Margaritaville Resort to start construction

[HopperFan]

Looks like it might finally be starting ....

First retailer revealed for Kissimmee's new Margaritaville Resort

A BurgerFi franchisee has solidified plans to open a new location in the Margaritaville Resort that's in the making in Kissimmee.

The restaurant will be about 3,000 square feet and is expected to create up to 70 new jobs, Matthew Falcone, franchisee and owner/operating partner of NDM Hospitality Services LLC, told Orlando Business Journal. The restaurant is expected to open by mid-2018, Falcone said. This is the first restaurant tenant known to have signed a lease in the resort's retail space that's planned to be upward of 200,000 square feet.

In addition to the store, Falcone said there may be a BurgerFi kiosk in the pool area of the resort, but that idea has not been finalized.

"We chose this spot mainly because the area is very dense," he said. "There's a lot of traffic going through there. The Orlando-area market is the best for BurgerFi right now. The Orlando stores are some of the highest performing in the country."

Construction of the Margaritaville Resort is expected to begin this summer with a completion date of mid-2018. The resort will be on 300 acres and will include a beach area, lake, a water park, retail space, vacation cottages and a hotel. Encore Capital Management, in partnership with Margaritaville Holdings LLC, is the developer of the project. Calls to an Encore representative were not answered. The resort also "will offer many experiential opportunities including a 'FinCity' arcade, a St. Somewhere Spa, a planetarium and the Son of a Sailor fishing school, paddleboarding and kayaking," said a news release about the project.

Orlando Business Journal
http://www.bizjournals.com/orlando/...RT0RaiNMf91Zg09a3c7b2&t=1461961599&j=72800282

http://attractionsmagazine.com/margaritaville-resort-set-open-kissimmee-near-disney/

 

[rteetz]

Hey it's 5:00 somewhere!

 

[JaxDad]

CheeseBurgerFi in Paradise?

 

[Planogirl]

I was sold on only staying at Cabana Bay. Maybe a split stay would be in order? My DH is an old parrothead and I bet that he would jump at this place.

 

[soniam]

This is being built pretty close to WDW, right? I think this could be really enticing with the extra water park and water activities provided, especially if WDW resort prices keep going up and the included benefits, ie EMH, FP+, start disappearing. I could at least see staying there a night or two for days that I wouldn't go to a park. It would be a cool pre-Port Canaveral cruise stay too, if you weren't going to do the parks. You could also buy that late evenings ticket for something like that. Lots of possibilities

 

[whiporee]

Jimmy Buffett is almost like a religion to me -- they were the first songs I ever remember my parents and I singing together, and his music has been a constant source of comfort to me for 43 of my 49 years. He is a very important performer to me -- the last words that ever left my father's mouth was he and I singing "A Pirate Looks at 40" together when the cancer made it impossible for him to do anything but moan. Except to sing that with me one last time five hours before he died.

But I find this news very sad, because a resort like this is almost completely the opposite of what Jimmy Buffett used to be about. I can't begrudge the man his money, because God knows he's gotten me through rough times -- but to see it thrown out as such a clear, deliberate and unabashed money grab is just sad.

 

[Savagekids]

Jimmy Buffett is almost like a religion to me -- they were the first songs I ever remember my parents and I singing together, and his music has been a constant source of comfort to me for 43 of my 49 years. He is a very important performer to me -- the last words that ever left my father's mouth was he and I singing "A Pirate Looks at 40" together when the cancer made it impossible for him to do anything but moan. Except to sing that with me one last time five hours before he died.

But I find this news very sad, because a resort like this is almost completely the opposite of what Jimmy Buffett used to be about. I can't begrudge the man his money, because God knows he's gotten me through rough times -- but to see it thrown out as such a clear, deliberate and unabashed money grab is just sad.

I see what you're saying. I'm not sure how involved he is with all the merchandise that gets peddled with the Margaritiville brand. For someone that started out with such a simple lifestyle goal he sure is a smart businessman. Having stayed at the resort in TN, it was high quality - wanted to live there.

 

[soniam]

Jimmy Buffett is almost like a religion to me -- they were the first songs I ever remember my parents and I singing together, and his music has been a constant source of comfort to me for 43 of my 49 years. He is a very important performer to me -- the last words that ever left my father's mouth was he and I singing "A Pirate Looks at 40" together when the cancer made it impossible for him to do anything but moan. Except to sing that with me one last time five hours before he died.

But I find this news very sad, because a resort like this is almost completely the opposite of what Jimmy Buffett used to be about. I can't begrudge the man his money, because God knows he's gotten me through rough times -- but to see it thrown out as such a clear, deliberate and unabashed money grab is just sad.

There is a lot of marketing of him. However, if it's like the restaurant, it's about good food, drink, and music and having a good time. I don't think it will be an opulent place. But it probably won't be cheap. I find the blenders a little more offensive, even though I have one It's a good quality product and does a better job of making a margarita than any other type of blender.

 

[HopperFan]

He is a rich, smart businessman who has many ventures, referred to as empire. All of this is under his guidance.

http://www.buffettnews.com/resources/businessfacts/


From NY Times article - "The man is Jimmy Buffett. And it’s time to toss whatever you thought you knew about his lazy, hazy Margaritaville out the window."

http://nyti.ms/1SBf5Dd

 

[Planogirl]

Jimmy Buffett is almost like a religion to me -- they were the first songs I ever remember my parents and I singing together, and his music has been a constant source of comfort to me for 43 of my 49 years. He is a very important performer to me -- the last words that ever left my father's mouth was he and I singing "A Pirate Looks at 40" together when the cancer made it impossible for him to do anything but moan. Except to sing that with me one last time five hours before he died.

But I find this news very sad, because a resort like this is almost completely the opposite of what Jimmy Buffett used to be about. I can't begrudge the man his money, because God knows he's gotten me through rough times -- but to see it thrown out as such a clear, deliberate and unabashed money grab is just sad.

I don't completely agree because his fans want him and anything to do with him. If this place isn't too outrageously expensive and is designed correctly I imagine that most parrotheads will love it.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Poor splendid China never had a chance

 

[ChipnDale79]

But I find this news very sad, because a resort like this is almost completely the opposite of what Jimmy Buffett used to be about. I can't begrudge the man his money, because God knows he's gotten me through rough times -- but to see it thrown out as such a clear, deliberate and unabashed money grab is just sad.

the wife and i are pretty big fans as well, this time last week i was recovering from another concert of his. However I have to disagree.

Margarativille is a state of mind, at least thats what I've always felt. Why not make it a place you can actually go to? I love the idea of staying in a resort that fits that theme.

Depending on how close this is to WDW, i can actually see myself spending the money to stay here instead of on property.

Maybe i'll finally be able to find that lost shaker of salt......

 

[HopperFan]

Depending on how close this is to WDW, i can actually see myself spending the money to stay here instead of on property.

Maybe i'll finally be able to find that lost shaker of salt......

It's right behind Animal Kingdom. If you know where Splendid China was they are using that land too.

 

[whiporee]

the wife and i are pretty big fans as well, this time last week i was recovering from another concert of his. However I have to disagree.

Margarativille is a state of mind, at least thats what I've always felt. Why not make it a place you can actually go to? I love the idea of staying in a resort that fits that theme.

Depending on how close this is to WDW, i can actually see myself spending the money to stay here instead of on property.

Maybe i'll finally be able to find that lost shaker of salt......

Maybe, but I guess I think more of a pretty anti-tourist sentiment that's gone through his stuff, from the lost verse of Margaritaville (old men in tank tops, cruising the gift shops, checking out chiqutas down by the shore) or Cowboy in the Jungle (while American women in mu-mus talk about all the things they did today ... I don't want to swim in a roped-off sea), or even some real anthems to stuff (One Particular Harbor, or When the Coast is Clear), not to mention his strong support and affection for Hiassen's anti-tourist books (if you're never read Tourist Season, please do). And I guess there was always an authentic feel to those escapes that he talked about -- not hanging out in a tourist trap with a Hawaian shirt on drinking a watered-down drink from a fake coconut cup, but being on a boat, on a beach, relaxing instead of dedicating your afternoon to pretending to relax with 5000 other people in a themed bar.

But that just might be me. Don't mean to judge anyone else's views, just the way I felt when I read about it.

 

[Planogirl]

Maybe, but I guess I think more of a pretty anti-tourist sentiment that's gone through his stuff, from the lost verse of Margaritaville (old men in tank tops, cruising the gift shops, checking out chiqutas down by the shore) or Cowboy in the Jungle (while American women in mu-mus talk about all the things they did today ... I don't want to swim in a roped-off sea), or even some real anthems to stuff (One Particular Harbor, or When the Coast is Clear), not to mention his strong support and affection for Hiassen's anti-tourist books (if you're never read Tourist Season, please do). And I guess there was always an authentic feel to those escapes that he talked about -- not hanging out in a tourist trap with a Hawaian shirt on drinking a watered-down drink from a fake coconut cup, but being on a boat, on a beach, relaxing instead of dedicating your afternoon to pretending to relax with 5000 other people in a themed bar.

But that just might be me. Don't mean to judge anyone else's views, just the way I felt when I read about it.

Maybe they'll figure out a way to avoid that tourist trap feeling. Or maybe it'll be the worst tourist trap out there. We don't need another tourist trap in that area so I hope that it's more like what you envision or at least pretends to be.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

the wife and i are pretty big fans as well, this time last week i was recovering from another concert of his. However I have to disagree.

Margarativille is a state of mind, at least thats what I've always felt. Why not make it a place you can actually go to? I love the idea of staying in a resort that fits that theme.

Depending on how close this is to WDW, i can actually see myself spending the money to stay here instead of on property.

Maybe i'll finally be able to find that lost shaker of salt......

I hope they do have salt shakers hidden throughout the property and if you find one you can turn it in for a free margarita or something

 

[soniam]

Maybe, but I guess I think more of a pretty anti-tourist sentiment that's gone through his stuff, from the lost verse of Margaritaville (old men in tank tops, cruising the gift shops, checking out chiqutas down by the shore) or Cowboy in the Jungle (while American women in mu-mus talk about all the things they did today ... I don't want to swim in a roped-off sea), or even some real anthems to stuff (One Particular Harbor, or When the Coast is Clear), not to mention his strong support and affection for Hiassen's anti-tourist books (if you're never read Tourist Season, please do). And I guess there was always an authentic feel to those escapes that he talked about -- not hanging out in a tourist trap with a Hawaian shirt on drinking a watered-down drink from a fake coconut cup, but being on a boat, on a beach, relaxing instead of dedicating your afternoon to pretending to relax with 5000 other people in a themed bar.

But that just might be me. Don't mean to judge anyone else's views, just the way I felt when I read about it.

I hate to say it, but there really is no Orlando culture but tourism. The town was nothing before WDW. Plus, as Rick Steve's says, some places are touristy for a reason, ie Venice, Italy. That place has been a tourist site for hundreds of years. If people enjoy going there, it's going to be touristy. I have felt the quality at the two of his restaurants that I have tried was good. The food and service were good, and the drinks were strong

Plus, most people with kids don't really want to go that far off the beaten track. It's surprisingly hard to find and can be expensive, and it has a perception of risk or being unsafe, which may be true in certain places.

 

[mtfd89]

This resort is going up almost across the street from Orange Lake, where we stay. As much as I would love staying on property, when my family travels from Buffalo there are usually around 25 to 30 of us, and OLCC allows us to afford our annual trip. This will add to the insane congestion on 192, but if Buffett's resort is anything like Orange Lake, there won't be any reason to leave. Except for a day or two at the parks!

 

[perdidobay]

If it weren't for the fact I'm about to start living at the beach full time, I'd sell my DVC points and just stay there.

 

[ChipnDale79]

It's right behind Animal Kingdom. If you know where Splendid China was they are using that land too.

Count me in then.