After nearly a decade of tireless work, the Naples Beach Club and its new ownership announced it will convert approximately 105 acres of prime downtown land in Downtown Naples into a conservation area, securing open space in the heart of the city. The historic property, owned by the Watkins family since the 1940s, was sold with specific conditions: the buyer must ensure the land remains undeveloped, in line with Naples' unique character.
"We made a commitment that this would always remain recreation and open space. Forever," said Jay Newman, the Chief Operating Officer of The Athens Group , the developers of the project.
The Naples Beach Club, located between The Moorings and Olde Naples, was once a highly sought-after golf resort and coastal resort. After numerous storms and construction projects, the Watkins family, now elderly, considered selling.
"We weren't the highest bidder, but we shared the same mission. That's what this was all about ... Our original developed plan was not to develop this. Other developers who were looking to acquire the property saw this as another gated community, a very valuable property. We never were going to develop it. We decided let’s keep it as recreation, an open space. It was an easy decision," said Newman.
The 104.6 acres, which will include the former 18-hole golf course, will be preserved through a conservation easement, a legal mechanism that helps restrict development on the land for the present and future, especially if future City leaders vote against the project in the years to come. The City of Naples will be the primary owner of the recreational space, which will be used for activities such as hiking, bird-watching, and nature activities.
"They sacrificed, and we benefited, right? They could have overdeveloped this, but they understood the Naples way. They understood our community and respected us enough to say we're going to care about the environment. We're going to care about this community," said Teresa Heitmann, the Mayor for the City of Naples.
The North American Land Trust (NALT) , a nonprofit conservation organization, has been named as a beneficiary, guaranteeing that future city councils cannot undo the preservation agreement.
"As of today, we are 30 years in business, protecting over 130,000 acres of land. We have completed over 600 conservation projects ... The conservation easement document is the legal way to make sure the land is protected," said Steven Carter, the President of the North American Land Trust.
The Naples Beach Club, set to reopen next year as a Four Seasons Resort, will include a beach, tennis courts, restaurants, and community favorites like HP’s, and the Sunset Beach Bar. Construction is underway.