What all communities have drinks inside gates/boundaries? (Plantation, Boca Raton: HOA, condos)

[joshan]

I have buddy looking for a new place but they want something that has a bar/restaurant inside the actual village.

Ones I know of:
LWR Country Club
Esplanade
Lakewood National GC
Star Farms (future)

Any others in this area?

[motordavid]

Every golf community I have been to in SW FL, has bar/lunch/dinner most days/nights inside their gates...

Ours does, as do the dozen+ I have played/been at with friends from their clubs.

Not 'main street' or 'town centers' that some sections of LWR have, but all the ones I have been to have some form or bar/grill/dining, et al.

No expert and I haven't been inside every 'community' in Sarasota/Venice area, but I would imagine every community has a clubhouse with bevs and eats of some degree...

[joshan]

Originally Posted by motordavid

Every golf community I have been to in SW FL, has bar/lunch/dinner most days/nights inside their gates...

Ours does, as do the dozen+ I have played/been at with friends from their clubs.

Not 'main street' or 'town centers' that some sections of LWR have, but all the ones I have been to have some form or bar/grill/dining, et al.

No expert and I haven't been inside every 'community' in Sarasota/Venice area, but I would imagine every community has a clubhouse with bevs and eats of some degree...

Thanks, while most do have a clubhouse usually it is a BYOB type thing. Not actual service of any kind. Thanks for the tip on the golf communities.

[motordavid]

^ Welcome...
If your friend does not chase the ball, or want to join the golf side of a community, many clubs offer the 'social side' and do not require the 'golf club side'.

Some even have automatic 'social side' if one buys a house or condo in the community, and golf side is an additional cost for joining, dues, etc. but often not mandatory...

Many of the clubs I have been to, including our EscapeWinter Club, offer that 'social side' of a restaurant, pool(s), tennis, et al.

Our community has auto social side with its own large club, restaurant, pools, tiki bar, tennis etc and serves whatever anyone wants during its normal biz hrs. Our golf side has its own club house, etc.

If your friend does not want golf, tell him to avoid 'bundled golf communities' as he will be paying for 'golf' even if he does not chase the ball.
GL, mD

[MattMN]

Venetian Golf & River Club has a restaurant and bar, located in 'North Venice' off Laurel road. This is separate from their golf clubhouse, which they also have.

[beach43ofus]

Originally Posted by MattMN

Venetian Golf & River Club has a restaurant and bar, located in 'North Venice' off Laurel road. This is separate from their golf clubhouse, which they also have.

How are the property taxes + CDD's + HOA's there?

[MattMN]

Originally Posted by beach43ofus

How are the property taxes + CDD's + HOA's there?

I don't live there, but we looked there before purchasing. Their CDD was one of the highest I've seen, over $3000 annually. I would guess HOA is higher, because you've got the restaurant to support. Don't know if you're required to purchase meals, etc., no idea on the details. But the golf membership is optional, not required, I'm pretty sure.

I think to live in a community like that, you have to want all those things, and be willing to pay for them.

But it's a nice community, good layout, nice homes.

[Sunshine Rules]

To get a clubhouse with a bar/restaurant inside the community, your friend will probably have to look at mostly golf & country club communities to find that particular amenity.

There are some older communities in Manatee county that fit the criteria -- Greenfield Plantation, Waterlefe Golf & River Club, Tara, Palm Aire, Rosedale, Heritage Harbour, River Strand & River Club to name a few.

University Park on the Manatee - Sarasota county line is another option. It's an equity membership club in which you pay an initiation fee and then annual dues. Also in that same area is The Concession Golf Club.

Lakewood Ranch has several options. Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club (oldest but very impressive), Country Club East, Esplanade, Lakewood National.


In Sarasota you have Bent Tree (also a members owned equity club), The Founders Club, Heritage Oaks, Laurel Oaks, Misty Creek, Prestancia (Palmer Ranch), Stoneybrook (Palmer Ranch), Serenoa, The Meadows, Sarasota National. I'm probably missing a couple from the list.


The thing with country club communities is that you have to be very careful to find out up front exactly what you are going to pay up front in initial fees plus ongoing fees. Some of the country clubs have monthly or quarterly required minimums for the dining room/bar. You could end up with master fees, capital reserve fees, food/beverage fees, golf fees (even if you don't golf). It adds up quickly.

Then there's the country club communities where an outside company actually owns the country club, it's amenities & golf courses. A number of residents in these types of communities have been unpleasantly surprised when the corporations decided to sell the land to developers for more homes/condos or when bought out found that the new owners substantially increased membership dues and fees.


My thoughts are that if a person is ok with an older home community, then something like a Palm Aire or Meadows makes sense. You reside in a golf & country club community but are not required to join the country club. These two offer various membership options to residents, so you can opt for a social membership vs full golfing membership if you wish.

[beach43ofus]

If the golf course starts to fail financially, it becomes every homeowners problem, if you play golf there, or not.

Conduct an internet search on Boca Teeca Golf and Country Club in Boca Raton as just 1 example. My best friend lives there, & its a nighmare that has gone on for 10+ years. The golf course has been closed for many years, and its overgrown with weeds. The city or county took it over, and is having a hard time keeping the weeds low enough to avoid the wrath of the surrounding homeowners.

Boca West is another...the fees to support the failing golf club got so high, $150,000 condo's priced at $7,000 couldn't sell at one time. I think its still that way to some extent.

Read about University Park Golf & Country Club & how property owners had to pony up Millions to buy Pat Neal out of the golf course's ownership....they thought they owned the golf course, or had control of it, but later learned otherwise.

Living in a golf course community has many financial risks most are unaware of. I would never buy in one again myself. I escaped with my skin when Clubcorp started failing, which was the largest golf course conglomerates in the USA at the time, even though our Clubcorp course was highly profitable. They suddenly stopped maintaining the buffer areas separating the homes from the golf course property, & things got ugly...literally, & emotionally.

Are there any homes around Bobby Jones golf course? That course failed too, & is having to close part of it & sell to developers, to raise cash to rebuild other parts of it. Its been in flux for a few years.

Search Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice. The golf course owner sold out to a new owner, then the new owner said all the memberships were null and void, he jacked the new memberships rates, & that got ugly too.

How many examples do you need? I just listed 3 locally, and 5 statewide that I just happen to know about.