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A downtown Baton Rouge hotel will soon be converted into a year-round sports hospitality destination. The Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center will get a 40-million-dollar makeover and will reopen as a Sports Illustrated Resort. Geoff Richards, the chief operating officer of vacation ownership at Travel And Leisure Company, says the goal is to make Baton Rouge a year-round sports tourism destination.

Geoff Richards 1.wav (13) “…and vacation ownership.”

Richards says when his company was scouting cities to establish Sports Illustrated Resorts, Baton Rouge was a logical choice.

Geoff Richards 2.wav (12) “…see throughout Louisiana.”

Richards notes that one man behind this venture happens to be an LSU institution – Shaquille O’Neal.

Geoff Richards 3.wav (11) “…particularly at LSU.”

The Hilton will operate normally for the remainder of the year. The renovation will begin next year, with the resort opening by the end of the year.