The F&B Trap — Rethinking the Clubhouse “Loss” (and Answering Real Questions About Cost and Fairness)
🔹 A Real Question Deserves a Real Answer
A neighbor recently asked for more detail about our Clubhouse operations — not just the why, but the how much and how fair.
She asked three excellent questions:
1️⃣ What is a realistic target for our Clubhouse subsidy?
2️⃣ How does that affect property owners with smaller homes or more modest assets?
3️⃣ How do our costs compare to a restaurant outside the gates?
Let’s look at each of these using real numbers and clear context.
📘 1️⃣ A Realistic Clubhouse Subsidy Target
In budgeting, lets say that we plan to subsidize the Clubhouse by about $500,000.
That figure is deliberate — it reflects the scale of our operation and national norms.
Here’s what the audited amenity financials show for the last four years:
| Year | Amenity Revenue | Amenity Expenses | Net Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $ 5,998,914 | $ 5,518,347 | + $ 480,567 |
| 2022 | $ 6,693,660 | $ 5,998,914 | + $ 694,746 |
| 2023 | $ 7,701,324 | $ 6,693,660 | + $ 1,007,664 |
| 2024 | $ 7,309,839 | $ 6,934,858 | + $ 374,981 |
👉 Takeaway: Even with a $500 K Clubhouse subsidy, our total amenities remain net positive.
The Clubhouse represents roughly one-fifth of the overall amenity investment — exactly what healthy private communities spend to keep their dining experience vibrant.
💡 2️⃣ Fairness and Affordability
Some ask, “What about residents who rarely use the Clubhouse or who live on tighter budgets?”
Our assessments aren’t based on income; they’re based on property ownership.
Every property shares equally because every property benefits from the things that make Big Canoe desirable — roads, lakes, trails, security, and yes, a welcoming clubhouse.
A strong amenity package helps protect everyone’s property value.
When people tour Big Canoe, they don’t ask, “Does the Clubhouse break even?”
They ask, “Is this a community I want to belong to?”
That perception — that sense of belonging — is what sustains values for all of us.
🌲 Representing Everyone — Nature, Security, and Community
Many people moved to Big Canoe because of the quiet, the scenery, and the security. That’s a perfectly valid reason to be here — and one worth protecting.
Our forested setting and safe environment are what make this place different from other gated communities in North Georgia.
But preserving those qualities depends on a financially healthy POA.
Stable funding keeps our gates staffed, our roads maintained, and our watershed and forest-management programs active.
Those same resources also support the amenities that attract buyers and keep property values strong.
In other words, the people who come here for security and nature only and those who enjoy the amenities are both relying on the same thing — good governance and balanced priorities.
Representing one group does not mean ignoring the other.
My goal is to represent all property owners by keeping Big Canoe financially sound, environmentally responsible, and socially connected.
Protecting nature and maintaining amenities aren’t competing goals — they’re complementary.
One safeguards our environment; the other sustains the value that keeps it viable.
🍴 3️⃣ Are We Overpaying Compared to a Restaurant?
A restaurant outside the gates serves thousands of customers and sets prices purely for profit.
Our Clubhouse serves about 3,000 property owners and focuses on quality, reliability, and community connection.
Private-club dining carries extra costs — controlled access, employee benefits, insurance, shared overhead, and seasonal swings in volume.
Those administrative costs are shared across all amenities, not unique to F&B.
If we compared our numbers to a for-profit restaurant, it would be like comparing a school cafeteria to a steakhouse — both serve meals, but with completely different goals.
🏡 Perspective: The Big Picture
Our amenity system generates over $7 million a year and still returns a net positive after expenses.
The $500 K Clubhouse subsidy — about 7 percent of amenity spending — is the cost of creating the friendly, social atmosphere that defines Big Canoe.
During the same period, we’ve strengthened reserves, reinvested in infrastructure, and improved our facilities.
That’s not waste; that’s sound, planned management.
📊 What the Industry Data Shows (in Plain English)
Club Benchmarking has studied more than 1,200 private clubs nationwide. Here’s what their research shows — and why it matters here.
🍽️ 1. Almost every club “loses” money on F&B.
About 92 percent of clubs subsidize dining. Only 8 percent turn a profit, and those are often the weakest overall.
🟢 Losing money on dining is normal — it’s the price of doing business in a member community.
💵 2. The strongest clubs subsidize more.
Clubs that invest more in their dining programs have happier members, higher property values, and stronger balance sheets.
🟢 Subsidy = investment in community, not inefficiency.
🥂 3. Dining satisfaction drives overall satisfaction.
F&B satisfaction has twice the impact of golf satisfaction on how members feel about their club.
🟢 When people enjoy the Clubhouse, they feel better about living here — even if they rarely dine there.
🧾 4. Subsidy size isn’t the problem — unclear purpose is.
Top clubs agree on the goal (first) and set budgets (second).
🟢 It’s not about hitting zero; it’s about delivering value and consistency.
👨🍳 5. Modern kitchens matter.
Outdated kitchens create slow service, inconsistent food, and staff turnover.
🟢 Investing behind the scenes keeps the experience strong and reliable.
🌟 Putting It Together
The best clubs in America subsidize dining, maintain great facilities, and focus on member experience — not profit margins.
📎 Download the 2025 Club Benchmarking Food & Beverage Whitepaper (PDF)
🧭 A Balanced Path Forward
We should always ask the hard questions:
- Are we operating efficiently?
- Are we investing wisely?
- Are we transparent about results?
Benchmarking and open reporting answer those questions better than social-media debates ever will.
What we shouldn’t do is dismantle the amenities that make Big Canoe unique just to chase a number that means little in the big picture.
🙌 Closing Thought
The Clubhouse isn’t a Ritz-Carlton, and it isn’t supposed to be.
It’s the living room of Big Canoe — a place to gather, celebrate, and connect.
Our investment there isn’t about luxury; it’s about community.
When done thoughtfully and transparently, that investment pays off in satisfaction, pride, and strong property values for everyone who calls Big Canoe home.
