We don't know much and the future is still very unclear, but this is the latest newsletter sent concerning the land we sit on:
Dear Campers, Staff and All Interested,
We have just discovered that the property which Maho Bay Camps sits
upon has officially been sold. The only information that has been
released, is that a direct sale to an unknown buyer took place on
12/27/2012 for $13,950,000. No one is releasing any more details. We
do not know who they are or their intentions. All we know is that we
are only taking reservations until we close on May 15, 2013. We will
continue to update you as we find out more.
We hope you have a blessed New Year and get to come visit us one last time.
7 comments:
The new owners lack of communication does not bode well for any continuation of the Eco Camp. One can only hope that whatever the new owners do there will honor the tradition, lifestyle, and incredible good karma that Stanley and the 1000's of guests, employees, and 4 hour workers of MBC have created. Long live Maho Bay Camps!
Rob Rogerson
"Forever guest"
Thank you so much for keeping us Maho-Lovers in the loop via the blog and newsletter. So sad to hear that the land that this wonderful place sits on has been sold, but as an eternal optimist, I feel in my heart that something "Maho-Camp-like" will arise, like the Phoenix, from the land once again, perhaps even better than the original Maho Camp!! My hope is that this "new Maho Camp" will reflect the spirit and the funkiness of the old camp, employ the staff that has dedicated so many years to the site, and continue the tradition of the ECO-RESORT that was so well realized by the original dream of Mr. Selengut.
Tim Ray
The thing that gets me most is the price it sold for. The TPL would have paid $15m for it...and here we have it sold privately for under 14m. I can't help but think "WHY?!?" Money is money right?
Maho Bay, I still refuse to imagine a St. John without you, you provide a magical place for so many vacationers, something I've never seen before; I hope that at the very least the land is used in an environmentally responsible manner.
Michael Bettano
2012 4-Hour
So disappointing to read in the Trade Winds newspaper that, according to sources the new owner of the land that Maho Camps sits on is an "individual buyer and the land will be used for a family compound".
One must wonder about the previous owners of the land, and their committment to the beautiful island of St. John, ie that they were willing to basically "remove" that economic engine from the island forever, the money that the approximately 12,000 guests each year contribute to the local economony, the dedicated staff at Maho Camps, and other intangibles. Their obvious motivation was only MONEY!! for their bank accounts, and to hell with the ecology and economics of the island. Shame on you!!
Tim Ray
So sad to hear that the land has been sold and Maho Bay Camps will close in May. We made our first trip to Maho Bay in 2005 with our three kids, followed by more trips in 2007, 2000 and 2003. We even spent 1 month at Maho with my husband doing the 4-hour worker program.
We have so many wonderful memories of Maho - snorkeling off the beach, learning to windsurf and sail, the cozy tents, breakfast in the restaurant, climbing the stairs and walking the boardwalks, the wildlife - bananaquits, iguanas, anoles, hermit crabs, frogs and even the "sand fleas" and mosquitos. Had always hoped that we would take our grandkids there when they were old enough, but I guess that is not to be.
Thank you Stanley and all of the Maho staff for giving us all the opportunity to experience a beautiful piece of paradise. Too bad it will now be someone's private paradise and no longer a place for thousands of families to have tropical vacation.
I hope to sail my sailboat into Maho harbor one of these days. Hopefully the new owners didn't buy the bay too.
It has gotten dramatically worse. The land is being subdivided and is currently for sale if the "John Foster" realty signs are any indication.
I don't know what happened to my first comment but the land appears to being subdivided with two large parcels for sale. There are John Foster realtor signs posted. Total for sale app. 6 acres.
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