Bonita Springs country club shuts down without warning
By
Tami Osborne, WINK News
Story Created:
Oct 1, 2008 at 9:14 PM EST
Story Updated:
Oct 2, 2008 at 4:09 PM EST
BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. - Money problems are taking a toll on a Bonita Springs area country club.
Today, Palmira Country Club closed its doors, and there's no telling when it will reopen.
Golf members were given a memo, saying club operations have been suspended due to financial problems with the Ronto Group, which ran the community club.
"It came as a shock. No one had any indication and no one let on that anything like this was going on," Richard Mascali says.
"Nothing. We've heard nothing. Just got a nice letter today of all the happenings, activities. Just unbelievable," social club member Joan Henson adds.
Four years ago, Mascali paid $72,000 for his Palmira Golf Club membership. On top of that, he pays eight thousand dollars more every year in dues.
"its like being locked out of your own house that you bought and paid for," he says.
The Henson's aren't golfers, but they do have a social membership and pay about six thousand dollars a year to use the club's pool, work out facilities and restaurants, which are all now closed until further notice.
They tell us, they weren't even give a notice and other social members said the same.
"I think its rotten," Joan Henson says.
The worst part for her and her husband is that they just bought in Palmira a few months ago.
"I wish I had my money back," she says.
The Ronto Group, which ran Palmira had no comments for us today.
For now, residents of the country club tell us they are planning meetings and doing what they can to get Palmira up and running again.
Monday, Oct 6 at 6:52 AM Reality wrote ...
Greedy folk comment. Yup you are right, why should someone work hard to get a retirment home, and decide to enjoy their life. You are right. And corrupt owners. No, probably not, just victims of hard times. Beach Struggler, bet you work 20 hours a week..not like those who worked their butts off to get to this point. It is SAD!!!
Saturday, Oct 4 at 10:03 PM anon wrote ...
thats ridiculous beach struggler; they paid for a service and should receive what they expected. Its the corrupt owners who seem to have become greedy. (that is pretty ridiculous they could go bankrupt with those kind of membership dues though too..?)
Friday, Oct 3 at 7:40 PM Beach Struggler wrote ...
Listen..I'm tired of all these greedy folks complaining when their expensive lifestyles go belly-up. If these Hefner wanna-bes hadn't tried to be something they're not by living beyond their means, the economy wouldn't be in the shape it is now. Boo-hoo.
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