Developers have plans to turn Pocono Manor into a resort inspired by the music of Jimmy Buffet, including a hotel, RV park, townhomes and cottages.

Plans for the Margaritaville Resort Village include replacing the Pocono Manor hotel - which burned in 2019 - RV campsites, and more than 1,000 units for tourists and rental tenants. The project would continue a trend of major investment at Pocono Manor started with Kalahari, and carry a reported price tag of $1.3 billion.

“This attraction is going to put us on the map in a major way,” said Chris Barrett, President of the Pocono Mountains Visitors Bureau.

The project was announced on Monday, at Kalahari, by Congressman Matt Cartwright, D-9, who said that it will build on the momentum created by that resort and Mount Airy Casino.

“We want to continue to see the Poconos thrive and continue to be the premier vacation destination in the entire tri-state area,” Cartwright said.

Pocono Manor is owned JEMB Realty Corp. Margaritaville calls itself a “global lifestyle brand.” It lends its name to hotel and real estate development projects around the country. Bailey said his company, JEMB Realty Corp., has previously partnered with Margaritaville at its casino and hotel in Atlantic City.

Incorporating history

“We look forward to bringing the same energy and excitement to the Poconos,” Bailey said.

The Margaritaville Hotel Pocono Mountains will be built on the site of the Pocono Manor Hotel and Spa. The design of the hotel is made to look similar to the original 1902 building. The hotel will include a LandShark Bar & Grill, swimming pools and other amenities.

The Margaritaville Village will include more than 1,000 units available for guest staying “a week, month, or longer.” A site plan displayed at Monday’s announcement showed that units would be built around the existing Pocono Manor golf course.

The Camp Margaritaville RV Resort is proposed immediately south of Kalahari Resorts, and the Margaritaville Village would be located around the Pocono Manor golf course. It would include campsites and cabins as well as RV suites with included golf carts and hot tubs. Proposed amenities include a restaurant, fitness center and swim-up bar.

Jim Wiseman, Margaritaville’s President of Development, called the Pocono Mountains the “ultimate family destination for over eight decades,” and said its geography fits the brand’s reputation for retreat and relaxation.

“We’re proud to bring new jobs to the community and welcome new visitors to our state of mind,” Wiseman said.

Construction

A press release from the Margaritaville brand said that construction could begin in 2023 and be completed in a year.

There are currently two other proposed developments on the 3,000-acre Pocono Manor site.

The proposed Swiftwater Solar would be the state’s largest solar energy project, covering over 630 acres. AT&T plans to purchase the power generated at the site.

The unbuilt Pocono Springs entertainment complex, which was first announced in 2018, also appeared on a site plan shown during Monday’s announcement.

While the resort will be able to accommodate visitors with Class A motorhomes that can measure up to 40 feet, Cartwright is hopeful that other visitors to the resort will arrive without any vehicles at all. If a long-awaited rail link between New York and Scranton is realized, the proposed route would go through Pocono Manor. Cartwright said during Monday’s press conference that Pocono Manor’s owners have agreed to donate land along the rail corridor for an Amtrak station.

“Now is the time to connect the Poconos to New York and New Jersey and the larger world by train,” Cartwright said.