Multimillion-dollar clubhouse renovation begins at Sara Bay Country Club

A Manatee County country club celebrating its centennial this year recently began a multimillion-dollar clubhouse renovation project. Sara Bay Country Club expects the work to be completed by early 2027.

When the project is finished, the clubhouse — located at 7011 Willow St., about a mile north of the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport — will be “totally revitalized” inside to reflect a fresh aesthetic and reimagined spaces, according to a statement.

Changes coming to the clubhouse include:

• Transformation of the existing dining room and bar area into a centralized gathering space
• Reimagining of the grill room and bar space to be sophisticated and inviting
• Expansion of outdoor dining and open-air spaces to allow for elevated al fresco dining
• Updating of locker rooms and boardroom
• Creation of a new multi-use dining and card room
• Installation of a history hall near the main entrance

“What’s exciting is that the project is intentional and on trend with what today’s private club members want most," Sara Bay Country Club General Manager John Spiess says in a statement. "Our Board of Directors surveyed the membership to prioritize the scope of the renovations. Sara Bay is going to be an even more attractive second home with an inviting elegance that brings pride and enjoyment to the members.”

Venice-based JE Charlotte Construction is the general contractor for the project. Sarasota firm CMSA is the architect, while KSD Clubhouse Interiors of Sarasota is handling interior design.

Notably, Sara Bay is retaining the exterior of its 1920s Spanish Renaissance-style clubhouse, which features stucco walls, a red-tile roof and French doors. The building overlooks the first tee and final green of the golf course, which was designed by Donald Ross and opened in 1926. That year, it hosted what has been called the “Match of the Century” between golf legends Walter Hagen and Bobby Jones.

Recently, the golf course underwent a renovation as well, restoring the greens, green surrounds and angles of play. As the club celebrates its centennial this year, Sara Bay Country Club officials say they are poised to enter the next century with the “look, feel and energy of an all-new property” thanks to the capital improvements.

As part of the interior clubhouse renovation, a history hall will be created off the main entrance, where display cases will showcase memorabilia and artifacts from the club’s first 100 years.

“We are committed to enhancing our facility for our vibrant membership to enjoy for many years to come,” Sara Bay Country Club Board of Directors President Perry Pogany says in the statement.