Izatys: Some Positive News for a Change!

Just when the Mille Lacs faithful had heard enough about the recession, a fidgety stock market, and an ice barrage on the Big Pond's South Shore, Izatys came out of its long slumber Saturday morning, jolting the local economy with a potential big boost. Jason Tollette, a St. Cloud Real Estate Developer, announced that he and a consortium of local businesses would open Izatys for operation this summer, making speculation official. Tollette, who spent two years as the general manager at Izatys during its peak years, said Blackbrook Golf Course would open May 1. BayView owner Rand Syverson and partner Brandon Niesen, who owns Morningstar Market in Wahkon, announced they would open Club IX in mid May with a full bar and abbreviated food menu and operate a pool bar on weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day. And local bait shop icon Bill Lundeen stepped forward to announce he will run the Marina and Walleye World for the summer, offering bait, tackle and fuel services. To top it off, the Izatys Townhome Association and the Village at Izatys governing boards gave approval to fund the operation of the swimming pool to complement the total package. Together, that puts Izatys back into action after a 19-month layoff. Tollette said that when Izatys is filled to capacity in both lakeside townhomes, beach villas and Village timeshares that more than 1,000 people occupy the property. He credited Commerce Bank and its partners who took title to the property late last year after Izatys Resort LLC was liquidated in Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the fall, closing in early October 2007. Tollette stated that the bank is injecting more than $500,000 into to the property to get it marketable for sale to a viable owner. He said the bank will payoff more than $400,000 in back taxes to Mille Lacs County Monday. As could be expected, the mood at the Izatys Townhome Association owner meeting was festive with the news and owners cheered and clapped as each local businessman stepped forward, pledging service and asking for support. While there won't be wholesale improvements, Tollette said that the sandtraps on Blackbrook would be redone and that all stumps would be removed from that course. Izatys Pro Shop is now open and offering $500 single memberships, $850 Couple memberships and $1,000 memberships for a family of four. We'll provide you with phone numbers fo the pro shop, Club IX and Walleye World when we receive them. In addition to the resort opening, Par 5 Drive continues its pace toward pavement, which is expected to be completed before the end of the summer as part of a South Harbor Township road project. With the fishing opener still 13 days away, we might have already seen this season's biggest catch!