UPDATE 5:10 p.m.:
Less than two years after opening, Sunseeker Resort in Charlotte Harbor, owned by Allegiant, has just been sold for $200 million. While the resort is hard to miss when crossing the U.S. 41 bridge, despite the location some neighbors believe what the Sunseeker didn’t offer may have led to its sale.
Watch to hear what neighbors told Community Correpondent Austin Schargorodski about Sunseeker:
This 22-acre luxury resort finally opened in December 2023 after pandemic delays and a construction fire. With 785 rooms, multiple restaurants, three pools, and a golf course, the resort said its goal was to be a tourism magnet for Charlotte Harbor.
Marcel Delacruz lives nearby and said the resort made him excited for the area's future.
“I was very uplifted that they were going to revitalize the economy and make this area bloom - bring in tourism, families, business and everything,” Delacruz said.
But Delacruz said that excitement started to fizzle out when he heard about the resort struggling. Other people Schargorodski talked to say they had questions about the resort because of what’s around it…or rather, not around it.
“When it first was planning to be opened, everybody that I know down here or my neighbors and so forth said I can't imagine, you know, there's going to be a success because it's too big, too many rooms. There's no beach. Not a lot to do,” said Bob Glass.
“All it really needed was a beach, you know?” added Bob Mezera.
Those doubts were seen in the bank account. During Allegiant's earnings call earlier this year, the company reported a $321 million impairment charge -- meaning a value decrease, $5.7 million in damages from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, and just 54% occupancy in the fourth quarter of 2024.
So, they decided to sell - and the buyer is Blackstone Real Estate. Senior Managing Director Scott Trebilco calls Sunseeker "a brand new, highly-amenitized resort," saying his team will "bring our extensive experience with large scale resorts to Sunseeker."
People Schargorodski talked with say they hope that expertise pays off.
“I'm hoping they're going to make it,” Mezera said. “I wish them well because I would like to see success,” said Glass. “I really want to see that whole area just blossom,” Delacruz said.
The sale is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025.
ORIGINAL REPORTING:
The underperorming Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor is under new ownership.
Blackstone Real Estate has agreed to purchase Sunseeker Resort Charlotte Harbor from Allegiant Travel Company in a $200 million deal expected to close next year.
SELLING SUNSEEKER: Allegiant Travel Company to sell majority stake in Sunseeker Resort
The resort opened in December of 2023 after years of delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a construction fire.
In February, a little more than a year after opening, Allegient announced they would be selling off a majority of the resort.
The newly built luxury resort spans 22 waterfront acres on Florida's Gulf Coast and features 785 rooms along with extensive amenities including multiple restaurants, two pools, a spa, fitness center, rooftop adult pool and bar, championship golf course, and over 60,000 square feet of meeting space.
"The acquisition of this brand new, highly-amenitized resort demonstrates our strong conviction in hospitality and travel and the continued growth in group-oriented destinations. Allegiant has built a fantastic property and we look forward to bringing our extensive experience with large scale resorts to Sunseeker," Scott Trebilco, Senior Managing Director at Blackstone Real Estate, said.
"Blackstone's extensive hospitality holdings and their execution capabilities make them the ideal counterparty for this transaction and also to help realize the full potential of Sunseeker Resort," Gregory C. Anderson, CEO at Allegiant Travel Company, said. "Furthermore, it supports Allegiant's strategy centered around the airline and we plan to use the proceeds from the sale to repay debt and strengthen our balance sheet."
Barclays served as financial advisor to Allegiant for the transaction, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2025, pending customary closing conditions.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
