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Course, restaurant have new managers

The winning presentation includes sunglasses, signifying a bright future for the club.

HERITAGE ISLES - Responding to Heritage Isles' request for a new golf and restaurant management group, several companies submitted bids touting their expertise.

After the Heritage Isles Community Development District board narrowed the choices to three, each was invited to make a 45-minute presentation at last Wednesday's meeting.

One group promised improvements based on its track record with more than 70 golf courses around the country. Another group wanted to give more pizzazz to Heritage Isles' course and personality to the restaurant. A third group passed out sunglasses, alluding to the "bright future" of Heritage Isles recreation.

When all three presentations were finished, the CDD board members picked their favorite, Illinois company Crown Golf Properties, which passed out the sunglasses. The board members' contract offer to Crown will be the first step toward digging themselves out of five years of debt and frustration with the current management group, S&S Golf Management.

S&S Golf also submitted a bid to restructure the golf and restaurant operations, but it did not make the cut.

The other two companies that made presentations were Illinois-based Kemper Sports Management and Orlando-based Kitson & Partners.

"These were three different and very good presentations," CDD board member Jack Meehan said. "Nobody stepped on our foot, but nobody really jumped out on top either."

After the presentations, a few impatient residents at the meeting urged the CDD to make a decision and move on it quickly. The board picked Crown as the leading candidate and motioned to begin negotiations as soon as possible.

Heritage Isles is turning CDD control from its developer, Lennar Corp., over to the homeowners. The community has struggled with millions in bond debt and other issues left behind by the original developer, U.S. Home.

Lennar, which bought Heritage Isles from U.S. Home, has agreed to pay down some of the community's debt, and residents now want the golf course and restaurant to operate as a separate business.

- Emily Nipps can be reached at 813 269-5313 or nipps@sptimes.com