In the last podcast, I talked about Intrawest finalizing the sale of Sandestin Resort to Tom Becnel. Rumors of this impending sale have been circulating in the community for many than a year, so I thought I would provide a little more information to our listeners regarding the resort and the effect of the sale on those who own property and who work at Sandestin.

Becnel is a developer who already operates resorts, luxury condos and townhomes in the area, most notably the Silver Shells Resort, The Palms, and One Beach Club in Sandestin. Many people including John Russell, Senior Vice President of Operations at Sandestin, view the sale as a good thing since Becnel is a local with knowledge of the property and existing relationships to many individuals in the community. The sale of the 2,400-acre resort property, which is home to timeshare villas, condominiums, town homes and hotel accommodations, could also be viewed as a sign that the real estate market in Destin is improving.

Like I said before, anyone whose ever been out to Sandestin knows that it's nice, but I did a little research to see what the resort actually has to offer, and as it turns out, the Sandestin Resort is home to 4 golf courses, 15 tennis courts, 19 swimming pools, 7 miles of beach and bayfront, and a 98-slip marina, plus the pedestrian village which has tons of restaurants, bars and shops. The Sandestin Wine Festival is also happening soon at Baytown Wharf from April 22-25, where you can taste over 600 domestic and international wines in all price ranges.

If you work at the Sandestin Resort, don't be too concerned with the change in ownership, as it appears Becnel will retain the staff excluding those involved with Intrawest sales, and keep day-to-day operations pretty much the same. If you own a home, condo or Destin timeshare at the resort, little should change for you as well.