Tuscaloosa City Council approves Sports Illustrated resort amid concerns
Tuscaloosa City Council approves Sports Illustrated resort amid concerns
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The Tuscaloosa City Council has given the green light for the construction of a Sports Illustrated resort, marking a significant development for the city. The council approved the project with a majority vote on Tuesday night, despite facing opposition from some community members and local officials.
Austin Bolton, a representative from Sports Illustrated, expressed enthusiasm about the project. "Yea we are obviously excited to be a part of the Tuscaloosa community and partnering with the city and the university and building a premier destination," said Bolton.
District 3 Councilman Norman Crow, who represents the area where the resort will be built, voiced his reservations. "I still would have liked to have a little more time to maybe make some changes to the development but the council has spoken, and the project is moving forward," said Crow. He noted that adding more commercial development was one of the changes he hoped to see.
The planned six-story resort will feature condos, retail spaces, and other amenities designed to attract sports fans. However, the exact start date for construction remains uncertain. "That's still in the works, we don't have a set date yet but we are hoping sometime soon, later this year or early next year," said Bolton.
Residents have raised concerns about increased traffic and the potential for sports betting associated with the development. Developers have assured the community that they are addressing these issues. "You can check our track record as a company we are here to stay and be a part of the community and we will do whatever we can to be a good neighbor as we say," said Bolton.
The project is estimated to cost $150 million.
