Jekyll Island Revitalization is underway and it's all good here on our beautiful island! A groundbreaking celebration and tree planting commemorated the official launch of this historic initiative in late 2009, and by 2012, Jekyll Island will once again be recognized as a premier travel destination in the Southeast. Below is information outlining our plans and progress, and we'd love to hear from you with ideas and feedback.
Updates From The Executive Director:
2/3/2012
11/28/2011
11/10/2011
Aerial shots of the convention center site and surrounding landscaping is really starting to paint a picture of the beautiful layout of the new village. In fact, 75% of construction has been completed and May - our opening date - is right around the corner.
If you’ve visited Great Dunes Park recently, or driven south along Beachview Drive, you’ve seen the transformation our Jekyll Island Convention Center has taken. With approximately 65% of construction complete on our cornerstone revitalization project, we are looking forward to a spring 2012 completion date.
The new Jekyll Island Convention Center is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated infrastructure projects currently being developed in the Southeast. The booking pace of new conventions at the Center continues to increase as meeting planners from all over the country begin to see what we’ve known all along - Jekyll Island is a truly remarkable place.
The new Convention Center is anticipated to achieve Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification at a Silver level, making the facility the only modern “green” LEED certified beachfront Convention Center in the region. This element has been regarded as a tremendous enhancement by meeting planners, as most are strongly encouraged by their organizations to choose eco-friendly facilities.
Already 56 convention groups have booked their meetings on Jekyll Island for 2012 and over 70 have booked for 2013. This exceeds our all-time number of annual conferences and the Jekyll Island Authority is now striving for a total of 90 convention groups for 2013!
As spring 2012 is fast approaching, Jekyll Island fans far and wide are looking forward to having this remarkable piece of the revitalization come to life.
10/11/2011
9/27/2011
The Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) met this week for their monthly Board Meeting and reviewed a variety of items including a proposal to add additional public parking and beach access to the Jekyll Island Beach Village project.
The proposal, which was developed internally by the Jekyll Island Authority executive team and included input from project architects HHCP, calls for an improved public beach access area that includes 131 parking spaces, family picnic pavilions, gazebo and restrooms with changing areas.
The project would in essence revitalize the existing beach deck and bathroom facility. Renderings created by HHCP show one of the planned enhancements, a Beach Pavilion restroom comprised of stucco, tabby stone and a standing seam metal roof which will be cultivated into the new area.
9/15/2011
8/17/2011-8/18/2011
Jekyll Island residents about to board a hard hat tour of the Jekyll Island Convention Center Construction site.
Jon Stevenson Kay Hoffman Rick Hoffman
The Jekyll Island Authority recently hosted behind-the-scenes hard hat tours of the Jekyll Island Convention Center construction site to the public. Participants had the unique opportunity to suite up and explore this cornerstone revitalization project. The Jekyll Island Convention Center is now over 55% complete.
7/25/2011
Governor Deal joined Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) Board Chairman Bob Krueger, JIA Board Members Mark Williams and Mike Hodges along with JIA Executive Director Jones Hooks for a brief hard hat tour of the highly anticipated Jekyll Island Convention Center.
“I’m thrilled I had the opportunity to tour the makings of the new Jekyll Island Convention Center. I know the work that has been put in this project by the Jekyll Island Authority Board of Directors and the Jekyll Island Authority staff and it’s inspiring to see that work develop as it has for this particular revitalization project,” stated Governor Deal. “I can’t wait to see the final result.”
Construction on the ocean front Convention Center is scheduled to be complete in the summer of 2012 in conjunction with a limited-service 135 room Hyatt Place Hotel.
“The revitalization of Jekyll Island is of importance to the entire state of Georgia. The promise of this project is already benefiting the coastal Georgia economy,” stated JIA Board Chairman Bob Krueger. “Ultimately the project will create construction jobs at a payroll of approximately $56,000,000 and include 350 to 400 permanent jobs.”
6/10/2011
Tilt walls, concrete columns, and masonry wall construction are nearing completion. Steel super structure and extensive roof work are underway. The Jekyll Island Authority is delighted to see what development has transpired since the initial construction began, rooms are now considerably defined as well as pre-function areas. Jekyll Island Authority employees were able to take a first hand look at the construction after being treated to a cookout at The Great Dunes Park.
Construction on the ocean front Convention Center is scheduled to be complete in the summer of 2012 in conjunction with a limited-service 135 room Hyatt Place Hotel.
6/4/2011
Hyatt Place is coming to Jekyll Island! Hyatt Place features casual hospitality in a well-designed, technology-enabled, contemporary environment. Property sizes range from 125 to 200 rooms and are located in urban, airport and suburban areas. Jekyll Island's will feature 135 rooms, with a room mix sized to support both the leisure guest and Conventioneer. A Signature feature of Hyatt Place includes The Gallery leisure area and Coffee/Bar which offers specialty coffees, beverages, snacks and fresh baked treats for the 24/7 traveler, as well as daily complimentary expanded continental breakfast. The hotel also features a sunroom, fitness area, heated pool and guest laundry facilities. Hyatt Place guests are both individual business travelers as well as families spending time together on weekends. Hyatt Place properties are also well suited to serve small corporate/executive meetings. The Jekyll Island Hyatt Place will maintain the Hyatt Place experience and these Signature features, however they will be site adapted to co-exist with the New Village Businesses and Convention Center.
5/25/2011
Construction continues on schedule with over 40% of the new convention center already complete! 95% of foundation/slab and infrastructure work is also complete. Water and sanitary utilities are also 95% complete. Once complete, the new 128,000 sq. ft. Jekyll Island Convention Center will satisfy a need within the Southeast convention market. The new Jekyll Island Convention Center is anticipated to achieve Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification at a Silver level, making the infrastructure the only modern "green" LEED certified beachfront Convention Center in the region. Over 50 groups have already booked at the new Convention Center for 2012-2013, book your group's meeting on Jekyll Island today!
3.1.2011
Walls are going up and slabs are being poured.
2.8.2011
Request for Qualifications
To Provide Facility Management / Operational Services for Jekyll Island Convention Center, Jekyll Island, Georgia The Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) is soliciting Statements of Qualifications from qualified firms to provide Facility Management / Operational Services for the new Jekyll Island Convention Center, Jekyll Island, Georgia.
Download the RFQ
Enjoy this video journal of the Jekyll Island rebirth process up to this point. Crank up the volume!
2.8.2011
Blizzards swept through Jekyll Island on Monday. Not the typical arctic blasts but those of the soft-serve variety from Dairy Queen as they opened their doors to the multitudes who ordered everything from Blizzards to Double Cheese Burgers to foot long hot dogs. Construction at the convention center is on schedule with steel columns rising from the ground.
1.28.2011
The revitalization efforts met a critical milestone when the new Flash Food Convenience Store opened this week. Visitors and residents alike can fill their tanks thanks to the determination of everyone involved in the project. Photos below also highlight the steel coming out of the ground on our new convention center scheduled to open in 2012 with over 78,000 square feet of flexible oceanfront meeting space.
1.06.2011
The revitalization efforts are well underway. The Historic District Convention Campus construction is now complete. The Gas Station and Dairy Queen Grill and Chill construction are moving along smoothly. The new Flash Foods Gas Station will open January, 2011 and Dairy Queen Grill and Chill will open February, 2011. Construction for the new Convention Center also just got underway. That is expected to open in 2012. See photos of the construction process here.
1.06.2011
View photos of the convention center demolition here. The NEW convention center will open in 2012.
12.09.2010
Governor Sonny Perdue, the Jekyll Island Authority (JIA) Board of Directors, staff, legislative and business representatives and members of the community gathered just north of the former convention center on Tuesday afternoon to commemorate the beginning of construction on the new Jekyll Island convention center and beach village.
Gov. Perdue and Jekyll Island Authority Board Celebrate Convention Center Groundbreaking
11.16.2010
After consultation with the Georgia State Patrol and the Jekyll Island Public Safety Department, beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, November 16, the Speed Limit for the Detour/Construction Zone/Fox Beach Parcel Areas has been changed from 35 miles/per hour to 25 miles/per hour.
The roads changed are as follows:
- All of Ben Fortson Parkway from the east side of the bridge to Beachview Drive.
- Riverview Drive from the Collection Booth to the intersection at Stable Road.
- Stable Road from the intersection at Riverview Drive to Capt. Wylly Road.
- All of Capt. Wylly Road; from the intersection of Capt. Wylly Road at Beachview Drive south to Shell Road.
- All of Shell Road.
11.15.2010
Jekyll Island Authority Board Members unveiled the newly renovated Morgan Center on Monday, November 15, 2010. View a photo gallery and a video of the ribbon-cutting ceremony.
11.08.2010
The Convention Center construction is underway. Construction crews demolished the old shopping center on Friday, November 5. The old convention center is set to be demolished in the next couple of weeks.
09.20.2010
The Jekyll Island Authority awarded the Construction Contract for the Beach Village Revitalization Project to Brasfield & Gorrie, LLC of Kennesaw, Georgia. The beach village project includes public infrastructure and assets in addition to site preparation for private hotel and retail development. Brasfield & Gorrie will work with the JIA design team which includes senior staff, a construction management consultant and members of the HHCP Architecture and Engineering team to complete this vital project. Read the full press release »
In addition, the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the brand new Great Dunes Park took place this afternoon.
08.10.2010
The developers for the new beach village and the two new hotels have been selected. To learn more about the developers and the revitalization plan, download the development plan.
07.19.2010
The Jekyll Island Authority Board of Directors approved a partnership agreement between Jekyll Island Authority and the College of Coastal Georgia (CCGA) to provide a pilot student program offering a wide range of mutually-beneficial educational, employment, social, athletic, and environmental activities to CCGA students.
Download the press release »
06.09.2010
Jekyll Island Morgan Center revitalization is underway! Watch this time lapse video of the construction process over the last 3 months. This project is ongoing and this video will be updated regularly. The Morgan Center, an old in-door tennis court, will be a multi-use state-of-the-art conference center.
Watch the June 9, 2010 Jekyll Island Revitalization Public Information Session video (it takes about a minute to buffer before it will play).
05.19.2010
General Contractor Services: Request for Statement of Qualifications
Convention Center & Site Development Shortlist
02.12.2010
Download the presentation from the February 10, 2010 Jekyll Island Revitalization Public Information Session. See the video below (it takes about a minute to buffer before it will play):
The Revitalization of Jekyll Island is Underway!
Jekyll Island is aiming to become a model conservation community on the Georgia Coast that will serve the world as a premier vacation and convention destination. An additional goal is to facilitate the conservation of our irreplaceable coastal environment and the preservation of historic sites for the benefit of future generations. Join our list to receive current information about Jekyll Island's revitalization and conservation.