Margaritaville’s signature “casual-luxe” design elements, a rooftop pool, St. Somewhere Spa, and lounge areas that overlook the city’s skyline.

In partnership with International Meal Company (IMC), food and beverage venues include a Margaritaville Restaurant, LandShark Bar & Grill, 5 o’Clock Somewhere Bar, Floridays Airstream Café, and a new concept—the Chill Bar. Retail space is planned for the lobby. The resort will be developed by Sharif El-Gamal’s Soho Properties, in partnership with Chip and Andrew Weiss, and MHP Real Estate Services.

JW Marriott, Tampa, FL

Strategic Property Partners LLC (SPP) has broke ground on a 519-room JW Marriott hotel that, once open in 2020, will mark the luxury brand’s debut in the Tampa Bay region.

The hotel also represents the first project of 10 buildings that SPP, the developer behind the Water St. Tampa neighborhood, plans to begin building over the next year. Water St. Tampa, when fully built out, will include more than nine million sq. ft. of commercial, residential, hospitality, educational, entertainment, cultural and retail space.

The hotel is being designed by Nichols Brosch Wurst Wolfe & Associates, with interiors by Champalimaud Design. The hotel will be adjacent to the Tampa Convention Center and Amalie Arena, home to the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, and will accommodate large groups and tourists to the Tampa area. There also will be 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting and event space, including a 30,000-sq.-ft. ballroom.

Designed to become a center of activity, the JW Marriott Tampa will offer multiple social spaces and amenities across six levels, including a full-service spa and fitness center, a pool and sun terrace, a full-service, ground-floor restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating and other retail outlets. A rooftop lounge and terrace on the hotel’s 26th floor will have 360-degree views of downtown Tampa and Hillsborough Bay.

Caesars Palace Resort, Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico

Caesars Entertainment Corporation plans to bring a non-gaming Caesars Palace resort to beachfront property along the coast of Puerto Los Cabos, Mexico. The hotel licensing strategy is part of Caesars’ plan to expand its brands into new global markets.

The $200-million luxury beachfront hotel will be developed by Grupo Questro, a group with more than 30 years of experience and a diversified portfolio of projects that includes resorts, hotels, shopping centers, golf courses and residential complexes. Caesars Entertainment will manage the property and receive a licensing and management fee.

The non-gaming luxury beachfront hotel will have 500 rooms and suites, a 40,000-sq.-ft. convention center, a 25,000-sq.-ft. full-service spa, three fine dining restaurants, entertainment venue, pools, cabanas, fitness center, tennis courts, and access to two on-site golf courses. The beachfront property will be situated in the Puerto Los Cabos Tourist Corridor and the San Jose del Cabo resort city on the southern tip of the Baja California peninsula.