Allegiant buys Kingsway Country Club and members, neighbors see a future

Neighbors of a golf course that will sit just miles away from this massive resort say it’s a great thing for their community.

Allegiant bought Kingsway Country Club in DeSoto County, and will run it with the sunseeker resort.

The Kingsway Country Club is east of I-75 near Veterans Boulevard and Kings Highway.

James Rakowitz lives in Charlotte County just a couple hundred feet from the country club’ “In the summer they struggle. They don’t seem to have a lot of people that play golf there.”

That’s why Rakowitz says he’s all for Sunseeker resort’s plans to take over his neighborhood golf course and country club.

“We just moved here recently so I haven’t seen that many cars go in but it’ll be, I think it will be good for the country club and there will be a lot more money they can put into it if they need to,” Rakowitz said.

Allegiant announced Monday its intentions to buy and operate Kingsway.

It’s an 18- hole, par 72 championship course with an 18,000 square foot clubhouse.

It will serve as another amenity for their luxury resort and condo community.

General manager of the country club, J.B. Belknap, says members voted to approve the buyout saturday, but says it’s too early to tell exactly how members will be affected.

“We’re just in the infancy stages of determining with them what the plan is and try to chart a course going forward,” Belknap said.

Members and neighbors tell wink news they’re not at all worried about the change in ownership.

Kingsway Golf Club member Joe Cyra also likes the move, “I really think it’s a positive thing. I think it’s going to bring in some folks, more play to the golf course, help the economy, help employment. I can’t see one negative thing about it.”