Suntex Ventures announces merger with Big D Boat Club & Watersports

Big D’s name changes to Suntex

(DALLAS-May 22, 2013) Suntex Ventures, the Dallas-based owner and operator of marina properties, announced that it has merged with Big D Boat Club & Watersports. The new operation will be called Suntex Boat Club & Watersports. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Big D Boat Club & Watersports, founded in 2009, has operated boat clubs and boat rentals in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex on Lake Ray Hubbard, Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Lewisville. It is a rental boat club membership business with a vision of introducing people to the boating lifestyle in a more cost effective way. Memberships provide access to the boat club’s fleet of pontoons, ski and fishing boats, deck boats, wakeboard boats and jet skis. The memberships also include all the gear and accessories. When members arrive at the marina, their reserved boat is clean, full of fuel, staged with the requested water toys and life jackets, and ready for a day on the water.

“This merger and partnership made sense for Big D Boat Club to grow into markets we desire,” explained Monty Kitchen, founder of Big D Boat Club/Director of Suntex Boat Club & Watersports. “Suntex is very customer- driven in how it operates and that was extremely important to me. We had no desire to grow without a partner that sees business the same way we do, customer service is number one. Unlike other franchise-type marina boat clubs across the country, we will be the first to bring customers in as renters or club members, and then maintain that relationship for life.”

Suntex Marinas and now Suntex Boat Club are subsidiaries of Suntex Ventures, a real estate company investing exclusively in niche mixed-use marinas and their related operating platforms. They have acquired, developed, and operated over 30 full-service marinas in the United States, the Caribbean, and Mexico for nearly 20 years. Over the course of these years, Suntex has developed a solid reputation by being dedicated to their customers, clients, guests, communities, employees, and investors.

“We are thrilled that the Big D Boat Club is now a part of the Suntex family,” stated Joe Vrankin, Partner & Chief Operating Officer of Suntex Ventures. “Monty Kitchen has built a first-class business and by combining his club with the Suntex group we have the opportunity to gain the synergies from our marinas. We believe this will result in an even higher level of guest service combined with a high-quality, consistent line of boats in the club at every location. Our plan is to grow the boat club to two additional Suntex marina locations this season and eventually open a Suntex boat club at all of the marinas in the Suntex family.”

Suntex Boat Club will initially be launching boat clubs and rentals at Glade Marina in Acworth, GA, and at Amelia Island Yacht Basin in Fernandina Beach, FL. Vrankin said, “The merger of Suntex and Big D Boat Club, LLC is a big step in revolutionizing the marina industry. We truly want to become the first marina organization that offers everything under one roof for its customers–boat storage, service, boat rentals, and boat club, along with various other convenient amenities for our boaters. Suntex can provide options for every level boater.”

To learn more, visit suntexmarinas.comand suntexboatclub.com.

Submitted by Capprice Kitchen.

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