Shovels in the Ground: New-Build Projects in OK, FL

NATIONAL REPORT—Hotel Business is tracking new-builds. Projects have recently broken ground in Oklahoma and Florida. Here are the details.

Choctaw Casino & Resort Unveils New Expansion Project
Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma has plans to expand its resort property in Durant, OK. This will be the fourth expansion project since the original casino opened in 2006. The expansion will increase room capacity, the gaming floor and add additional amenities, such as new pools and lazy river, parking garage, retail space, conference center, entertainment options and food and beverage. The Nation anticipates to break ground in late spring 2019, and it will take approximately 24 months to complete. The expansion will bring 1,000 more jobs to Durant. Tutor Perini Building Corp. will lead a design-build team that includes JCJ Architecture and Friedmutter Group as design partners. Tutor Perini Building Corp. is a builder with a successful track record of work on large hospitality and gaming projects across the United States. The company has completed more than 30 such projects for various tribal nations over the past 25 years.

Margaritaville Holdings, Premier Development Group Sign Agreement for New Destination Resort in Panama City Beach
Margaritaville Holdings and Premier Development Group have entered into a partnership to develop a new destination resort on the sugar sand beaches of Florida’s Emerald Coast. Sprawling more than 13 acres in Panama City Beach, the new Margaritaville Beach Resort will feature a full-service hotel, innovative amenity park, function space, several signature Margaritaville food and beverage concepts, retail, residential properties for sale and more. The resort is expected to begin a phased opening in spring 2021. The hotel at Margaritaville Beach Resort, Panama City Beach will feature Margaritaville’s signature casual-luxe design, with a refreshing color palette inspired by the local area and natural surroundings. Each guestroom will offer scenic views and flexible sleeping options, perfect for couples and families. The centerpiece of the resort will be a two-acre amenity park featuring multiple pools, private cabanas, a lazy river, water slides and a kid’s splash play area—everything needed to be transported into a Margaritaville state of mind. The property will also feature several function spaces equipped to accommodate social and corporate groups.

The St. Joe Company Announces Plans for a New Hotel at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP)
The St. Joe Company has plans to construct, own and operate a new branded hotel, immediately adjacent to the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport. Following St. Joe’s business strategy of expanding its portfolio of income producing properties, as well as growing its resorts and leisure segment, the company plans the development of a 110-125-room hotel with a full service restaurant and bar, as well as meeting space. This new hotel will be located adjacent to the airport, which is located within St. Joe’s 110,500 acres known as the Bay-Walton Sector Plan. The Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport has experienced a significant increase in passenger traffic since its relocation. In 2009, the airport had one airline carrier with one direct destination. Today, after reopening in its current location, it has four carriers with 10 non-stop direct destinations. In that same period of time, annual passenger traffic increased from approximately 300,000 passengers at the end of 2009 to more than 900,000 passengers at the end of 2017.