NAPLES, Fla. (March 31, 2015) – Mediterra members have approved more than $14 million in improvements to the community’s two Tom Fazio-designed golf courses.
Improvements include a complete renovation of The Club at Mediterra’s North Course; the South Course is mid-way through a two-year renovation, with the next phase scheduled to resume April 6. The North Course project will commence this spring with the installation of a new irrigation system.
“Restoring our golf courses is one of the most strategic challenges we will ever face as members,” Carl Dill, president of the Mediterra Board of Governors, told members in announcing the needed improvements. “We are grateful our members demonstrated a remarkable show of support for re-building our golf courses and the related assessment.”
Originally slated for 2016, the board recommended accelerating work on the North Course a year earlier to reduce costs and proactively accommodate a growing membership. “Upgrading the 14-year-old courses also keeps the community competitive,” said Dill.
Future renovation plans also include an expansion to facilities at The Sports Club and Wellness Center.
“Our membership recognizes the importance of investing in Mediterra’s amenities, its unique lifestyle and future home values,” he said. “We have taken the necessary steps to make sure we attract new members and maximize the enjoyment of current members. We have attracted more than 300 new members and now have a waiting list for full membership. At The Sports Club, usage is up dramatically – some areas by more than 50 percent during the last year.”
Golf course improvements to Mediterra’s 36 holes will introduce premium platinum paspalum grass, an environmentally friendly emerald-green turf known for improved playability and durability.
Work on both courses involves replacing irrigation systems, rebuilding bunkers, adding two pump houses, improving airflow and sunlight, and re-grassing.
The remainder of the South Course project is expected to be completed by winter 2016. The North Course project also includes improvements to the driving range and will be completed in fall 2016.
Planned improvements to The Sports Club will provide additional meeting space for Mediterra’s growing number of lifestyle clubs, as well as more room to accommodate an increase in individual use of the facility during peak hours and the ability to conduct simultaneous fitness classes.
The Sports Club currently offers an equipment room, class areas, a pool, spa services, and tennis and bocce courts.
During the past five years, The Club at Mediterra has undergone significant improvements with the addition of lighted bocce courts; the introduction of the popular Tavern on 18; an expansion of the clubhouse kitchen, alfresco dining and gathering spaces; and a remodel of the main Grille Room dining area and the adjoining clubhouse lounge.
Recent renovations at The Tavern include a new summer kitchen for serving gourmet brick-oven pizzas and open-air grilled entrees and an expansion to the outdoor seating and fire pit areas.
Additional projects also have added a rounded court, lighting and grass-tiered stadium seating to The Sports Club’s seven-court tennis complex, as well as a remodeling of the private Beach Club along the Gulf of Mexico.
“The emphasis on evolving and improving Mediterra’s amenities has not only enhanced the outstanding quality of life for the community’s residents, but it has also resulted in increased home sales, and in turn, an increase in memberships,” said Mark Wilson, president and CEO of London Bay Homes, which has managed all new home sales and marketing for the luxury community since 2009. “Buyers see this vibrant community – which is consistently ranked among the best in the nation – continue to improve the membership and resident experience.”
Mediterra is 95 percent sold, with single-family estate and luxury villa homes available in six neighborhoods.
“Our membership ranks have exceeded our expectations, and we are fortunate to have great members who are engaged and use the club,” Dill said.
Mediterra was recently named among the Best Retirement Destinations; it was the only Florida location, one of only two in the U.S., and the 10th best in the world.
Mediterra, Naples’ premier golf and beach club community, is the eight-time winner of the Collier Building Industry Association’s Sand Dollar Award for Community of the Year and received a 2013 Aurora Award for Best Residential Development in the Southeastern U.S.
The 1,700-acre community offers an array of lifestyle amenities, including the member-owned Club at Mediterra with the two Fazio courses and the private Beach Club, featuring an elevated swimming pool, casual dining with a full bar, and valet service for beach chairs, umbrellas, and beverage and food menus.
Mediterra’s onsite amenities also include themed neighborhood parks and eight miles of walking and jogging trails.
Its Golf Learning Center offers indoor and outdoor hitting stations, video equipment with launch monitor, a 2.5-acre short game practice complex with three greens, and a staff of certified PGA professionals. Membership opportunities at Mediterra are limited to just 225 members per 18 holes.
Mediterra’s master plan includes more than 1,000 acres dedicated to open space with golf, parks and nature preserves.
Home and homesites available at Mediterra are priced from $1 million to more than $7 million.
For more information about Mediterra, visit www.MediterraNaples.com, call 239-949-8989, or visit Mediterra, located on Livingston Road, two miles north of Immokalee Road and west of I-75.
