A Margaritaville Resort is Coming to Newport on the Levee

The resort will include 264 rooms, a 12th-floor pool and Five O'Clock Somewhere Bar and Grill overlooking downtown and a rooftop event space.

By Katherine Barrier on Thu, Sep 21, 2023 at 10:38 am

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Photo: facebook.com/margaritaville

Margaritaville Island Hotel in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Newport on the Levee is setting its sights on the tropics as it plans to bring a Margaritaville Resort to Northern Kentucky, and with it, tons of jobs.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear highlighted the project Wednesday while speaking on the growth of Kentucky’s tourism industry.

“We just celebrated our best year on record for Kentucky tourism in 2022, and with exciting projects like Margaritaville being announced, we know this success will only continue,” Beshear said in a press release. “This resort will help drive visitors to the Campbell County area, boosting the local economy and creating 282 new jobs for Kentuckians. We are grateful to these leaders for choosing Kentucky and our workforce.”

The $133.6-million project — a venture between Newport on the Levee owner North American Properties (NAP), Stormont Hospitality Group and High Street Real Estate Partners — will be fronting the Ohio River and is expected to create 187 full-time and 95 part-time jobs while boosting the region’s economy. A family-friendly entertainment destination, the Margaritaville Resort will have 264 rooms, a JWB Grill, a License to Chill Bar, a 12th-floor pool with a Five O’Clock Somewhere Bar and Grill that will overlook downtown Cincinnati, a retail space and over 10,000 square feet of event space, including a rooftop space.

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“Margaritaville Hotel Resort will enhance our city’s vibrant culture, create jobs and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. We are excited to welcome Margaritaville to our community and are honored to continue Jimmy Buffett’s ever-lasting connection to our region,” Newport Mayor Tom Guidugli Jr. said in the release.

Newport Hotel Associates received preliminary approval for the project Wednesday from the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority (KTDFA) for incentives totaling almost $33.4 million. The project has now moved to final approval by the KTDFA. Plans are to complete the hotel by fall 2026.

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Katherine Barrier

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Katherine Barrier is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati’s journalism program and has nearly 10 years of experience reporting local and national news as a digital journalist. At CityBeat, she oversees the digital and social media strategies, edits web and print content and writes for the dining and arts...

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