Margaritaville at Lanier Islands is Making a Splash

Lanier Islands has taken on a new partnership and has officially received a Jimmy Buffet makeover. The new partnership between LLI Management Company, LLC and Safe Harbor Development, LLC is bringing the world famous Margaritaville right to our own backyard at Lanier Islands Resort. With millions of dollars already invested in renovations during the first phase, guests can expect the full Margaritaville experience at the adult-oriented Landshark Landing (formerly Sunset Cove), or enjoy the slides and attractions, beaches, and food at the Paradise Beach & Water Park family fun area. They have added over 1,200 lbs. of white sand to the beaches, doubled the size of the Aquatic Adventure obstacle course in the lake, brought affordable new food and beverage concepts to the water park and made safety and having fun their biggest priorities.

Margaritaville at Lanier Islands offers a large variety of boat and water sport rentals as well as Margarita and Wine Cruises. The LandShark and Margaritaville 850-foot redesigned excursion yachts sail around Lake Lanier with specialty drink tastings and paired appetizers.

These are only the beginning of the changes visitors can expect to see. Long-term plans the team hopes to bring include a Margaritaville branded hotel and convention center. “Over the last 11 years, the Williams family has been committed to elevating quality, product and service standards at Lanier Islands, in order to create a venue that Georgians can be proud of,” said Virgil Williams, chairman of the board for LLI Management Company, LLC during an event celebrating the opening of Landshark Landing and Paradise Beach. “We have been searching for a long time to find a creative financial and operations partner who shared our vision of what Lanier Islands could and should be.Darby Campbell and his team at Safe Harbor not only share that vision, but also our passion for providing an unsurpassed guest experience,” he said. Safe Harbor Development is one of the Southeast’s largest developers, private owners, and operators of marinas.

Based in Knoxville, Tennessee, the company has built or renovated more than $300 million in entertainment and retail venues, mixed-use developments, hotels, restaurants, spas, RV resorts and more, and has made Lake Lanier its newest undertaking. “Everyone wants to go to Margaritaville and everyone wants it to be 5 o’clock somewhere every day if they can get it, which is why the brand is perfect for this type of venue,” Margaritaville CEO John Cohlan shared. “So as we say here in Margaritaville – fins up and let the fin begin!”