Tuscaloosa Tables Vote to Advance Sports Illustrated Resort As More Opponents Emerge

The Tuscaloosa city council is taking another week to think over a proposed college sports resort along the Black Warrior River after residents expressed concerns Tuesday.

The developers seeking to launch a college sports resort concept in Tuscaloosa have edited and updated their plans in response to concerns from citizens, but more opponents to the project emerged during a public hearing Tuesday.

The Thread has extensively covered plans to bring a first-of-its-kind Sports Illustrated resort to the banks of the Black Warrior River off Rice Mine Road.

The concept was first announced last September, and a team assembled by Travel & Leisure Co. began presenting official plans and renderings for the concept last month.

The developers want to start the project by building a nine-story hotel connected to an as-tall tower featuring timeshares and condo units. Phase I would also include a restaurant and bar for the hotel and three standalone buildings in front to house a mix of retailers.

Phase II would add four additional multistory buildings with timeshares on their lower floors and condos for sale above.

The pitch made it through a presentation to the city's Riverfront Advisory Committee and also earned a unanimous recommendation from the Planning & Zoning Committee last month without much resistance. Opponents began to emerge during an information session hosted by city councilor Norman Crow, though, then came out in force during a public hearing Tuesday night.

Before getting into those concerns, though - the public hearing lasted over an hour but did not result in any council action Tuesday night. After listening to the developers and citizens, the council tabled a vote on whether to advance the Sports Illustrated resort. They will take up the matter again next week on October 22nd.

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Before the public comment period began, the Travel & Leisure team gave an updated presentation to the city council. Of major note, they are now only requesting approval for Phase I of the project after hearing concerns from the Riverfront Advisory Committee about OKing so much development at once. They will come back for specific approval of Phase II later.

Today, the developers want permission to build two nine-story buildings housing the 137-key hotel on one side and a mix of 76 timeshare units and 66 private condominiums on the other. Phase I would also feature 18,000 square feet of retail shopping spread across three single-story buildings in front of the towers and a central services building further off.

Brian Dickson, the Regional Vice President of Resort Operations at Travel and Leisure Co., led the Tuesday presentation.

"We want to deliver the ultimate, family-friendly, sports-themed and active lifestyle resort network, and we are concentrating on universities with passionate fan bases," Dickson said. "We envision Tuscaloosa as the first in a network of upscale resorts connected by the powerful Sports Illustrated brand."

Dickson said the timeshare concept and that powerful name on the sign will attract guests even during Tuscaloosa's off-season.

"Football games, arts & cultural events, orientations, graduations these are all no brainers but we believe there is unlocked potential in the remaining times of the year as well. We believe we can create a destination for sports fans as well as travelers looking for more experiential accommodations."

The developers are not seeking any incentives to build the resort, just permission from the council.

After a question-and-answer session with the council, the public hearing began in earnest and a large group of residents spoke out against the resort as it is planned.

The first speaker was Sally Reel, a local civil engineer who runs a commercial roofing business with her husband.

"When I think of SI, I think of the magazine my dad and brother used to get in the mail," Reel said. "Unfortunately, today, Sports Illustrated is a languished brand no longer published in print and it's really not much more than a name purchased by Authentic Brands in 2021."

Reel cited several articles outlining the financial woes Sports Illustrated has faced this decade, including reports from Michigan that they have iced plans for a collegiate sports resort facing resistance in from residents there.

"Our issue with this concept is that it's a brand-new concept. I heard them say flagship. I say guinea pig," Reel said. "They approached Ann Arbor, Michigan with this concept and withdrew their proposal when four of their council members said, after a public hearing, that they would vote no. If you allow this project to move forward in Tuscaloosa, we will be their guinea pig market. We do not want to be the practice market for an unproven concept."

Former prosecutor Dominique Yancey criticized the planned resort's aesthetics and said it does nothing to acknowledge Tuscaloosa's history or exhibit a sense of place here.

Tony Hubbard, the president of the Rivermont Homeowners Association, spoke on behalf of residents north of the river concerned about how much traffic the new resort could generate.

He said there are 11 subdivisions, three professional buildings and three multifamily apartment complexes containing more than 500 units that empty out on Rice Mine Road.

"Rice Mine Road is about two and a half miles from its intersection with McFarland to the intersection with Lurleen and I've got over 1,100 households that depend on that thoroughfare. It’s already rated in the current traffic study as a D, and that’s on a scale of A to F just like school," Hubbard said. "There's a lot of traffic already, and I think the additional proposal here would add a significant amount of traffic."

Deborah Weiss, a University of Alabama professor, voiced concerns for the environmental impact on the Black Warrior River and retired teacher Janet Crowder joined her in worrying over the negative impact that two nine-story buildings will have on the scenery there.

A nearby homeowner wrapped up the public comment period by wondering how the resort would impact property values and calling for the council to leave some small-town charm in Tuscaloosa.

After the 90-minute public hearing, the council said there were too many questions left to answer for them to vote on advancing the resort immediately. They voted to table the matter for a week and will discuss it again during a fresh public hearing next Tuesday, which will probably draw a similar crowd.

For updates from that hearing and as the project advances, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.