Having been recognized with countless TripAdvisor awards for its best-in-class hospitality services and deemed Best of The Knot for its lavish lakeside weddings, Lanier Islands Resort has a new feather in its cap. Earlier this month, the Georgia Institute of Technology named the 1,200-acre Southern destination the Official Hotel and Resort of Georgia Tech athletics. Perhaps most proud of this distinction are the Chairman and President of Lanier Islands, both of whom are Georgia Tech alums. Virgil R. Williams graduated with an Industrial Engineering degree in 1963, and Matthew Bowling graduated with a Finance degree in 2019. The span of decades between graduation dates clearly indicates the Williams family’s devotion to the Top 10 Public University.

“From the moment you drive onto the Islands, you can see the impact Georgia Tech had on our family,” said Bowling, the President of Lanier Islands Resort and grandson of Virgil R. Williams. “My grandfather envisioned and designed the stunning bridge over the lake into the resort. While his sense of vision is all his own, a wealth of the engineering talent he developed at an early age was thanks to our alma mater. Georgia Tech has meant a great deal to me and my family. In addition to my grandfather and me, my wife and my brother are also Tech alumni. The opportunity to partner our family business with the Institute that has provided us with so much is very special.”

Bowling pointed to the many things about the resort that would appeal to his fellow Georgia Tech alumni and fans alike. Located within an hour’s drive of Atlanta and ideal for couples, groups of friends, families, and corporate teams, Lanier Islands Resort promises “A Different World, Close to Home.” The year-round destination offers several accommodation offerings, an 18-hole lakeside golf course, miles of walking trails, pickleball courts, and an indoor playground aptly named GameChanger. Fun seekers flock to Margaritaville at Lanier Islands for its Fins Up Water Park during the Spring and Summer months and for its License to Chill Snow Island during the holidays and Winter months. Visitors can rent a pontoon boat and explore the lake one day and relax poolside at the resort’s flagship Legacy Lodge the next.

Partnership with Georgia Tech Athletics

“It’s a great privilege to partner with Lanier Islands Resort, one of the premier hotels and resort destinations in the Southeast,” Georgia Tech vice president and director of athletics J Batt stated in a press release from the Institute. “We’re grateful for Matthew Bowling and his family’s longtime support of Tech athletics, and we’re very proud to link the Georgia Tech and Lanier Islands brands.”

In a show of respect for fellow Yellow Jackets and Georgia Tech fans everywhere, the lakeside resort plans to offer special accommodation rates to them during football season. To plan their stay around upcoming events at Lanier Islands Resort, Georgia Tech fans and other prospective guests of the lakeside destination are encouraged to visit https://www.lanierislands.com/events/. They are also invited to follow Lanier Islands on Facebook @lanierislands, Instagram @lanierislands, Twitter @lanierislands, and LinkedIn @Lanier Islands for the latest news. Lanier Islands Resort is 45 miles north of Atlanta at 7000 Lanier Islands Parkway in Buford. To view accommodation packages and make overnight reservations, visit https://www.lanierislands.com/special_offers/ or call 770-945-8787.