Saint John’s Resort, just west of Detroit in Plymouth, Mich., is seeing a major investment from William Pulte Family Management, which purchased the property from the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit in 2021 and puts all profits from the resort into the Pulte Family Charitable Foundation.
The unusual resort was built as a Catholic seminary in the 1940s. The seminary closed in 1988 but the Archdiocese reopened the property in the 1990s, first as a retreat center and later as a hotel with golf courses and a restaurant. The new ownership group is putting $50 million into the makeover, which will allow the property to host larger conventions and events.
Work has included a new 5,200-square-foot Garden Pavilion, which opened in June with a heated floor, glass walls looking out on the golf course, and space for a 300-person banquet. The project has also added new bathrooms in all 118 guest rooms and updated the pool, restaurant, and fitness center.
Also in the works is the 17,000-square-feet Monarch Ballroom, which will have a 200-foot glass wall overlooking a 17,000-square-foot courtyard when it opens in 2024. It will be the property’s fifth ballroom, with the others ranging from 3,478 to 6,689 square feet. 
The property’s original 27 holes of golf have been removed, with new-build courses opening in spring 2024. There will be a championship 18-hole golf course called “The Cardinal at Saint John’s;” a putting course called “The Little Cardinal;” and a seven-hole short course.
Additionally, a new small-plates restaurant and wine grotto (above) is under development, which will be available for group events.
St. John’s Resort is 19 miles from Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, a 25-minute drive.
