A new Margaritaville resort is coming to Alabama’s Gulf Coast, bringing Jimmy Buffett’s famed island lifestyle brand back to the late singer’s hometown roots.
The Margaritaville resort empire is making its debut on the Alabama Gulf Coast, bringing the brand back to the origins of the late singer Jimmy Buffett.
This week, the Orange Beach Planning Commission approved site plans related to a significant Margaritaville development that will encompass three subdivisions: Amenity, Village, and Waterfront. The resort will feature vacation rentals, a lazy river, and well-known establishments like the Fins Bar & Grill and the Salty Rim swim-up bar. Construction, under the guidance of developer Sawgrass Consulting, is set to be completed in 2029.
Certain areas of the property will be designated for resort guests, while the Waterfront district will remain accessible to the public. Plans also encompass a ferry service across the Intracoastal Waterway to The Wharf entertainment district, enhancing public access to the development.
“Considering Jimmy Buffett's deep-rooted ties to the region, this iconic project holds significant importance for all in Margaritaville,” stated Margaritaville Holdings CEO John Cohlan in a release from the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber.
Buffett, who passed away in September 2023 at the age of 76, was brought up in nearby Mobile and spent his early years along the Alabama coast. In 1984, Buffett and his friend Dan Sweet launched a bar and grill in Gulf Shores named J.T.’s Margaritaville, which served as a forerunner to the restaurant chain that eventually developed into the worldwide Margaritaville brand. The venture concluded within a year, hindered by seasonal business challenges, four hurricane evacuations, and competing trademark disputes.
Even with those challenges, Buffett's coastal origins continued to play a vital role in his music and his business empire. Admirers of the “Parrothead” lifestyle have welcomed Margaritaville resorts across the globe, spanning from Florida to the Caribbean and further afield. The upcoming Orange Beach project represents the inaugural branded property in the area where Buffett’s iconic Gulf Coast sound originated.
The development signifies a dual opportunity for local leaders, serving as both a magnet for tourism and a return to cultural roots.
Officials along the Gulf Coast anticipate that the resort will create new economic prospects while honoring one of Alabama’s most renowned natives.
