The skies are finally clearing over the once-troubled Serenata Beach Club.
After prior ownership nearly drove it into the sea, the venue was put up for auction in September and purchased by locals Lynda Culhane-Merritt and her husband, Kevin Merritt, according to the Jacksonville Daily Record.
The couple has renamed the property the South Ponte Vedra Ocean Club as part of a comprehensive rebranding campaign aimed at restoring its repute.
“There’s been a complete remodel of everything and anything, and it’s being opened up as a new enterprise,” Culhane-Merritt told the outlet.
This will include a new waterfront restaurant, Lynda’s at the Ocean Club, slated to open on February 12.
The new owners have a sterling record in the restaurant industry, continuing to operate Culhane’s Irish Pubs in Atlantic Beach along with associated vodka and wine brands.
“We have half a Lago, is what I tell people,” Culhane-Merritt said. “Donald Trump has Mar-a-Lago, which is, I believe, 60,000 square feet on the ocean on 15 acres. We only have 30,000 square feet on 7 acres on the ocean, so we’re half a Lago.”
The couple tapped Cordon Bleu-trained executive chef Michael Richardson to oversee the restaurant at 3175 South Ponte Vedra Blvd.
While the hotly-anticipated eatery will be open to the public, the revamped private club will remain exclusive to members.
Roughly 275 former Serenata members have already joined the new venture, and the rolls will be capped at 850 to avoid overcrowding.
Through March 1, membership initiation fees will cost $15,000, rising to $17,500 after that date. Annual dues will run about $4,800.
That package includes private beach access, use of the fitness center and pools, free towels and beach chairs, and food services.
The Serenata Beach Club abruptly shuttered in January 2024 after prior owner Molly Butler’s finances faltered.
Employees publicly raised concerns about unpaid wages at the time, while furious members reported being met with locked front doors.
The venue reopened in February under the stewardship of Michael Mota, a Rhode Island businessman with a checkered history.
Mota’s turbulent tenure led to a slew of canceled memberships and concerns that the club could shutter entirely before the auction placed it in more promising custody.
3 Responses
Everytime I see that building, I think about all the money we lost. Just can’t go back to another program there.
There should not be any Initiation Fee for previous members. They expect us to invest again in their company without any guarantee of safety for our investment? Absolutely ridiculous! Previous Members should be exempt even though this is a new company and why is a Fee necessary? The monthly payment should be enough to support operations.
Agree – We’d be ready to accept the higher membership fees but not another big initiation fee with no assurance of this new club’s sustainability and quality. Fear they’ll need more than 275 to meet the challenge. Wishing them success, especially as we good friends who have decided to rejoin. We’re looking forward to checking out the new restaurant/bar that is also to serve non-members.