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Sea Island)
- For the archipelago, see Sea Islands. For the Island which contains Vancouver, British Columbia's Airport see Vancouver International Airport.
Sea Island is an isolated resort island in Glynn County, Georgia. It is located just off the Atlantic coast of southern Georgia. Sea Island is part of the group of islands known as the Golden Isles of Georgia together with Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, and Little St. Simons Island. Unlike its two nearest neighbors, Jekyll and St. Simons, Sea Island is sparsely developed and is held privately.
In 1911, Howard Coffin (owner of the Hudson Motor Company) purchased 20,000 acres (81 km²) of land on Sapelo Island and began developing it as a private resort for himself and friends. In 1922, he purchased what was formerly called Long Island and renamed it Sea Island. In 1928 he began an overnight inn and lodge named "The Cloister." In 1929, The Plantation golf course was built. The area was a magnet for industrialists of the era, as well as notable figures from all areas. The area was referred to informally as "Millionaire's Island," and the land on the island was privately owned by some of the wealthiest families in the United States. After the Great Depression, wealthy elites began to vacation in other areas, but The Cloister remained a spot with the most exclusive clients only. To the present day, land on Sea Island is controlled privately, and public access is limited.
In June 2004 (June 8–10), it hosted a summit of the Group of Eight leaders. As with previous sites of the G8 meeting, the venue is remote, easily secured, and has a history of luxurious accommodations. As part of the security measures, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) designated the summit a National Special Security Event (NSSE). However, at the same time, DHS started to handle another NSSE: the state funeral of former president Ronald Reagan.
In late 2004, the Sea Island Company closed their famous hotel, The Cloister. After 75 years of service the hotel that was originally built only to be temporary was torn down to make room for a new one. The new Cloister hotel is being built along the banks of the Black Banks River on the East side of Sea Island. The new large hotel has many of the same architectural features as the old one reminiscent of Addison Mizner design. Also, the famous Spanish Lounge is being completely rebuilt to match the exact room of the old hotel. The Cloister is scheduled to re-open in 2006.
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