Colony Collapse

Betty Burk, left, and her daughter, Myra Burk, have been been holding family reunions at The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort for 31 years. Betty Burk, who travels from Paris for the reunions to see her three generations of loved ones, called the Colony's closing "devastating" Tuesday while sitting on the beach.
Colony owner and Chairman Dr. Murray "Murf" Klauber said he is proud of what his family was able to build at The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort and hopes it can be revitalized some day.
Colony owner and Chairman Dr. Murray "Murf" Klauber still owns the tennis courts, along with William Merrill and Carolyn Field, that helped make the resort famous.

Currently 4 Responses

1.
The wonderful thing about the Colony was the fact that it was open to the public. I loved playing tennis there and eating in the monkey room.
I will miss the Colony dearly.
pamela clair
Fri 13th Aug 2010
at 12:09am

2.
To Sir Eric: Why don't you just call them a bunch of New Yawkers. Even they got screwed by the Klauber's with no profit sharing for many years, only their use of a unit for 30 days and then not even that for the past two years.
George McFarland
Wed 11th Aug 2010
at 8:37pm

3.
Sounds like a bunch of Northeastern tightwads to me. The Klaubers created a great place folks could enjoy and create lifelong memories with family and friends. And do so without breaking the bank. Some folks just want something for nothing. You wanna play you gotta pay.
Eric Trump
Wed 11th Aug 2010
at 3:12pm

4.
I see the Colony Association acting as it's own developer with professional assistance, demolishing all that stands on its 15 acres. Several new buildings will be erected leaving plenty of room for the Association to put in their own pool, tennis courts, health club and restaurant facilities with parking underneath the new structures with all conforming to present day building codes and flood requirements. The Association does not need the land presently owned by Klauber and under foreclosure and can redevelop around the 3.25 acres that the Association does not now control. The value to the Association of the remaining parcel is negligible at best. I am sure the Town of Longboat Key would welcome a newly created Colony and would entertain the construction of additional units over and above the 237units that presently exist. The sale of additional units would reduce the indebtedness of the reconstruction and allow the unit owners a brand new unit far better that what currently exists and restore the Colony to a 5 star Condo-Hotel. in addition, the unit owners would have income from the rentals and restaurant operation in which they would control management.
George McFarland
Wed 11th Aug 2010
at 9:18am