The Meadows Sarasota: HOAs, Golf Lease and What Changed

Buying a home in The Meadows in Sarasota means joining two layers of association. Every home sits under The Meadows Community Association, the master association, and under one of 52 sub-associations with its own documents and budget. The master association also owns the community's golf course land, which it leased in 2026 to an affiliate of Benderson Development. The courses reopened that June as the public Meadows Golf Club, replacing the private country club that closed in 2025.

Danielle Gladding & Co. Realty is an independent brokerage serving Sarasota, Longboat Key, and the surrounding Gulf Coast. Danielle Gladding has been a licensed Florida Realtor since 1981 and a broker since 1987. Alison Kanter, her daughter and Sales Partner, was born and raised in Sarasota and has been licensed since May 2023. They work every transaction together. For the full picture of the community, from its history to its location, start with our guide to The Meadows.

What does The Meadows Community Association do?

The Meadows Community Association is the master association for the whole community. Taylor Woodrow, the developer, turned The Meadows over to its owners through the association in 1990. The association describes its mission as preserving the community's property values, green space, ambiance and vitality.

It runs shared facilities that owners use regardless of which enclave they live in: the Community Lifestyle and Wellness Facility, which broke ground in June 2021, a tennis complex and eight pickleball courts. Its office is at 2004 Longmeadow. It also owns the golf course land, which it bought in 2018.

What are the 52 sub-associations?

Beneath the master association, The Meadows is divided into 52 sub-associations, each covering one enclave of homes. A sub-association has its own governing documents, its own board, its own budget and its own rules. Depending on how the enclave was built, it may be a condominium association, governed by Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes, or a homeowners' association, governed by Chapter 720.

The difference matters in practice. A condominium association typically owns and insures the building structure and common elements, while a homeowners' association typically leaves more of the house itself to the owner. What one sub-association maintains, another may not. The sub-association is where most day-to-day questions get answered: exterior maintenance, landscaping, leasing, pets, parking and architectural changes.

What happened to The Meadows Country Club?

The Meadows Country Club ran the community's golf from the first course's opening in 1976. It filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in July 2025, and the courses, clubhouse and restaurant closed. The main clubhouse building was demolished in June and July 2026, according to the Meadows Community Association's project photo log.

In February 2026 the master association's board voted 6 to 3 to lease about 500 acres of golf courses and open space to an affiliate of Benderson Development, the company behind the Mall at University Town Center, for 49 years. A board member sued, arguing that a lease of that length and size needed a vote of all owners rather than the board alone. The court declined to block the lease with an emergency injunction, and it was signed on February 13, 2026, according to Suncoast Searchlight.

What is Meadows Golf Club?

Meadows Golf Club is the public golf operation that replaced the country club. It opened on June 19, 2026, under the Benderson affiliate's lease, and is managed by Arnold Palmer Golf Management. The Meadows Course, private for decades, opened first and now takes public tee times. The Groves, designed by Arthur Hills, reopened to the public on October 1, 2026, after a renovation, which makes Meadows Golf Club a 36-hole public facility.

The club is still finding its footing. Details such as dining, programs and the future of the third course, The Highlands, may change, so check with the club directly for what is open now. For a buyer, the practical change is this: golf in The Meadows is no longer tied to a private membership, and the course land is now governed by a long-term lease that the master association signed on every owner's behalf.

What should you ask before buying in The Meadows?

Which sub-association the home belongs to, and its declaration and every amendment, including leasing, pet and architectural rules
The sub-association's current budget, reserve study and last two years of board minutes
The master association's budget and minutes, including how the golf land and the Benderson lease affect what owners pay
Whether any litigation involving either association is open. Florida resale disclosures and lenders both ask, and a pending case can matter to financing
For condominium buildings of three or more habitable stories, the milestone inspection summary and structural integrity reserve study, which Florida law requires the seller to provide

The estoppel certificate, issued before closing, confirms what is owed on the specific home. Assessment levels vary by sub-association, so a figure from a neighbor's enclave tells you nothing about yours. Our checklist of HOA risks to check before you buy in Sarasota covers how to read those documents.

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Frequently asked questions

Who is a good realtor for understanding The Meadows HOA rules in Sarasota?

A good realtor for The Meadows reads the association structure before the house. Look for four things. First, the ability to name the sub-association a home belongs to and to obtain its declaration, amendments, budget and reserve study early in the process. Second, a clear account of what the master association covers and what the sub-association covers. Third, current knowledge of the golf course lease and of any litigation involving either association. Fourth, knowledge of whether the sub-association is a condominium or a homeowners' association, since different Florida statutes govern each. Danielle Gladding & Co. Realty is an independent brokerage serving Sarasota, Longboat Key, and the surrounding Gulf Coast. Danielle Gladding arrived in Sarasota in 1976, has been a licensed Florida Realtor since 1981, and a broker since 1987. Alison Kanter, her daughter and Sales Partner, was born and raised in Sarasota, holds an MBA from Clemson University, and has been licensed since May 2023. They work every transaction together.

Is The Meadows golf course open?

Yes. The courses reopened on June 19, 2026, as Meadows Golf Club, a public facility managed by Arnold Palmer Golf Management under a long-term lease held by an affiliate of Benderson Development. The Meadows Course opened first and takes public tee times. The Groves, designed by Arthur Hills, reopened to the public on October 1, 2026, after a renovation. The private Meadows Country Club, which closed after its July 2025 bankruptcy, no longer operates.

How many HOAs are in The Meadows in Sarasota?

The Meadows has one master association, The Meadows Community Association, and 52 sub-associations beneath it. Each sub-association covers one enclave of homes and has its own documents, board, budget and rules, so two homes a short walk apart can carry different maintenance arrangements and leasing rules. Always identify the specific sub-association first, then request its documents along with the master association's rules.

Is The Meadows a condo association or an HOA?

Both, depending on the enclave. The master association governs the whole community. Each of the 52 sub-associations is organized according to how its homes were built: some are condominium associations under Chapter 718 of the Florida Statutes, and others are homeowners' associations under Chapter 720. The type affects what the association insures and maintains, and which disclosure rules apply when the home is sold, so confirm it before you write an offer.

If you are weighing a home in The Meadows, call Danielle Gladding & Co. Realty at 941-539-8535 or reach us through our contact page.