Club Med has bid farewell to its all-inclusive resort in Port St. Lucie, Florida, with the brand announcing that it has ceased operations of the Club Med Sandpiper Bay.
The move comes as the property changes hands, with owners Sandpiper Resort Properties Inc. and Holiday Village of Sandpiper Inc. recently selling the resort to development and hospitality group Altitude International Holdings.
In a press release, Altitude International Holdings said it plans to continue operating the 335-room resort without closure while beginning an extensive two-year renovation. The resort will be transformed into "a hotel and sports academy that complements the property's extensive athletic installations and infrastructure."
According to Club Med, the company's sales team is getting in contact with travel advisors that have clients booked for a post-September 5 stay at the Club Med Sandpiper Bay. Clients are being given the option to change their dates of stay, apply their reservation to another Club Med resort, request a future travel credit or request a refund for the amount already paid on their stay.
Club Med's sole U.S.-based resort, the Club Med Sandpiper Bay has operated for more than 40 years. The all-inclusive, which spans more than 200 acres, is known for its variety of fitness-oriented activities and sports facilities, with tennis, golf, beach volleyball, pickleball, trapeze experiences and more.
"We're incredibly grateful to the loyal travel advisor community that significantly contributed to the success of Club Med Sandpiper Bay," Carolyne Doyon, president and CEO of Club Med North America and the Caribbean, said in a statement. "As the pioneer of the all-inclusive concept for more than 70 years, we will continue to develop new destinations across the globe, including here in North America."
The shuttering of the Club Med Sandpiper Bay comes as Club Med prepares to open a new U.S. property in Snowbasin, Utah, which will be part of the brand's higher-end Exclusive Collection. The Utah mountain resort is on track to open in 2024.