Key Points
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Partnership Structure: Travel + Leisure will own the Sports Illustrated brand, along with its mixed-use development and management. Wyndham will contribute by providing loyalty programs, distribution, marketing, and developer relationships. No financial details were disclosed.
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Current Status: The brand has one fully branded resort, a 185-suite vacation ownership property located on Nashville’s Music Row. Planned projects in Orlando and Ann Arbor have fallen through, while the Tuscaloosa project is now delayed until 2028. Chicago and Baton Rouge locations are expected to open in 2027.
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Target Markets: CEO Geoff Ballotti indicates a focus on college towns and major urban markets, similar to Hilton’s Graduate brand. Competition is increasing, including from the former Cap Cana property now under TAN Resorts.
Summary
Travel + Leisure Co. and Wyndham are collaborating to establish Sports Illustrated Resorts as a hotel brand after three years of limited expansion relying mainly on timeshares and branded residences. This new partnership allows developers to create standalone Sports Illustrated hotels or integrate them in mixed-use developments that may include vacation ownership and residences. Travel + Leisure will oversee brand management and development, while Wyndham will offer support in marketing and developer relations. However, specific financial terms and growth targets were not disclosed. The current development pipeline is thin and facing delays. Planned openings in key cities are being pushed back, with a focus on attracting sports fans during peak events like football games and graduations, amidst increasing competition in the sports-themed hotel market.
