If you think your HOA drama is intense, welcome to The Meadows in Sarasota, where hundreds of acres of golf courses and green space are at the center of a high-stakes showdown and the drama is real.
Here is the scoop: The Meadows Community Association board recently voted 6 to 3 to let its president sign a nearly 50-year lease with a subsidiary of Benderson Development Co., the same company that owns and operates the Mall at University Town Center. This deal would give Benderson control of 500 acres, including three 18-hole golf courses and vast open space. Why? The golf club had been losing money for years, declared bankruptcy, and closed two courses. Benderson would pay off the debts and hopefully bring the courses back to life.
Sounds simple, right? Well, not exactly.
The HOA Revolt
Some Meadows residents are not thrilled. Critics like Donald Breece argue the lease is not just a golf course contract it is basically handing over long-term control of the community’s heart without asking the homeowners. The lawsuit claims Benderson could make permanent changes to the land, turn parts into wetlands for mitigation credits, and potentially tie the property to a special taxing district. In plain English, residents worry it is a de facto sale disguised as a lease.
The MCA board insists they are doing everything above board. But for opponents, months of behind-the-scenes negotiations, non-disclosure agreements, and little transparency make this deal look more like a corporate power play than a community rescue.
How Did We Get Here
The Meadows started in the 1970s, a British developer’s vision of a golf-centered, nature-infused lifestyle community. At its peak, it was one of Sarasota’s largest neighborhoods with 3,500 homes, three 18-hole golf courses, and more than 100,000 square feet of commercial space. Life was good. Golf was public, families thrived, and residents could “live where they play.”
Fast forward to the mid-2010s and the community hit a wall. Golf memberships dwindled, maintenance costs skyrocketed, and the courses lost more than $1 million a year. In 2018, the MCA bought the property for $6 million trying to stabilize it but even that was not enough. When the country club declared Chapter 7 bankruptcy last July, all three courses closed though one has since reopened.
Inside the Benderson Deal
Here is the breakdown of what Benderson gets and what they promise:
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In the first three years, Benderson must operate 36 holes across two courses, maintain the third course, and decide if it will reopen.
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Through the conservation option, they can convert parts of the property into wetlands which reduces the community’s debt and lowers interest.
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After the initial term, Benderson can extend the lease for four 10-year terms if they submit a redevelopment plan and pay $50,000 per year.
Sounds reasonable until you realize it is almost every lever of control in the community. They are the lender, tenant, golf operator, redevelopment planner, and potentially the holder of conservation easements. Critics call it a one-sided deal that gives residents little real say.
The Fallout
Residents are split. Some just want the golf courses to survive. Others see this as Benderson taking control of every corner of their community, using the same influence they have over retail spaces across Sarasota. Lawsuits are filed, HOA elections loom, and the future of the community could hinge on court rulings.
At the end of the day, this is not just about golf. It is about community control, transparency, and preserving what makes The Meadows what it is.
Whether this lease becomes a model for struggling golf communities or a cautionary tale about developer power, one thing is for sure. People in Sarasota are watching closely.
