The former Serenata Beach Club is now called the South Ponte Vedra Ocean Club. | News4Jax
Published on February 11, 2025 at 3:27 pm
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The former Serenata Beach Club has a new name, new owners and a new look. The private club is now the South Ponte Vedra Ocean Club, News4Jax reports.
Owners Kevin Merritt and Lynda-Culhane Merritt purchased the beach club along State Road A1A last year.
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The club officially opened to members on Monday, and a new restaurant concept, Lynda’s at the Ocean Club, will open Feb. 12.
Culhane-Merritt remains involved with the daily operation of the Culhane’s Irish Pubs in Atlantic Beach and South Jacksonville and the Culhane’s vodka and wine brands.
The previous owners owed two mortgage lenders a combined $14 million. To repay the debtors, the club was sold at auction in September. The Merritts paid just over $1.5 million for the property bidding alongside a Rhode Island businessman and Serenata Beach Club members who planned to open a members-owned club.
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Merritt jokes that if he paid only $1.5 million for the club he would be in the Guinness Book of World Records. He clarified that they also paid what was owed to the previous mortgage lenders along with investing in much-needed renovations and upgraded fixtures for the beach club.
“We were going to sell the club to a member equity group. They tried their best and they tried to get 550 to join. After all that effort it ended up at 275, so we had to do what we did,” Merritt said.
There are currently 275 members of the South Ponte Vedra Ocean Club, all of which are previous members of the Serenata Beach Club.
In its heyday, Merritt said the beach club had about 1,200 members.
The club has been in the spotlight for a host of financial problems since 2023, leading to temporary shutdowns.
In February 2024, the club announced its reopening under new management. Meanwhile, employees said they were still waiting for their paychecks and W-2s.
After a judge ruled in favor of two different lenders in July 2024 in an $8 million lawsuit filed against the club, the club went up for foreclosure auction in September.
Merritt said they are working on rebuilding trust with previous Serenata Beach Club members.
“Two hundred and seventy-five believed, and I thank them for trusting us. So kudos to them,” Merritt said.
Memberships are still available for purchase. The initial cost through March 1 is $15,000 plus tax. After March 1 the cost will be $17,500 with tax.
Existing members were offered a discount on the initial membership fees. If they joined in November they paid $11,500, and in December that price went up to $12,500.
Merritt anticipates that the initial cost will increase by $5,000 every six months until the private beach club is leveled up.
Because Lynda’s at the Ocean Club is open to the public, membership will be capped at 850.
This story was produced by News4Jax, a Jacksonville Today news partner.
