Lake Lanier Islands is a resort complex built on a small group of islands on

Lake Lanier Lake Lanier (officially Lake Sidney Lanier) is a reservoir in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. It was created by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956, and is also fed by the waters of the Chestatee Ri ...

, the largest lake in Georgia, located 60 miles northeast of

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

. The resort complex was established in 1974 and includes a hotel,

water park A water park (or waterpark, water world) is an amusement park that features water play areas such as swimming pools, water slides, splash pads, water playgrounds, and lazy rivers, as well as areas for floating, bathing, swimming, and other baref ...

, golf course, multiple conference and meeting venues, beaches, boat docks, and a number of other recreational amenities.

History

The Lake Lanier islands were originally large hills near Gainesville. After the creation of

Buford Dam Buford Dam is a dam in Buford, Georgia which is located at the southern end of Lake Lanier, a reservoir formed by the construction of the dam in 1956. The dam itself is managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers. The dam is made of ...

and the flooding of part of the Chattahoochee River valley created Lake Lanier, the hills became the largest chain of islands in the lake. In 1957, The US Army Corps of Engineers leased the Lake Lanier islands to the Georgia Department of State Parks, which partnered with the newly created Lake Lanier Islands Development Authority (LLIDA) in 1962 to manage and develop a recreational venue for the citizens of Georgia to enjoy. Development included Harbor Landing boat docks, campgrounds, horse stables, beaches, a golf course and the PineIsle Hotel. The complex opened in 1974, and the PineIsle Hotel opened the following year. A water park opened in 1987. Events held at the complex include annual

Independence Day An independence day is an annual event commemorating the anniversary of a nation's independence or statehood, usually after ceasing to be a group or part of another nation or state, or more rarely after the end of a military occupation. Man ...

fireworks, on the lake, full moon parties, and "Magical Nights of Lights." The State of Georgia contracted with the KSL Corporation to take over the day-to-day management and operations of Lake Lanier Islands. In August 2005, Virgil Williams, through his venture, Lake Lanier Islands Management Company, bought the resort complex from the KSL Corporation. The purchase was for 14.5 million dollars. Since purchasing the resort, the KLL Corporation has worked to improve the islands. The PineIsle resort closed that year and was demolished in 2008. Under the ownership of the Lake Lanier Islands Management Company, the property has received numerous upgrades and renovations. In 2008, it completed renovations at Legacy Lodge & Conference Center when the previous Emerald Point Hotel & Conference Center "was completely rebuilt using only the shell of the original structure." In April 2014, Legacy Lodge opened a saltwater lounging pool, replacing their previous pool and hot tubs. In the summer of 2016, Legacy Lodge & Conference center, the hotel on Lanier Islands, underwent a 2 million dollar renovation.
/ref> The upgrades included "214 rooms now have new hardwood floors, artwork and decor with an outdoors theme, as well as new bedding, mini-refrigerators and Keurig coffee makers. Other upgrades include newly painted woodwork and ceilings throughout the hotel, new wallcoverings in guest rooms and corridors, new carpets in corridors and new lighting and window treatments." In 2018 the Lake Lanier Islands Management Company made a deal with

Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffet ...

’s Margaritaville Development and SafeHarbor in order to invest millions of dollars into the island and theme park LanierWorld, and assume management.

References

{{authority control Bodies of water of Hall County, Georgia Lake islands of Georgia (U.S. state) Tourist attractions in Hall County, Georgia 1974 establishments in Georgia (U.S. state) Water parks in Georgia (U.S. state)