By Amye Anderson
UCBJ Managing Editor
SILVER POINT – Last week, Suntex Marinas Investors, LLC, announced it was taking ownership of Hurricane Marina, a popular waterside hangout along Center Hill Lake.
While the state’s oldest marina wasn’t formally listed for sale, representatives from Suntex tell the UCBJ that, through an existing partnership with the marina’s previous owners, the company was able to work directly with the owners to add Hurricane Marina to its growing roster of Tennessee marinas. The purchase price of the property was not disclosed.
This latest acquisition is the company’s second venture in Tennessee, joining Bristol’s Laurel Marina. Without revealing many details, reps say future locations in the region aren’t out of the question.
“We do have some other potential acquisition targets in the general region, but cannot disclose specifics,” said Josalyn Claussen, director of marketing for Suntex Marinas.
Based in Dallas, Texas, Suntex Marinas owns, manages, and invests in an extensive network of salt- and freshwater marinas across the country. The company currently owns more than 40 marinas, the bulk of which are located in Florida, 13, and Texas, 9. Other states represented on the Suntex roster include California, Georgia, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Virginia.
“We have a long-term ownership vision and we are constantly striving to enhance the marina properties we own and operate by improving customer service, and by investing additional capital in the physical assets to meet the demands of today’s marina customer,” Claussen said.
With the change in ownership, the marina received a new 25-year lease with the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and also extended the lease of the nearby existing 6,600-square-foot restaurant, Blue Water Grille.
The marina offers nearly 600 wet slips, 40 personal watercraft slips, and 25 enclosed boathouse slips.
Center Hill Lake is a reservoir, created by means of a dam constructed by USACE in 1948 for both electricity production and flood control. The lake spans 64 miles and covers an area of more than 18,000 acres.
