“Players Club of Hilton Head Island” came into being on September 29, 1981. On that date a joint venture of two corporations, Baytree Associates and Keys Development Corporation of South Carolina signed papers to purchase the property from Hotel Investments. Partners in Baytree Associates were L. Clifford Adams, Jerry Whitlow and Edgar C. Wiggins. The Keys Development Corporation of South Carolina officers signing Master Deed establishing the horizontal property regime were Robert A. Dion, Vice President, and Edwin F. Russo, Assistant Secretary.
The property purchased, a portion to be converted to time shares, was an upscale motel, a Quality Inn, built about 1975 and owned by Hotel Investments. There were five buildings included in the property. Four were two story buildings used as the residential units of the motel. These were to be converted into time share condominiums. The time share project, including the four residential buildings and the land they were situated on, including the outdoor swimming pool, would be incorporated to be named “Players Club Owners Association”. The fifth building housed the main offices, a restaurant and a fitness center including an indoor swimming pool. This building would not be a part of the time share property.
Plans were to convert each of the four residential buildings into apartments to be sold as fee simple time shares. Plans were to accomplish this in four phases. Phase I was to be conversion of building two hundred followed by phase II which would convert building three hundred. Phase I conversion was started immediately following purchase and Phase II in December 1981. Phase III was to convert building one hundred and Phase IV was to convert building four hundred. Phase III and IV would depend on sales progress of Phase I & II. The main building was to house the main offices, a health club, racquetball center, lounge and restaurant. It was not intended to become a part of PCOA. Buildings 100 and 400 were refurbished and used as hotel rooms while conversion to apartments and sales of time shares in building 200 and 300 was in progress.
All time shares were fee simple with financial assistance available through First Federal Savings and Loan Association of Florida Keys. No firm sales were made until the first building was completed. This came in March 1982.
Some interesting items. Since the project was new in 1982 and the developer paid all fees they estimated the maintenance expense. The 1982 estimated maintenance fee was $199.15 for a two bedroom unit, utilities $1,200, telephone $200,.cable TV $200 and insurance $125.
Phase I started out as fixed weeks only. In June 1994 the unsold weeks were offered as either fixed or floating weeks, as was Phase II weeks.
In the late 1980’s, before Phase III could be started, financial problems at the mortgage company began. Failure of the mortgage company caused the project to fail and all unsold time share inventory as well as the other buildings was eventually taken over by the Resolution Trust Corporation (RTC). While the unsold inventory was in RTC hands they contracted with Key Federal Bank in Baltimore to sell some unsold weeks. The sales were primarily to then current owners.
During the period between the developer failure and a new owner was found for the hotel property the time share property was managed by Bob Laskowitz. He also was caretaker for the hotel property.
In April 1992 a new corporation, DeAllyon Associates, Inc., purchased the unconverted buildings, one hundred and four hundred, and the main building to be opened as a hotel. The person signing for DeAllyon Associates was James A. Adams, President. There were two other partners, Joe Eves and Jerry Whitlow. One requirement in the deal was that DeAllyon hire a management company who would also manage Players Club Owners Association and put in place a Board made up of time share owners. The management company chosen was Tricom Property Management located in Anaheim, California. Tricom’s President was Woody Cary who made frequent visits to the property, at least for every Board of Directors meeting. Tricom hired Steve Bowman of Hilton Head, Island to be their East Coast manager housed at Players Club. Ruth Laferriere was named Resort Manager. The two of them managed the resort. Most resort services such a check in, cleaning, etc. was purchased from DeAllyon. Billing and collections, etc. was done by Tricom from California.
Tricom sent letters to all owners of record in the summer of 1992 and held information meetings in Atlanta, Washington and Hilton Head Island to be sure owners knew what was happening and seeking candidates for Board members.
There were 28 candidates for seven positions as Board members. Elected to the first Board were Harold Banister, Keith Martin, Joseph Negley, Herb Randall, Neil Satterfield, Norm Von Osten, and Walter Richardson. The first Board meeting was held at the resort on September 5, 1992. At this first meeting Neil Satterfield was elected president, Walter Richardson, vice president and Keith Martin secretary treasurer. The meeting convened at 10:00 AM and adjourned at 7:40 PM. It was the first of a period of long meetings.
You will find a summary of the history of the board of directors at the end of this history.
The next Board meeting was held October 3, 1992 to set a budget for 1993 and begin the road to recovery. A budget was adopted to be presented to the owners at a special called meeting on November 1, 1992. Maintenance fees were set to be $303 for efficiency, $341 for one bedroom and $373 for two bedrooms. Additionally the Board would recommend to owners a special assessment of $409 for efficiency, $450 for one bedroom and $503 for two bedrooms.
A special owners meeting was held on November 1, 1992 at the Van Der Meer tennis facility. The 1993 budget and special assessment were agreed to.
The PCOA property was in shambles. The landscape had not had any maintenance in years. The building and furniture were shameful. In some areas of the buildings you could pull at an ear of wallpaper and actually pull sheet rock off the wall.
An audit by the management company completed near mid 1993 showed that only 1,482 of potential 2,600 owners were current with their maintenance fees. There were almost 400 weeks in the hands of RTC who notified the Board that they were giving them to us and would no longer pay maintenance fees beginning in 1994. (They had paid for a couple of years) The Association was near broke with no ability to borrow money. Often we could not pay all bills due at the end of the month. Example: as of September 30, 1993 the actual reserve cash was $2,386 with an estimated reserve requirement of $277,676.
The Board met with the management company often and long, developing plans to overcome the problems. One goal was to reduce the reserve deficit to zero in five years.
· Tricom Property Management, our management company at the time, found a wholesale buyer/reseller, Triple Crown Finance, to purchase the weeks RTC handed to PCOA. They had a national sales organization selling time shares.
· Foreclosure of delinquent weeks was begun. Some owners voluntarily deeded their weeks back to the Association.
· A special assessment on all owners was added in 1993, the only special assessment in the history of PCOA to date.
· Unsold weeks were offered to then current owners for $1. Purchasers had to pay the closing costs, the 1993 special assessment and 1994 maintenance in advance.
· The rebuilding of building 200 was started and new less expensive furnishings purchased. It would be replaced at a later date with better quality. Building 300 was in better shape and would have to wait until 1994.
· For 1994 the maintenance fee was increased to $318 for an efficiency apartment, $358 for a one bedroom apartment and $392 for a two bedroom apartment.
The Board decided to hire a new management company of their own choice to begin January 1, 1994. Several bids were reviewed. RDI Resort Services, Inc. located in Ft. Myers, FL. was chosen. Mr. Ken Kiem was president. Al Natorp was assigned as resort manager. He reported to Mrs. Sue Bowers as Regional Director for RDI. To help PCOA out financially RDI Vacation Club purchased all unsold weeks.
RDI assigned Mark Bowers to move temporarily to Players Club to oversee the renovation of the building 300 as well as the completion of building 200. At this time there was more money so the building 300 renovation was made and included using better furnishings. Later the building 200 would be upgraded. The renovation was completed in 1995. Upgrading would come later.
During 1993 and 1994 the Board had the task of maintaining urgent repairs, rebuilding of the resort and longer range planning for improvements to the resort once the buildings were back in good condition. Long range plans included upgrading of the condos, first class furniture, updating the landscaping and central heat/air-condition.
In early 1996 DeAllyon Associates, Inc. filed chapter 11 bankruptcy. Players Club depended on DeAllyon Associates, Inc. for office space in the main building since we had none in our buildings, 200 or 300. In late 1996 the maintenance/storage space in the 200 building was converted to office space. We move our office into the newly converted space in early 1997.
In May 1997 the DeAllyon Associates, Inc. property was bought by Spinnaker Development Corporation (SDC). The owner of SDC was Ken Taylor, a developer of timeshare properties primarily on Hilton Head Island.
In August 1997 it was discovered that an amendment to the by-laws set the number of directors at five instead of seven as had been stated in the original by-laws. At that time the Board was reduced to five from seven.
During the years 1998 through 2002 most efforts and money went into upgrading the apartments, swimming pool area and landscaping. The kitchens of the apartments were redesigned and new cabinets installed. Bathrooms were upgraded by refinishing tubs, showers and vanity areas. New wall covering was installed and ceramic tile replaced carpet in the kitchen, dining areas. Ceiling repairs were made. Some upgrade of furniture was done. The reserve fund was being managed toward the installation of central air-conditioning of the apartments.
In 1997 the number of Board Directors was reduced from seven to five.
In early 1998 RDI Director Sue Bowers was replaced by Bob Lotts. Sue became Director of a new territory headquartered in Wisconsin.
In December, 1998 Bluegreen Resort Management purchased RDI Resort Services, Inc and became the Management Company for PCOA. The same resort manager and staff and Director became Bluegreen employees.
In 1999 the maintenance fee was increased for the first time in five years. There had been no special assessments.
In November 1999 Bluegreen assigned a new Director, Dale Dobis, to Players Club. He was assisted by Kim Fries. Their office was located in Myrtle Beach, SC.
In 2002 permits were obtained and the installation of central heat/air-conditioning units was started. This project was completed in 2003. The total cost was more than $390,000. This was done without a special assessment.
In 2004 the maintenance fee was increased for the second time in ten years. There had been no special assessments.
During 2004, 2005 and into 2006 almost all furniture, carpets and window dressing was replaced with upgraded items. This was the last of the renovation, remodel and upgrade to the buildings and apartments included in long range planning in the years 1993 and 1994. Early plans were modified as time passed.
Al Natorp left Bluegreen Resorts Management and the position of General Manager of PCOA in 2005.
In November 2005 major repairs to the roof was required.
2006 was started with major pool repair. Pamela Vernon was hired for the position of General Manager. Bluegreen Resorts Management announced they would not be renewing the PCOA contract past the end of the year due to changes in their business model. Their focus in the future will be on the resorts that are developed by Bluegreen or have potential growth in their Vacation Club. They will provide necessary assistance to Players Club during the year to search and hire a replacement management company.
In March 2006 RFP’s were sent to six management companies. All six responded with their proposed program. The six were Goodmanagement of Newport, VA, RMC Property Management of Hilton Head Island, SC, Southwind Management Corporation of Hilton Head Island, SC, Sunterra Resorts Management of North Las Vegas, NV, Trading Places International (TPI) of Laguna Niguel, CA and Vacation Resorts International (VRI) of Laguna Hills, CA (Serviced from their office in Merritt Island, FL).
Three of these were invited to present their proposal in person before the PCOA Board of Directors on May 12, 2006 at the resort. They were RMC, TPI and VRI. The Board presented additional questions to the companies via email. The presentations and responses to questions along with counter proposals were studied. Two companies, TPI and VRI were asked to provide more detail. After several weeks of negotiations VRI was chosen to be our next Management Company. Their official date to become the Management Company for PCOA was January 1, 2007. VRI did the billing for 2007 in early December 2006 since they became responsible for collection before most payments were made.
The VRI staff was introduced to the owners at the 2006 annual meeting in Hilton Head, Island and the change in management companies was announced in the winter Newsletter.
Pamela Vernon continued as General Manager, reporting to the VRI Regional Director, Diana Morris, located in New Bern, NC.
2007 was the first year VRI managed Players Club Owners Association. Our agreement with VRI was three years with a no fault option to leave them at the end of one year if not satisfied with VRI performance. In October the Board announced that PCOA would continue under management of VRI for the two additional years.
Some major accomplishments for 2007 at the resort included the updating of our computers, replacement of the playground equipment and the replacement of the four entrances ways with hurricane proof ones. This was also a security issue. The new entrance doors will require use of the unit Onity card key to enter after 10:00 P.M. Also flat screen TVs were installed in all units except Efficiency units. TVs were installed in all bedrooms.
2007 was a bad year for our property insurance. Insurance premiums which were under $55,000 in 2006, increased to greater than $120.000 in 2007. Projections for 2008 were even higher, near $175.000. This caused an increase in 2008 maintenance fees of near 5%.
With the exception of insurance, 2008 was mostly a routine year for Players Club Owners Association. Good news regarding insurance. Keith Martin, PCOA Vice President, worked with an outside insurance company and obtained a bid close to $50,000, a savings for the association of approximately $125,000 for the year. The insurance coverage is basically the same as proposed by the management company.
Some major accomplishments for the year included replacing all king and queen mattresses in the 200 building, in both buildings all bath tubs and showers were resurfaced and all bathrooms were repainted and all shower curtains replaced. Grab bars were installed over all bath tubs. The carpet was replaced in the 300 building and all overhead fans were replaced.
The Board contracted with MVP Services to provide on-site sales for both association and owner units. Our management company, VRI, launched an exchange program called VRI*ety
In spite of the economy, there was no maintenance fee increase at Players Club in 2009, thanks primarily to the reduction in insurance premiums. Your Board is committed to continue to be conservative, yet insure the resort property is maintained at a high level.