OF SUCCESS

The Broken Sound Club in Boca Raton, Fla. recently unveiled a $40-million clubhouse renovation to further separate the property from its South Florida peers.

By Rob Thomas, Editor

THERE

Are Myriad Ways

the Broken Sound Club sets itself apart in the crowded Southeast Florida market.

To begin, the Boca Raton, Fla. club has two championship golf courses—one of which hosts a popular Champions Tour event—and both are Audubon Sanctuary Certified. On top of that, the Old Course is the first golf facility in Florida, second in the U.S. and 14th in the world to be GEO Certified.

Sustainability isn’t exclusive to the outside. Broken Sound Club’s Moonstone Spa and Fitness Center has been awarded LEED Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for the 2013 transformation of the wellness amenities. Prioritizing the space’s eco footprint pertaining to carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health, and indoor environmental quality, the club was able to certify the space as a cost-saving green building.

Transformation

Speaking of “building” … the club unveiled a $40 million renovation of its expansive clubhouse in late March. The impressively appointed, 130,000-sq.-ft. main clubhouse boasts choices of indoor and outdoor dining, a two-acre poolscape and bistro, and a lifestyle-centric signature retail shop. The renovated space welcomes an additional 30,000 sq. ft. housing the expanded men’s and ladies card rooms and elevated entry design to enhance members’ experience from the moment they arrive on the grounds.

Greg Devino, General Manager/COO, says “offering exceptional service, a wide range of amenities, and a strong sense of community” also differentiate the Broken Sound Club from its neighbors.

Devino has been in the hospitality industry for more than 25 years and joined the club a little more than a year ago to usher the renovation across the finish line.

“We added an additional 30,000 sq. ft. to the main clubhouse, which includes Illuminations Ballroom with seating for up to 450 people, the creation of a brand-new ladies card room wing, which can accommodate up to 400 card players, a billiards room, and much more,” Devino points out. “We also added two new dining venues— CIRQ Grille and Bar serves as the main dining room overlooking the 18th green of the Club Course, and Zest Restaurant which serves tapas and sushi.”

To be expected, the renovation process wasn’t without issues.

“Of course, with any renovation project, there are always challenges that arise,” Devino says. “One of the biggest challenges we faced was ensuring that we were able to complete the project on time and within budget during a pandemic. We worked closely with our contractors and vendors to ensure that everything was completed to our satisfaction and adjusted accordingly with supply chain issues encountered.”

For the design, Broken Sound Club enlisted South Florida’s Peacock + Lewis, whose team has spearheaded projects for Bay Harbor Yacht Club and The Country Club of Florida. The beautifully curated interiors were brought to life by Migena Gace at M Design, previously the Director of Interior Design at Peacock + Lewis.

A Tale Of Two Courses

Directors of Golf Jeffrey Waber (The Old Course) and Rick Sutton (The Club Course) are charged with getting 1,600+ total golf members across the two courses for more than 70,000 rounds each year. While that’s a hefty task, a combined 40+ years of experience and two wildly different layouts certainly helps.

The Old Course is a secluded 18-hole course originally designed by Joe Lee (1978), with renovations from Gene Bates to develop a preliminary design plan and budget. Wesley Stout Associates handled the landscape architecture.

“Once we had a vision statement and design book, the renovation plan went to a vote of membership,” Aron says. “At Rockrimmon, any capital assessment larger than $1,500 per member must be approved by two-thirds of the voting membership. This is a high bar, but the renovation plan passed by closer to 90%. All of the club stakeholders knew it was time.”

Challenges

The plan was approved by membership in June 2019 with an anticipated construction date of fall 2020.

“All summer and fall we refined the design and architectural plans and by mid-winter we were happy with the vision and began to prepare construction people in place, we invest in proper training and offer competitive pay to attract and retain top talent. By doing so, we have a highly skilled and dedicated team ready to go above and beyond for our members.”

Racquet Renaissance

Broken Sound Club has 23 Har-Tru clay courts, including 18 with lights, and a tennis stadium. Director of Racquets and Recreation Arnaud Delanoe heads a staff with six full-time tennis professionals. In addition, there are four pickleball courts and two full-time pickleball pros.

A 38,000 sq. ft. fitness center with a state-of-the-art locker room that includes showers, a jacuzzi, sauna and steam room, and a 600-sq.-ft. pro shop highlight the offcourt amenities.

Delanoe, the club’s former Junior Program Director, knows a thing or two about growing the game. The Broken Sound Tennis Academy takes place four days a week with an average of 40 players on site daily. It runs from August to June for kids from ages 5 to 17 years old—all levels including the No. 4 and No. 7 U14 players ranked in Florida. In June and July, he runs nine weeks of tennis camp with an average of 50 kids on site daily.

Culinary Creations

Members feast on an exclusive dining landscape curated by Michelin Star Chef Bogdan Danila, who serves as the club’s Culinary Director. Danila proudly introduces two new dining outlets: CIRQ Grille and Bar, an American inspired Brasserie with an upscale casual feel, and Zest, a unique dining experience that fuses traditional old Florida and Japanese Izakaya style cuisine utilizing only the freshest ingredients to satisfy the gourmet palate.

Each dish is carefully crafted using locally sourced ingredients from Broken Sound’s very own Chef’s Garden, including fresh honey harvested from the club’s on-site apiary. Broken Sound Club has a continuing partnership with the American Beekeeping Federation as a certified Honeybee Haven and there are 27 beehives between both courses.

Director of Marketing Jessica Gonzalez and her team communicate with members through multiple channels, such as e-mail newsletters, digital signage, and through the club’s website/app and social media pages. “We ensure concise, timely, relevant, and personalized communication to keep our members informed and engaged,” she says.

Marketing To Members

Jessica Gonzalez, Director of Marketing at Broken Sound Club, knows that word-ofmouth referrals from current members and community partners is an effective way to attract new members, but her job changes once they join.

“I believe that keeping our members happy and involved involves creating a sense of community and belonging,”

Gonzalez says. “The approach includes hosting member events, personalized communication, providing exceptional services and facilities, and continually listening to their feedback to improve our offerings.”

The team at Broken Sound Club communicates with members through multiple channels, such as e-mail newsletters, digital signage, and through the club’s website/app and social media pages.

“We ensure concise, timely, relevant, and personalized communication to keep our members informed and engaged,” Gonzalez says.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn have been gold in the process.

“I’ve found that creating engaging content by showcasing the unique experiences of our club has been the most effective in attracting and engaging our members and prospective members,” she says. “We even sold a home at the club that began with Instagram!” C+RB