New Concept Blends Giant, LED-filled Concert Venue With Resort Hotel

October 19, 2020 by Dave Haynes

The giant recorded music company Universal Music Group (UMG) has announced it is getting  into the destination resort with themed UMUSIC hotels that could be a big, largely unexpected business opportunity for direct view LED vendors and the supporting ecosystem.

The hotels are built around large live concert facilities, using a lot of LED in the concert venue and around the property. The set-up, with an atrium for the concert venue and balcony rooms looking out over it, could just as easily be used for conferences and product launches.

Having a big arena or concert bowl attached to a hotel is not new. In Vegas, hotels as diverse as the Mandalay Bay and Orleans have arenas hosting everything from MMA fights to rodeo and  curling (honest).

Universal recently announced its joint venture plans with Dakia U-Ventures, an investment group. The first three announced locations will be: Atlanta, Georgia; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Orlando, Florida.

Embodying each location’s unique spirit, the hotels will draw inspiration from their respective local culture and serve as creative hubs in communities around the world – promoting positive social change, education and innovation through the power of music. Guests will discover the soul of each city through its rich local music heritage.

UMUSIC Hotels are committed to helping their communities thrive – creating jobs for local residents, supporting local businesses and suppliers, and creating opportunities for local artists, such as the establishment of new state-of-the-art music venues.

Robert Lavia, Chairman at Dakia U-Ventures: “Every destination holds a great story just waiting to be told through its cultural heritage and its music. Through this new concept, we will both help people discover new ways to channel their love for music and the arts and help empower the transformation of communities worldwide through cultural, inspirational, creative and conscious collaboration. And we’re thrilled to work together with Universal Music Group who shares our vision and passion about the powerful role of culture and music for each community we touch.”

Bruce Resnikoff, President and CEO of Universal Music: “Through music’s unique power to inspire and unite – especially given UMG’s unparalleled roster of artists and labels – UMUSIC Hotels will both highlight these cities’ rich music heritages and provide new opportunities for artists to reach fans in immersive, innovative and authentic ways.”

The hotels will be run by Boston’s Pyramid Hotel Group.

This is, of course, an interesting time to be pushing the poker chips into the middle of the table on projects that involve travel and very large gatherings, but these venues are probably 24-plus  months out from opening their doors, and we all hope COVID-19 is behind us by then.

There is a lot of LED in these conceptual images, ands presumably there’d also be a lot of digital signage around the hotel footprint. Pyramid runs a pile of Marriotts and other hotel brands, though I don’t know who would be calling the shots on the property design and infrastructure. There’s a reasonable chance Universal is attaching its name and input, but would have little to do with the day to day.