Popular meetings and conference resort Amelia Island Plantation has been purchased by Omni Hotel & Resorts. The Irving, TX–based hotel company was the highest bidder in an August 23 auction for the Florida property, which has been under bankruptcy protection since last year. The $67.1 million bid is contingent on the Amelia Island Company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization plan obtaining approval at another court hearing on August 26.

Omni Hotels & Resorts expects to take over full ownership and operation of the resort sometime this fall, and the brand plans to expand the resort development with approximately 125 additional guest rooms and suites as well as a new 16,000 square foot ballroom to accommodate additional meetings and events.

“We are exceptionally pleased to add this extraordinary resort to the Omni portfolio given its great beauty, gracious accommodations and broad range of amenities,” said Mike Deitemeyer, president of Omni Hotels & Resorts. “We believe that the property extends our luxury resort collection and exemplifies our commitment to deliver memorable experiences to our guests.”

Amelia Island Plantation is situated on 1,350 acres at the northern tip of Florida and is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, green marshlands, and the Intracoastal Waterway. It has been designated as a sanctuary by Audubon International and is certified as a Green Lodging Destination by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection.

Accommodations include the Amelia Inn and the Villas of Amelia; nearly 50,000 square feet of space for conferences, retreats, or weddings; a conference center with two ballrooms and 15 breakout rooms, pre-function areas, and outdoor venues; 54 holes of award-winning golf; a tennis center with 23 courts; a signature spa; numerous pools; a shopping village; a state-of-the-art fitness center; nine culinary venues; and recreation options from fishing, sailing, and horseback riding to more than 7 miles of trails for hiking and biking.

The acquisition is part of Omni’s strategic expansion across North America. The brand added the Omni Bedford Springs Resort in Bedford, PA, and Omni Mount Washington Resort in Bretton Woods, NH, in 2009, and will unveil the first of its new wellness boutique brand, Mokara, with the conversion of San Antonio’s Watermark Hotel & Spa into the Mokara Hotel & Spa on September 7, 2010. This page is protected by Copyright laws. Do Not Copy