The planned redevelopment of Carambola Beach Resort brings Club Med back to U.S. shores while pairing an all-inclusive model with local economic and environmental priorities.
Club Med and VICI Properties announced on June 15, 2026, the acquisition and planned redevelopment of Carambola Beach Resort in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. The project is intended to return Club Med to U.S. shores through a future 150-key resort operating under the Club Med St. Croix name. It matters beyond the property itself because the partnership combines a hospitality operator’s premium all-inclusive format with an experiential real-estate owner’s investment in a historic island asset.
The development places the resort within Club Med’s Exclusive Collection, its premium all-inclusive portfolio, while retaining a connection to the site’s existing character. Carambola Beach Resort was originally built in 1986 by philanthropist and conservation pioneer Laurance Rockefeller, and the redevelopment plans call for a comprehensive renovation that preserves the property’s natural beauty and historic roots. The resort is positioned between a crescent beach and tropical rainforest, giving the planned project a setting closely tied to St. Croix’s landscape and cultural identity.
Under the announced structure, VICI acquired Carambola Beach Resort, entered into a long-term triple-net lease with Club Med and will fund the redevelopment. Club Med will operate the future resort, which is planned to feature elevated design, personalised service and experiences associated with the Exclusive Collection. The companies said the project is aimed at travellers from the United States, Canada and elsewhere, while discussions with senior government officials have focused on local employment, education and training, business development and responsible tourism.
The announcement also ties the property’s redevelopment to Club Med’s Happy to Care sustainability commitments. The project is targeting BREEAM and Green Globe certifications, which the release describes as benchmarks for environmental design and operational responsibility. Once complete, the redevelopment is projected to generate approximately 200 direct jobs, along with at least as many indirect opportunities, and is expected to involve excursion operators, service providers, local farmers and artisans. Those stated objectives frame the resort as both a visitor destination and a proposed channel for wider local participation in tourism.
The release reported that construction was expected to begin in summer 2026, with a targeted reopening in the fourth quarter of 2027. It did not report a confirmed opening date, final room rates or a completed redevelopment, leaving the project’s next phase dependent on the planned construction programme. For Club Med, the St. Croix resort represents a return to the U.S. market through a partnership model that joins branded operations, property investment and destination-specific commitments in one development.
