In Brief: Travel + Leisure Co. and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts have announced a partnership to develop and operate Sports Illustrated Resorts hotels, aiming to leverage the Sports Illustrated brand to expand their presence in the themed resort market.
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Image Credit Sports Illustrated Resorts
Travel + Leisure Co. and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts have expanded their partnership to establish a framework for developing and operating hotels under the Sports Illustrated Resorts brand.
The arrangement covers hotel-only developments and mixed-use destinations that may combine hotel, vacation ownership and residential components. Wyndham will use its hotel industry relationships to identify potential development partners and asset owners as Travel + Leisure Co. expands Sports Illustrated Resorts.
Travel + Leisure Co. introduced Sports Illustrated Resorts in 2023 as a concept for sports-themed resort and lifestyle destinations in college towns and leisure markets. The platform includes hospitality, vacation ownership and residential offerings.
Travel + Leisure Co. will provide brand stewardship, mixed-use development and management, while Wyndham will provide distribution, development and commercial infrastructure.
Sports Illustrated Resorts Nashville is welcoming owners and guests as the first fully branded Sports Illustrated Resorts destination. The 185-suite resort is on Music Row and includes sports-inspired amenities, social spaces and experiences connected to Nashville’s sports, entertainment and cultural offerings.
Additional Sports Illustrated Resorts destinations are underway in Chicago, Baton Rouge and Tuscaloosa. The Chicago location is operating in its “preseason era,” with project completion and the full brand offering expected in early 2027.
The Baton Rouge project is planned for a phased opening later in 2027 and is the first confirmed Sports Illustrated Resorts location planned to include a hotel component. The Tuscaloosa project is the brand’s first ground-up resort and is expected to open in 2028.
Travel + Leisure Co. and Wyndham Hotels & Resorts also have a relationship involving Club Wyndham, Margaritaville Vacation Club and Eddie Bauer Adventure Club. Those brands connect with Wyndham hotels through Wyndham Rewards, which has more than 126 million enrolled members.
Sports Illustrated Resorts is operated by Travel + Leisure Co. under license from Authentic Brands Group.