Michael McCarthy, ECM, CEO and general manager of Addison Reserve Country Club (ARCC) in Delray Beach, Fla., says that when he arrived at the club in 2007 he quickly recognized that the membership at the club was forward-thinking. That same year, the club opened a state-of-the-art health and spa facility—one of the first in the industry—with an extensive menu of modern spa services. He credits the members for having a handle on key trends, using data to make decisions, and keeping Addison Reserve competitive in its amenities and services—a manager’s dream, really.
In 2015, the club had nearly outgrown the new facility, so the board and strategic planning committee began looking at incorporating a new and improved health and wellness component to their Vision 2020 plan. In November 2017, after conducting nearly 30 focus groups, members overwhelmingly approved a plan to keep existing facilities operating and construct new, expanded facilities on what had been a parking lot adjacent to the 70,000-square-foot clubhouse, tennis courts, pickleball courts and full basketball court. The only disruption during construction was that the members experienced some delay in receiving their valeted vehicles, but McCarthy says that was really only a small back-of-the-house hassle. In November 2019—right on schedule—ARCC unveiled its brand new $25
million, 40,000-square-foot Lifestyle Complex. The facility was inspired by health, wellness and outdoor living and incorporates green space for outdoor concerts as well as waterfalls and fire pits for ambience and evening enjoyment.
Clean lines, open spaces and spacious entryways greet members in the fitness center, tennis center and spa and dining areas. The Grill is a new indoor/outdoor casual dining room that can accommodate 280 guests. The club used cool aqua and grey tones and paler woods to accentuate the
abundance of natural light. Other notable features are two open concept wine columns flanking the 14-foot television display, a rotunda reception area and the open-air seating by the nearby waterfall.
The exquisite spa entry is flanked by the nail salon, a specialty boutique and men’s and women’s serenity seating areas. Members enjoy the use of five massage studios, a hair salon, his and her saunas and a therapeutic salt room that is a big hit with members and assists with respiratory issues. The club also purchased a hydrotherapy system and members have enthusiastically booked HydraFacial treatments to detoxify, exfoliate, extract, hydrate and rejuvenate skin. The 15,500-square-foot, two-story fitness center features a cardio/Technogym area, a free weight area, three Pilates studios, a stretching studio, Kinesis space, a 1,050-square-foot aerobics studio, a Peloton studio, a TRX/circuit studio and a physical therapy room. The tennis pro shop and covered patio area adjoin the
11 lighted Har-Tru clay tennis courts. Children 14 and older can use the facility unaccompanied, and there are many classes and programs
geared toward getting the younger community members moving.
Addison Reserve built two physical therapy rooms and rents the space to a husband/wife certified professional therapist team. They are full-time in season and enjoy a full schedule of appointments. They handle all the bookings, work with insurance companies, and have assisted members with a wide variety of issues. McCarthy notes that once the team works with a member and they’ve exhausted their insurance, they are referred to personal trainers employed by the club who can continue to work with them, which results in a healthier member.
“Addison Reserve offers its members not just a community, but a lifestyle,” said McCarthy. “We genuinely seek to support a very discerning lifestyle for those being mindful of their activity levels, fitness, health, beauty and overall well-being. Members want to be active and enjoy long healthy lives with their families. Many of our members have other memberships up north; we want to make sure they feel like their Addison Reserve community is their true home and we want them to enjoy a culture that supports a wide variety of activities.”
Always looking forward, the club plans to refurbish the 70,000-square-feet of space to update the clubhouse in the next year. Following that, in 2023-24, all 27-holes of golf and the practice facility will be redone. McCarthy reiterates, “It’s the members’ vision, the forward-thinking board and administration’s dedication to superior service that comes together to provide the ultimate experience for our members. The members will always tell you what they want—it’s our responsibility to listen. The Lifestyle Complex arose from the culmination of these efforts.”
