The city of Ann Arbor could soon become one of the first college towns with a Sports Illustrated resort.
Right now, the company has two resorts — one opening soon in Orlando, Florida, and another in the Dominican Republic. The company is looking to expand to college towns with major sports programs including Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and now Ann Arbor.
The proposed site for the resort is the Kline Lot in downtown Ann Arbor.
In a public meeting Monday night, the CEO of Sports Illustrated resorts, who is also an Ann Arbor resident, said the project would cost over $200 million and would bring a roughly 16-story resort to downtown.
“We are an attraction. We have literally been given dollars from states because they looked at us and said you’re not just a hotel, you’re an attraction that is going to stand out,” Sports Illustrated CEO Chris Schroeder said.
The resort would use the Sports Illustrated brand and their catalog of images to have it Michigan-themed, highlighting the success of athletics in the state.