Lake Lanier’s massive Margaritaville welcomes two new party yachts

Before this week, the Jimmy Buffett-inspired makeover of the 1,500-acre Lanier Islands resort compound was missing just one thing: a small fleet of party yachts.

(How else could one turn the Hall County attraction into the hip tourist trap it deserves to be?)

Luckily, Margaritaville Holdings and Safe Harbor Development, a joint venture plotting a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of the Lake Lanier property, announced Monday that the project will come complete with two “excursion yachts,” which will fittingly hit the water on Cinco de Mayo, according to a press release.

The transformation slated for Buford’s hotel complex and water park will take years to complete, but Margaritaville at Lanier Islands is expected to get the party started this month, boasting a nautically-themed roster of restaurants and rides, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Aptly named “The Margaritaville” and “The LandShark” (also the name of a lager brewed by Buffett’s company), these two boats will accommodate up to 70 and 80 people, respectively, and be stocked to keep their passengers well-liquored.

Margaritaville at Lanier Islands

“Designed to reflect Margaritaville’s ‘no worries’ tropical vibe and let guests kick their feet up, enjoying a day in paradise, the boats will host wine and margarita cruises each Saturday and Sunday this summer,” per the release.

The cover charge will cost up to $80, and each yacht will offer indoor seating in its “luxury enclosed cabin,” as well as a rooftop deck to “set the Margaritaville mood” (i.e. a nice rum drunk).

This project will be Margaritaville Holdings’s first lakeside endeavor, adding to its 12-strong list of lodging offerings. As of last August, at least, the company was also in the process of opening a downtown Atlanta restaurant.

And, for anyone searching for a summer job under the suburban sun, Lake Lanier’s Margaritaville is hiring.

This story has been updated to say The Margaritaville is no longer offering free drink tickets with its boarding passes.

• Take a look at the restaurants that will be part of Margaritaville at Lanier Islands [AJC]