Magnolia Point buyers pay automatically for a membership at Caliente resort - at a cost three times more than others living farther away.
By JAMES THORNER
Published June 14, 2004
LAND O'LAKES - There's no such thing as a free lunch, or in the case of Caliente nudist resort on U.S. 41, a free naked lunch.
Caliente says it's offering "free memberships" to residents of a soon-to-open neighborhood across the street called Magnolia Point.
Free only if sellers neglect to mention the $38,600 for a lifetime Caliente membership included in the price of each Magnolia Point home.
Magnolia Point builder Lexington Homes has agreed to pay Caliente $38,600 for each of the 36 lots in the neighborhood. Lexington will pass that cost onto its home buyers.
"Caliente is a private club. And they can make any rules they want," Lexington saleswoman Rachel Prince said.
For most people in Land O'Lakes, nudist resort membership isn't an issue. But Magnolia Point, whose entrance nearly bumps against Caliente's gate, has attracted all-nudist buyers.
Thirty-two of the 36 lots are sold. Homes will run from about $300,000 to $700,000.
Many will enjoy a view of Curve Lake, 13 acres of water nestled in trees.
"These are people who are nudists, who want the convenience of going across the street to Caliente in a golf cart with only a towel on," Prince said.
A Caliente representative declined to comment on the fees.
A few of Prince's buyers are grumbling about paying three times more than other nudists for Caliente memberships. The resort advertises lifetime family memberships costing from $11,750 to $12,750.
But people who live near, but not within, the resort pay more. Living so close, they presumably would use the resort's lagoon-like pool, bars, volleyball pit and health spa more often.
And because the Magnolia Point buyers purchased their lots outside of Caliente, the resort isn't making any money on the property sale, though the club is the main attraction on that part of U.S. 41.
Lexington completed the fee arrangements with Caliente last week and expects to finish building the neighborhood in about a year. No one has moved in yet.
"It's going to be a real wild partying community," Prince said.
