What’s your Sea Island experience?
Sea Island has been a magnet for metro Atlantans for decades.
But the business that owns the resort expanded at the wrong time and has filed for bankruptcy protection.
This recession has not been kind to big dreams built on large loans.
Have you stayed on the island? What was your experience?
Own a home there?
Concerned or relieved about the new owners — investment firms Oaktree Capital Management of Los Angeles and Avenue Capital Group of New York?
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147 comments Add your comment
Disgusted
August 12th, 2010
3:24 pm
If my parents forget to call the gate to announce my arrival, I think the guards should be able to look me up in a computer and say ” Yes, I see that you have a Sea Island account and you have been coming here twice a year for the past 30 years. Come right in.” That, in my opinion is good service. Instead I have to pull over and track down my parents in the middle of the night so that they can personally speak to the guard before he let’s me in. And once I’m finally in, I should be able to go anywhere I please without a damn card. But no! “I’m sorry ma’am but your card does not allow you to use the spa.”. “I’m sorry ma’am but the friend you invited over here to play tennis is not allowed into the beach club for a drink”. “if you try to bring her in here again your parent’s membership may be revoked”. That’s their idea of southern hospitality and good management?
Used to Go There
August 12th, 2010
3:41 pm
It appears that there was a “perfect storm” of events that led to this. First you had a regionally legendary resort that was in some need of updating. Then, with the Reynolds family interested in the area and their relationship with the President it unexpectedly is named to host the G-8 Summitt. (would like to know the whole story there)This is a once in a life time event, justufying, (at the time), what now were obviously over the top improvements. The G8 success led management to believe there was a market for their product that was, at best, an illusion. There aren’t many places that fetch $5,000 a night anywhere. Synovus finally bit off more than they could chew after 25 years of trying. All those pieces in place and you have a diaster.
LHCL
August 12th, 2010
3:42 pm
What causeway? The road leading to Sea Island? The county owns it now, Sea Island manages it, cuts the grass, planted all the trees, maintains the electrical and so on.
Georgia Resident
August 12th, 2010
3:46 pm
The gate was installed for the G8 Summit, June 2004. The rape didn’t happen until Sept 2004. I was there a week after the rape.
LHCL
August 12th, 2010
3:54 pm
The gate was not installed for the G8 summit. Sorry your wrong on that one. Sea Island wanted the gate before the G8 and the unfortunate rape incident. Once the rape occurred the county commisioned voted on it, immediately. Again, public record on file at the Glynn County Court House.
smart dawg
August 12th, 2010
4:11 pm
LHCL:
Call it a road if you prefer. My question is who paid to have it built. If it was built with public funds, how can a private entity erect a gate and close it off to the public whose tax dollars helped to build it?
We all know the answer to this.
hmmm
August 12th, 2010
4:36 pm
If you get down to the nitty gritty, then it is not iiis fault. The bank did not have to loan him the $$$.
LHCL
August 12th, 2010
4:49 pm
Smart Dog actually Sea Island owned the road first, sold it to the county during the great depression to raise capital but continued to pay for the maintence even today so don’t worry you didnt pay for those 200 year old oak trees getting moved onto county property, that was SI. Now if you are worried about tax dollars then look at the those round abouts on SSI. Sea Island installed those trees not some dumb looking scrub oak, 200 year old oak trees were installed. Look at some of the other green spaces on SSI that the land trust owns, SI did those at no or very little charge. The tax dollars generated by that place is a whole different topic. My only point is Bill is a good guy give him a break. He made some mistakes but he also did alot of good.
POAD
August 12th, 2010
4:55 pm
We have had enough of the bad on this blog. It was about Memories and Experiences on the Island or The Cloister be those good or bad. This was not about the politics of bank loans and bad business choices. My last dealings with The Cloister was last year. I wanted to get the photo of my mom and step-dad from thier Honeymoon in 74. The People looked up mom and dad’s photos and sent them to me online to make sure it was correct. I had mom and dad Honeymoon couple group photo added to other phots for their 35th wedding dinner with friends.
I forgot I learned to play bridge with the ladies too. I would go in the room just behind the the fireplace and work on, build and paint models. WWII military lead soldiers and F1 race cars. The ladies would have their Wed. Bridge game in that room. One year I decided to learn the game and the ladies were happy to teach me. I still remember the basics and how to bet 4 no trumps. I was the “dead hand”? a few times and that helped me learn the game. What is the name of the player that is the weak hand and has to show your hand for your partner to use?
Babs
August 12th, 2010
5:18 pm
You can blame about 30% of Sea Island’s failure on the economy, the rest comes down to poor choices–both financially and socially. I think Sea Island’s behavior towards Georgia’s upper middle class and neighboring St. Simons has shown a severe lack of graciousness and as a result, news of their poor fortune is met with cheers and sneers. To whom much is given, much is expected (and by that, I mean a major slice of Georgia’s coastline). I have been on both sides of that guard gate and can honestly say there are other places I want to spend my own money. As much as I would love to keep my tax dollars in my home state, I don’t want to deal with Sea Island’s brand of class warfare, entitled children running wild, and a general feeling that even though I have been visiting for the better part of 3 decades I still don’t quite belong (at a rate of $500+ a night). I will however, be happy to return to Sea Island as someone else’s guest, if only to see how this new chapter in the history of our local economy plays out. Here’s hoping the new management can recognize the value in sharing Georgia’s most coveted natural resources if only for a special meal at one of Sea Island’s restaurants or a glimpse of Sea Island’s majestic homes from a sidewalk bicycle. By all means, keep it expensive, but remaining exclusive to a fault will and has led to just that.
Mr. D.
August 12th, 2010
5:42 pm
The whole third generation thing sounds like what happened to Atlanta based Rich’s Department Store. The third generation sold off Atlanta’s retail jewel and now we are stuck with a downscale Macy’s. I guess Sea Island will be Macyfied by some soulless multinational conglomerate.
smart dawg
August 12th, 2010
9:07 pm
Mr D;
The Rich family sold the stores to Federated a year or so after the death of Richard H Rich. He died in 1975 or 1976.
Ownership went through several hands before becoming macy’s.
Terry S.
August 12th, 2010
9:42 pm
smart dawg, who owns all the roads that lead to every gated community in the State of Georgia. If you want to debate the security gate on Sea Island find a more relevant basis for your argument.
BeYoungBeFoolish
August 12th, 2010
9:43 pm
Enter your comments here
Chris H.
August 12th, 2010
9:44 pm
Need a gate because of a crime. Need a new Cloister because old one was “temporary”. Need a $125,000 squash pro because…? Need to reno courses because everyone else is. Need 5-Stars because…?
It’s all a big fat lie.
Obviously all those things weren’t really “needed”.
Chris H.
August 12th, 2010
9:48 pm
If a gate was mandatory after a bad crime why wasn’t one built after the murders in 1983?
Gate needs to be torn down ASAP.
http://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/07/us/slayings-shatter-image-of-idyllic-georgia-island.html
Brett W.
August 12th, 2010
9:51 pm
The gate is there to keep people like you out.
Chris H.
August 12th, 2010
9:59 pm
LOL. We built our house in 1950, when did you build yours, Brett?
Coastal Dawg
August 12th, 2010
9:59 pm
Terry is right. The same people who built the causeway built every road that leads to every gated community. Smart Dawg’s position lacks credibility in a big way.
Brett W.
August 12th, 2010
10:02 pm
Congrats on your 60 year old house. There is a turnaround for you if you don’t have a pass.
Chris H.
August 12th, 2010
10:14 pm
Gate is coming down Brett, just watch. We S.I. natives welcome all…
David Everett
August 12th, 2010
10:32 pm
Yankees founded it and kept it running through the Great Depression; UGA grads (a whole boatload of us), Bill III and Peter Capone ran it into the ground. Thanks Jim Blanchard (UGA 63) for all the millions. It was sure fun while it lasted. Now the yankees can fix it again.
smart dawg
August 12th, 2010
10:37 pm
Terry, Coastal Dawg
“who owns all the roads that lead to every gated community in the state of Georgia”
“The same people who built the causeway built every road that leads to every gated community”
I suppose you mean public roads that lead to gated communities?
You can’t block a public road.
If you develop property and pay for the roads within, you can certainly put a gate at the entrance(s).
I simply asked who paid to have the roads built.
LHCL @ 4:49 said Sea Island originally owned the road and sold it to the county during the depression. It has always looked very similar to other roads in the immediate area.
POAD
August 12th, 2010
11:35 pm
The Island was Great and that is the TRUTH.
Realist
August 13th, 2010
1:24 am
The gentleman’s name that made the milkshakes I believe was Herman Coleman. I too have fond memories of Miss Emma Murphy, Percy, and Big George (who is still there). I grew up as a child there and later worked as a lifeguard. Sea Island holds many memories for me and I still see familiar faces from years ago every fourth of July. It is disappointing to see the institution I have so dearly loved fall to the level it has. My concern however is not for the guests.–or the members. After all, Sea Island was never an inexpensive place and those who could afford to visit were not earning minimum wage. It is for the many men and women who dedicated their lives to making Sea Island the place it was who are now faced with the uncertain future of their pensions. Imagine being retired and having to face that uncertainty.
Chris H.
August 13th, 2010
2:17 am
Yup, Realist, that’s it, Herman. We simply referred to it as “we’ll meet at Herman’s at 1.30pm”… I’m sure our paths crossed. Percy taught me to swim, jumped off the high dive with him when I was 3 yrs old, hesitate to reveal the year!! I still have a box of ribbons and medals from the little swimming races they used to have back in the day. It is such a crying shame because it really did not have to end up this way. Uhmm, just disgusts me.
Terry S.
August 13th, 2010
8:55 am
smart dawg,
Public roads are closed and/or condemned all the time. All that Georgia law requires is that each property owner for all properties that are accessed by that road give their approval. Once the road is condemned then the owners can do anything they wish with that property. It happens all the time in Georgia and nothing that was done on Sea Island was any different that just that process. It actually is encouraged by municpalities as the burden for maintaining the road is transfered from the taxpayers to the new owner.
Brett W.
August 13th, 2010
9:01 am
If you are going to base your happiness going forward on that gate coming down you should prepare yourself for a miserable existence.
Babs
August 13th, 2010
9:45 am
I too have happy childhood memories of Sea Island (O-Clickety Click, 66!). However, the less than hospitable treatment as a visitor in subsequent years has left a lasting negative impression on me. If Sea Islanders are worried about being raped, then by all means they should have the right to put a wall around their homes and lock the gate. But to keep Georgians from enjoying any of Georgia’s limited coastline is wrong. There are many much wealthier, better respected beach communities in the U.S. that have learned to share. The sad reality is, if that gate comes down, then Sea Island will have totally lost its reason for existence.
Chris H.
August 13th, 2010
12:15 pm
Brett, the gate is coming down son, stay tuned.
Brett W.
August 13th, 2010
3:36 pm
No chance. Tune in as long as you wish.
POAD
August 13th, 2010
4:00 pm
Keep the gate. Who cares just take peoples info and let them on the Island. What are they going to do? rob houses and have a boat meet thame to get off the island? Personal security is the only real security because the rest of it is all show. Cops don’t stop crime they just clean-up after.
Yepper
August 13th, 2010
4:22 pm
Chris – you are an idiot and phoney – IF mums and Daddy really own a house on SI, they would also want the gates to stay. Especially to keep thert dumb-arse adopted son out ! LOL You can’t even spell Cee EyeLands. Go back to rogans North and have another cheap beer.
Yepper
August 13th, 2010
4:22 pm
Brogans North, that is
A Glorious Place: Legendary for a reason!!
August 13th, 2010
9:10 pm
I visited Sea Island with my son during the week preceding Easter in 2008 and 2009. I was looking for a place where my son, now age 7, could be safe and have a wonderful experience. The staff of Camp Cloister provided just that. While I paid much more for our suite than I have anywhere else in the world, the moment you enter the guard gate you know that you are entering a truly special place. The landscaping is breathtaking and second to none. The staff was professional, respectful and kind. The variety (from the beautiful spa pool to the stables) and quality of the amenities were as they should be: first rate and first class. The coast is beautiful and the ocean is a great place in which young children to swim. I was unable to return in 2010 because it was just too expensive for me to manage a third year in a row. (I guess you could say I am upper middle class.) In a survey I was sent by Sea Island online, I mentioned just that. However, I would still love to return because there is just no place like it!! I don’t like seeing all these extremely negative, if not rude, comments. Obviously, the Jones family made a terrible miscalculation. I only hope that the new owners retain the quality and characteristic of the place. Sea Island should not become just another garden variety of Marriott or Starwood. If the new owners can keep the feeling while making some creative cuts to lower the rates a bit without sacrificing service and amenities, then many people will return. I am glad that I spent the money to visit Sea Island and my son has some great memories!
Terry S.
August 14th, 2010
8:02 am
Great and level-headed post Glorious. Hope to see you again soon.
DB
August 14th, 2010
10:45 pm
I wish I had the 200 million because these guys are stealing this place for that kind of money. While expensive in the end its not a lot more than other nice resorts. I have been watching real estate prices for the past couple of years and now is the time to get a bargain on a home there.
Certainly this places is not for everyone do to the cost but Sea Island compares favorably to any place I have ever visited. 4-5 star resorts are pricey but few can match all the amenities Sea Island has. I love the place and will continue to visit.
This is how business works let someone else build it and when they fail buy it cheap and run it profitably. Banks are the idiots here, they approved the business plan and had the great economic conditions lasted 5 more years they would have made it.
So much negativity here, This is a world class resort with few peers. Now that the banks had to eat their mistakes it will have a long and prosperous life going forward. I just hope the level of services remains. It is the best I ever encountered at a upscale resort.
Welcome to a new day for Sea Island.
JGB
August 15th, 2010
1:53 pm
Yepper, you’re the blowhard that has no idea what you ar talking about.
Edward Dearborn
August 16th, 2010
6:57 am
Follow directions people….the AJC asked for your experience on Sea Island and your thoughts for the future owners, not your commentary on the Jones family.
My time on Sea Island was like a fantasy. I was engaged, married, honeymooned, and vacationed there. I can not wait until the next time my wife and I go back.
PalmettoBug
August 16th, 2010
5:53 pm
I have been visting Sea Isle and SSI for over 30 years. Used to own land on SI but sold long ago. (I regretted the decision to sell but I had to.) Every year I rent a place on SI. I’ve watched the changes on both SI and St Simons. Look, change happens. One can’t wish for the old days.
Sea Island was terrific in the 1970s and even into 1980s. In the 70s, I was a youngster and could walk in the woods on the Norht end of SI, where Ocean Forest is now.
There used to be a terrific book for sale int eh old Cloister. It was called “This Happy Isle.” Sea Island was special.
The afternoon tea, the birds, the terrific landscaping, the clean beaches and beautiful oak trees. It was splendid.
For me, the saddest signle change I saw occurred in December of 1995. I went down to golf. Ocean Forest was still being finalized. The trees were getting cut down. It was obvous that Sea Island company intended to sell every last piece of green space. It was sad.
As for the Jones familiy apologists on this board, get over it. Bill Jones III is greedy, dishonest and incompetent.
Question: Does anyone know what Bill Jones III’s annual compensation was?
juanmateo
August 19th, 2010
12:17 pm
Where is Sea Island?
PalmettoBug
August 21st, 2010
7:40 pm
JUANMATEO asked, “Where is Sea Island?”
Sea Island is on the coast of Georgia (USA Georgia). It is about 805 miles South of Savannah and about 70 miles North of Jacksonville. (My estimates; verification required.) It is a small island about 5 and 1/2 miles long. It is adjacent to St Simons Island and it is near Brunswick, Georgia.
PalmettoBug
August 21st, 2010
7:40 pm
That’s 85 miles South of Savannah. Sorry for the typo.
Jennifer Hollon
August 25th, 2010
10:44 am
I first visited Sea Island in 1949 at the age of 4. My family, along with friends, made this our destination until 2002. Yes, generations of us have vacationed there creating the most wonderful memories possible.
It was a paradise. Beautiful rooms, ocean, pools, all the extras you could ask for and more. The staff was perfection. So many memories of the Harned family, Percy at the Beach Club, Mr. Everett, Miss Kate, and on and on to the present.
Yes, it catered to the wealthy. We always thought we had to be among the lower income visitors, but were thankful to be able to be a part of it all. The special summer family rates made it possible for us to go there for so many summers. When the new construction began, we feared the worst. Yes, I’m sure it is gorgeous, but only geared now to those more affluent people. The pictues I have seen are of another place. Not my Sea Island. However, I have those memories forever to enjoy in pictures hanging on our walls and in our hearts. I am sorry for their economic woes because I’m sure they were trying to make it a better place, but, sadly, they left many of its loyal vacationers unable to afford its rates. For many years, the island brought us the sense of family, of going back each summer to a splendid place, the joy of the familiar, and the anticipation of a week at Sea Island. I can only wish them well, and am thankful for their contribution throughout the years to my family’s memories.
PalmettoBug
August 26th, 2010
8:33 am
I’ll answer the question by providing some of my memories.
THE BEACH.
I am old enough to remember the beach dunes, which were once there. I was a kid at the time. The dunes were big. I don’t know how high they were but I would give a wide range for an estimate: 3 to 7 feet tall. In about the late 1970 or early 1980s, the beach started to erode and the dunes disappeared. In the 1980s, the Island fought to preserve the beach with a sea wall, jetties and by pumping sand onto the beach.
PalmettoBug
August 26th, 2010
8:36 am
RENTAL BIKES.
I remember renting bikes when we went to the Island. That was great. We could get everywhere on SI that we wanted to go by walking or by bike riding.
ThisYankeelovedit
September 7th, 2010
10:47 am
Don’t forget at bingo: “..GREAT set of legs”!
We rented a great, old Spanish style house at the corner of 8th and SI Drive for years in the late 80s/90s. It smelled like the rising damp, had fleas some years when previous renters broke the rules and snuck in their dogs and was home to palmetto bugs you could teach tricks to. But, it was always our two-week summer home: bikes in the front yard, yellow kazoos in their baskets, lady peas in the kitchen from the St Simons outdoor vegetable market. I always loved the old, low-numbered houses close to the Beach Club. To me, they were the real Sea Island.. rather than those massive new homes with numbers in the hundreds, up on 20th and 30th Streets. The 4th of July was THE time to be there: remember when the airplane would swoop across the beach and drop different colored ping pong balls you traded in for prizes? Sometimes, you were lucky and won a beach towel or tote bag. The luckiest person of all won a free weekend at the Cloister. Most times, though, it was a lollipop. And, that was just fine. Then there was the running race on the beach, where dads pushing babies in strollers would always finish fast.
Since we were cottage renters, dinner in the beautiful dining room was not included but we always made a point to have a special meal there. Loved those special pickle/olive contraptions (we have one in our drawer) and the special china, with the yellow/orange Cloister logo and trees on it.
And, I’ll never forget lovely Mr Killgallon who would send his grandson to the “toy closet” to get us an Etch-A-Sketch or two when he saw us. Then, some years later, when his sons were selling that spectacular, block long Killgallon property: the new buyer asked if he could rush the sale. You see, it was for his wife. She desperately wanted to be able to enjoy Christmas in that lovely, gracious columned family home. The sons agreed to rush the deal. How kind to give the wife her Christmas wish!!!
The sale was closed.
The home was demolished immediately, to make way for a virtual subdivision of new houses.
That, to me, signaled the end of Sea Island as we loved it.