They’ll be searching for shakers of salt in Jacksonville Beach.
The hotel named after Jimmy Buffet’s signature song, “Margaritaville,” broke ground in the 700 block of 1st Street North on Friday.
The ocean front property will capitalize on Buffet’s carefully crafted laid-back lifestyle.
Margaritaville Holdings says once complete, the hotel will have 202 guestrooms along with the chain’s signature food and beverages.
An outdoor recreation area, including beachside pool, and fitness center will also be built.
“Jacksonville is one of the fastest-growing destinations in Florida and is well recognized as a classic beach town escape. We look forward to bringing Margaritaville’s ‘no worries’ lifestyle to those visiting Jacksonville Beach, while providing a new spot for locals to kick back and relax,” said Rick Cunningham, senior vice president of development for Margaritaville in an email to WJCT News.
Construction of Margaritaville Hotel Jacksonville is estimated to take 18 to 24 months.
The hotel will feature a u-shaped layout in order to maximize the number of ocean-view rooms.
Fins will be up at a two-story LandShark Bar & Grill that will include an observation deck.
The location’s design team worked with the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission to create and place well-lit beachfront pedestrian areas that help conserve local sea turtle populations.
The Margaritaville brand currently has 17 lodging locations and 24 additional projects in development.
Elite Hospitality Principal Manoj Bhoola previously told the Jacksonville Business Journal that construction could cost around $50 million. The Business Journal reported the property was purchased in 2017 for $11 million.
One final note, if by chance you’re not a “Parrothead,” which is what many Buffet fans call themselves, then you may not know what the lead sentence in this story refers to. In the song “Margaritaville,” Buffet sings about his lost shaker of salt.
Bill Bortzfield can be reached at bbortzfield@wjct.org, 904-358-6349 or on Twitter at @BortzInJax.
