As downtown Atlanta’s Margaritaville resort tower enters the home stretch of construction, anyone expecting a building associated with the good-times brand to be heavy on parrot motifs, plastic coconuts, and the vapid aesthetic of a beachside Florida condo tower might be surprised.

What’s emerged over Centennial Olympic Park the past year and 1/2—while short on balconies for an Atlanta high-rise—is more of a restrained work of glass with moments of geometric flair.

As architects with Columbia, South Carolina-based Garvin Design Group explain, the 22-story timeshare project under Jimmy Buffett’s brand “literally mirrors the energy of the city,” with its main glass façade aimed at landmarks such as CNN Center, the College Football Hall of Fame, Georgia Aquarium, and the Center for Civil and Human Rights.

Continuing Margaritaville’s push into urban centers, the resort with two ownership brands—Club Wyndham and Margaritaville Vacation Club—is designed to harness “the energy and excitement of the big city with the familiar comfort of being on vacation,” per the architects. At the base, the two-story Margaritaville restaurant (where there definitely will be parrot motifs) was drawn up to “encourage pedestrian interaction along adjacent sidewalks, and maximize views of the surrounding cityscape.”

How restaurant patios will meet Centennial Olympic Park Drive sidewalks. Wyndham Destinations/Margaritaville Vacation Club; designs, Garvin Design Group

From near CNN Center. Josh Green/Urbanize Atlanta

Standard units will span levels eight through 12, while the upper floors will house more upscale “Presidential” timeshares, some with three bedrooms.

Before the Parrotthead paradise could break ground, historic preservationists, some city leaders, and thousands of Atlanta petitioners rallied against construction. Their goal was to save a small, century-old structure at 152 Nassau Street, where country music’s first hit song is widely believed to have been cut in a former recording studio.

A legal saga to save “the birthplace of country music” lasted two years and became national news. Ultimately, however, backhoes moved in and wasted away the two-story structure in January last year, clearing the site.

According to promotional materials, the new building will offer 200 suites for Margaritaville Vacation Club and Club Wyndham owners. Elsewhere, Margaritaville debuted its city hotel concept in Nashville in 2019; and in New York City’s Time Square, a 234-room resort opened with 29 stories of island vibes in June.

We checked with the Atlanta project’s PR reps, but were told there’s nothing to update in terms of when the building might deliver exactly, or what rates might be to stay or live there. It's now expected to open sometime early next year.

Slap on your flip-flops, mind the pop-tops, and mosey up to the gallery for a look at how the building turned out, and where it’s headed. 

• Photo tour: Swanky new tower lends fresh perspectives on downtown ATL (Urbanize Atlanta)