Casa Del Mar Purchased by Bluegreen?

[BWD6 Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWD6]

I just wanted to see if anyone could verify this rumor.

A friend of mine just got back from a stay at Casa Del Mar. I booked a room for him and his family with BG points. He said the place was really run-down and the entire staff was extremely surly.

He was told that Bluegreen had purchased the entire building and Bluegreen was taking over January 1 and they weren't sure how long they would have jobs. He also mentioned that as of January 1, they could no longer serve alcohol because the liquor license needed to be transferred.

He also mentioned the pool was 63 degrees and maintenance told them that they would not turn on the heater to heat the pool water. He wasn't given a good reason but he assumed it was because so few people were staying there.

His experience was very disappointing and very embarrassing to me since I set him up there. He has previously stayed at Mountain Run at Boyne and also the Fountains so his expectations were high. I had never stayed at Casa Del Mar so I didn't know what to expect. If Bluegreen has purchased the building, I hope they plan on updating it soon.

Can anyone add to or confirm this information?

Thank you
David

[swirg53 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close swirg53]

I certainly don't understand what this would mean because Casa del Mar is already a Club Resort--not a Club Associate Resort. So, I believe that means that BG already owns the whole resort. Now, I certainly could be wrong about the latter, but I don't think so.

But maybe there is a building that is the bar/restaurant or something and that was owned by another company and perhaps BG bought it. I don't know. My bro and SIL are going there this month for two weeks; it's their favorite of the Florida resorts--although they really like the Fountains too, but I think they like being on the ocean. She always says how really nice it is there. I sent her this posting to see what they think and to check it out when they are there.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

I know when I rented out a unit a year ago, it was a associate resort, so something has changed since then. I haven't heard anything, so no idea when that change happened.

[BWD6 Member Find all posts View Profile Close BWD6]

They told my friend that BG owned the two top floors previously and they had just purchased the rest of the building. I doubt that there is any unsold inventory in that building. I am sure the rest of the units/weeks are all currently owned.
Sue, I will look forward to hearing what your BIL finds out when he visits.

David

[BocaBum99 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close BocaBum99]

I don't know if Bluegreen is managing the resort or not. They did not in the past. It could be that Bluegreen got the contract to manage the resort. If so, this is good for Bluegreen owners. If there is any unsold inventory, then Bluegreen could acquire that, too.

[nicklinneh Member Find all posts View Profile Close nicklinneh]

we stayed at CDM a few years ago. Amber Vacation Club owned inventory there and maybe managed it. we weren't impressed- shotgun house layout and tiny uncovered balcony. maybe Amber wanted out of it. -ken

[swirg53 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close swirg53]

So, I am assuming from what has been posted that Casa del Mar used to be a Bluegreen Associate Resort and not a totally Bluegreen Resort?

Okay, I just pulled out my binders; my latest one was received in Vegas Nov. 2006 and lists CDM as a Club Resort, not a Club Associate Resort. This got me a bit more curious to wonder what the definition of the two types were. I found that information in the same binder, so I thought I would share it here.

Club Resorts: developed and/or managed by the BG family of companies. Although facilities and amenities may differ depending upon resort location, you can be assured of a warm welcome, excellent personal service and charming, comfortable surroundings. Each resort is held to the high BG standards for accommodations, amenities, service and hospitality.

Club Associate Resorts: were not originally developed by Bluegreen but are included in the resort profolio to expand the choices available to BG owners in a variety of attractive vacation destinations. Please note that these resorts have limited inventory and/or must be reserved for a full-week stay. Frequently, your BG points will go farther at these resorts as it takes fewer points to book a stay.

Then, I got out my Nov. 2006 Multi-Site Public Offering Statement (general one for Bluegreen--because we are deeded at Hershey, we also have a separate one for Hershey as you need a separate one also for Pennsylvania). Exhibit 2, show the managing entity name and address of each Resort and shows Amber Resort Mgmt for Casa del Mar. The length of term of Mgmt Agreement for CDM is three years.

Exhibit 5 has a foot note for CDM that says "The amenities are located on the Condominium Property and are part of this Component Site. The Amenities are owned by owners of the Resort Interests at this Component Site."

There is very interesting history of Prior Use of various resorts, including CDM being a hotel previously among many others. There's also some interesting tidbits about Lodge Alley Inn. This is found in Exhibit 0 (page 40 in Aug 2006) under Section H (Unusual and Material Circumstances) of #5, # (1) (Unusual Circumstances), (b) (Prior Use).

So, much for my insomnia for tonight!

Susan

[crwisconsin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close crwisconsin]

Casa del Mar, Orlando's Sunshines, Shorecrests

Then, I got out my Nov. 2006 Multi-Site Public Offering Statement (general one for Bluegreen--because we are deeded at Hershey, we also have a separate one for Hershey as you need a separate one also for Pennsylvania).

Exhibit 5 has a foot note for CDM that says "The amenities are located on the Condominium Property and are part of this Component Site. The Amenities are owned by owners of the Resort Interests at this Component Site."

Susan

Susan,

Thanks for sending me back to my favorite reading, the Multi-Site Public Offering. As a historical note, Casa del Mar is not listed in the December, 2002 BG Multi-Site Public Offering. (By the way I also have the single site one for Big Sky, April, 2003.)

I have always wondered about the pool and lazy river restrictions at Shorecrest (Phase I is not supposed to use Phase II and vice versa). In Exhibit 5 there is a statement for Orlando I and II saying that "Purchasers at Orlando's Sunshine Resort II have a perpetual non-exclusive easement to use and enjoy Orlando's Sunshine Resort Recreational Facilities. Thus, purchasers in both component sites may contemporaneously use such recreational facilities." There is no such statement for the two Shorecrests! So, I would conclude that if you were staying at Shorecrest II and wanted to use I's pool, it would come under the Day Use rules. (There is so much unread info in the Multi-Site Public Offering that answers many questions.)

Charles

[swirg53 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close swirg53]

Thanks for sending me back to my favorite reading, the Multi-Site Public Offering.

You are so welcome, Charles. I knew you would enjoy it!

As a historical note, Casa del Mar is not listed in the December, 2002 BG Multi-Site Public Offering.

CDM ws not included as a resort in my list of resorts in my original Nov. 2002 binder but there was a page for it in the "resorts" section. So, it must have come into ownership sometime along the way around that time.

I have always wondered about the pool and lazy river restrictions at Shorecrest (Phase I is not supposed to use Phase II and vice versa).

So, if you are at SC II, you can't just go over automatically and use the facilities at SC I and vice versa? Which one has the lazy river?

There is so much unread info in the Multi-Site Public Offering that answers many questions. Charles

We really need to get a life, Charles! There is so much info in it also that is mind boggling and I can't interpret for the life of me what it means. But yes, I was surprised by the "Prior Use" section when I was leafing through it about CDM last night. It was interesting to see how many had been previously hotels and some motels. Of course, I still don't want the difference between a hotel and a motel is. Used to be something different than it is today, I think. Then there is an Inn too!

Susan

[swirg53 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close swirg53]

I was so tired when I wrote that post about the Multi-Site Public Offering book, that I forgot to put it together for the thread.

Apparently, a Club Resort does not have to have all the units "owned" by Bluegreen Vacation Club. Kind of like Oasis Lakes and the Fountains, I'm guessing although I think all of these business models are different in their own right.

So, Casa del Mar is a Club Resort and I don't think was ever a Club Associate Resort. But the common areas were not owned by BG at least previously and perhaps now are. Some units may have been owned by people prior to it being a BG Resort. Those would had to have been converted somehow to BG Vacation Club eventually. And probably once there is a large enough percentage of equity sold back to BG, then BG can own it all which is now happening. All total conjecture..........just some thoughts..............NOT FYI!

[crwisconsin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close crwisconsin]

So, if you are at SC II, you can't just go over automatically and use the facilities at SC I and vice versa? Which one has the lazy river?

Right. Legally, the SC resort manager can limit it under the Day Use rules. They can't limit it at Sunshine.

Both Shorecrests have lazy rivers. But the lazy river at SC I is close to the ocean and is flooded with kids from both I and II. The lazy river at II is not used too much in the morning which is when we go. (Kids do not use lazy rivers as lazy rivers, they use them as long play areas and the kids are not lazy!!!!)

Charles

[crwisconsin Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close crwisconsin]

Common Areas

But the common areas were not owned by BG at least previously and perhaps now are. Some units may have been owned by people prior to it being a BG Resort. Those would had to have been converted somehow to BG Vacation Club eventually. And probably once there is a large enough percentage of equity sold back to BG, then BG can own it all which is now happening. All total conjecture..........just some thoughts..............NOT FYI!

In looking at the Multi-Site, one finds that the common areas are generally not owned by the BG Vacation Club nor the owners of Beneficiary Rights. Common areas generally owned by current or past developer. However, there is generally an easement or right to use clause in the original documents which provides for such use by us.

Charles

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

I called and got the answer.

I don't know how accurate the answer is that I got, but when I called the preferred owners number, I was told Casa Del Mar is an ‘unmanaged resort’ meaning that BG just get so many unit, has no management in the resort and it is still listed on their paperwork as an associate resort. She explained that there is Core Resorts (fully owned by BG), Managed Resorts and Unmanaged Resorts. So if Casa Del Mar is an unmanaged, it must be at the bottom of the properties that BG can get.

If BG was buying that property, she had no information on it.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

I don't know how accurate the answer is that I got, but when I called the preferred owners number, I was told Casa Del Mar is an ‘unmanaged resort’ meaning that BG just get so many unit, has no management in the resort and it is still listed on their paperwork as an associate resort. She explained that there is Core Resorts (fully owned by BG), Managed Resorts and Unmanaged Resorts. So if Casa Del Mar is an unmanaged, it must be at the bottom of the properties that BG can get.

If BG was buying that property, she had no information on it.

Underlined emphasis added: Not sure what you mean by it must be at teh bottom of the properties that BG can get. Having never been there, I'm wondering if you mean it's a rat-infested hell hole or merely mean 'entry level' based on the categories you mentioned from your call.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

Never been there either, but doubt there are resort quality issues (rats). More of a limited access to unit quantity and not under BG managment, so less units and less BG participation in that resort. I believe Lake Condominiums in Montana would be the same thing. When we were there (Montana), BG had only 2 units available to them, and we had one of them. No BG representation there at all.

My point was that Bluegreen has most control or ownership and unit availablity in:
Core Resorts (she thought it was about 30 resorts)
Managed Resorts
Unmanaged Resorts.

That was from a quick phone call. It may be that if I talked to someone else, I may have gotten a little different information.