Escapes!, Inc., historically one of the leading and oldest independent timeshare development companies, will break ground this month on Escapes! to The Shores in Orange Beach, Alabama, a newly constructed resort scheduled to open in late summer 2008. The new resort is designed to dramatically enhance the existing resort property, The Shores, which was originally built in the early 1980s. This latest addition to the Escapes! network of resorts will also significantly expand the vacation and travel opportunities available to The Shores' existing 700-family owner-base.

"Escapes! is thrilled to expand in the Alabama market with our ninth resort to open and our fourth beach-front property. The Shores is a special place where owners care deeply about each other and their resort, and we are excited to welcome them into our growing family of owners. Escapes! is confident that The Shores owners will develop and enjoy strong bonds with friends and family over the years in this new, luxurious setting," said John A. Cooper III, president of Cooper Communities, Inc., the parent company of Escapes!

The new 20-floor Escapes! resort will feature many fine upgrades to the existing property, including additional units, two levels of amenities, and an adjoining four-level parking facility. The resort will include 88 spacious units, including 16 one-bedroom suites, 50 two-bedroom suites and 18 three-bedroom suites in addition to 4 two-story luxury penthouse condominiums. The two- and three-bedroom suites will boast an oceanfront view, and their interiors will be appointed with luxurious details and a variety of amenities, including tile floors, a washer/dryer, a Jacuzzi, and a walk-in shower.

The resort amenities will include both indoor and outdoor pools, a hot tub, fitness center, sauna and steam room, an indoor activity center, a playground and barbeque grills, and The Shores' treasured Landmark Gazebo. The solid concrete construction is designed to sustain minimal damage in the event of a hurricane. Also, in keeping with the company's long tradition of environmental preservation, the new Escapes! resort project is designed to enhance the surrounding environment and will feature natural Gulf landscaping.

The general contractor for the $40 million project is Birmingham-based Hoar Construction, LLC, which also constructed Escapes!' Galveston resort. The architectural design is being completed by Beatty-Hill Group, LLC of Memphis, Tennessee. Trend Investment Services of Houston, Texas was instrumental in securing development entitlements for the project. The construction progress will be viewable via webcam in the near future.

The existing members of The Shores Condominium Ownership Association will enjoy a fee simple ownership interest in the new resort. The Shores owners will also enjoy the opportunity to access other Escapes! resorts, cruises, and other travel benefits currently available to the 18,000 owners in the existing Escapes! family of resorts, by electing to convert their ownership to Escapes!' points based ownership system, Escapes Travel Choices (ETC). "The impressive quality of construction, design, locations, amenities and operations of the Escapes! resorts, along with the benefits we realized in funding, substantial upgrades, new amenities, and enhanced travel opportunities, led to the overwhelming approval of Escapes! as the developer by our Resort Association," said Andy Denton, president of The Shores Owners Association. "We are excited about our future with Escapes! and know that ours will be one of the premier Gulf-front resorts."

The resort is located in the heart of Alabama's Gulf Coast recreational paradise, with 32 miles of sugar-white sand, green golf courses and rich history. Owners and guests can enjoy spectacular outlet shopping in nearby Foley, delicious seafood dining, water parks, and para-sailing over the shores of Orange Beach.

The new mixed-use resort will offer a variety of ownership options to new owners, including both timeshare and whole ownership, with anticipated sales commencement by year-end. Consumers will be invited to consider the benefits of membership in Escapes Travel Choices (ETC) vacation club, through which members tailor vacation choices to meet their lifestyles and needs, with choices of resort location, time of year, accommodation size, and length of stay. The resort will be managed by Escapes Property Management, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Escapes!

Last Updated ( Thursday, 29 June 2006 )