Residents speak out against proposed Sports Illustrated Resort in Tuscaloosa

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – A crowd gathered at the Tuscaloosa City Council meeting Tuesday night to voice strong opposition to a proposed Sports Illustrated resort along Rice Mine Road. The nine-story, 18,000-square-foot resort, set to be built along the Black Warrior River, has raised concerns among local residents, primarily regarding traffic, building height, and environmental impact.

After hearing from the developers, several residents expressed unease. For Janet Crowder and many of her neighbors, the projected economic benefits don’t outweigh the potential disruptions to their community.

“I don’t want the Sports Illustrated concept here at all. They have Margaritaville. It sounds a little bit to me like it’s Roll Tide-Ville. I think we can do better, and I certainly think the design can be better,” said Crowder.

Many attendees voiced concerns about the resort’s impact on traffic, as well as the height of the building blocking views of the Black Warrior River. Despite assurances from developers that the resort will pay homage to the University of Alabama’s architectural style and focus on family-friendly experiences, some residents, like Deborah Weiss, remain unconvinced.

“Well, we already have insufficient hotel occupancy. It’s bringing in a lot of traffic, it’s going to be a lot of people at just a couple of times of year. I just don’t know how it benefits people. It’s not beautiful, it’s not a park. It’s not really bringing in more jobs. It’s kind of like destruction and people from this giant national company from out of state,” Weiss stated.

Developers countered that the resort would bring in more than 70 jobs, excluding additional roles like security and other support positions. Despite this, the council decided to table the discussion, planning another public hearing next week before potentially moving forward with a vote.

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