Travel + Leisure Co. plans to bring a Sports Illustrated hotel to Baton Rouge, La.
The property, located downtown near the Louisiana State University campus, will be a conversion of the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center, an 11-story hotel at 201 Lafayette Street. The building has been purchased by Florida-based Northshore Development alongside various investment partners, including LSU graduate and basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal.
The hotel will continue operating through 2026, with renovations expected to begin in early 2027 and finish by late 2027.
Upon completion, the property will offer a combination of vacation ownership, hotel and whole ownership units.
Travel + Leisure Co. COO Geoff Richards described Baton Rouge as a "sports tourism engine," citing its "rich college sports culture anchored by LSU and a proven track record of hosting youth, amateur and mega sporting events."
Travel + Leisure Co. launched the Sports Illustrated Resorts concept in 2023, targeting markets within college towns and "near universities with devoted fan bases." In addition to Baton Rouge, the brand has announced projects in Tuscaloosa, Alabama; Nashville; and Chicago.