Port St. Lucie, Florida is facing the uncertain future of a local golf course, the Sinners Golf Course, after the largest unpaid property-tax lien in St. Lucie County history was sold at auction to a specialty firm last month. The Arizona-based Store Capital, owners of the 96-acre property that houses the golf course, owe $1,380,722.16 in unpaid property taxes from 2023. The golf course, previously known as Club Med Sandpiper Bay Golf Club, is currently not in use and its future is in question.
The Sinners Golf Course was once paired with the Saints Golf Course, now owned by the city of Port St. Lucie. After splitting from its partner course, the Sinners Golf Course changed its name to Club Med Sandpiper Bay Golf Club. The Club Med name was later dropped by the surrounding all-inclusive resort, now branded as Sandpiper Bay Resort. Store Capital, the owners of the property, did not respond to requests for comment on the situation.
When property taxes are not paid, municipalities often sell the tax liens to outside parties in order to recover lost revenue more quickly. In this case, the tax lien for nearly $1.4 million was sold at auction to a subsidiary of Alterna Tax Asset Group, a national investment firm based in Plantation, Florida. The managing member of Alterna, Albert Friedman, confirmed the purchase and stated that the company focuses on acquiring and managing property tax liens from municipalities.
Friedman explained that the sale of the tax lien fills the revenue hole for the county, and now the buyer, Alterna, can seek to recoup the funds with interest. The interest rate on the tax lien is determined by the certificates issued by the tax collector to the buyer. Although the interest rates for this specific sale are still being finalized, it was noted that most buyers will receive a minimum interest of 5 percent at the time of redemption.
If the property owner, in this case, Store Capital, does not pay off the delinquent taxes by April 2026, Friedman stated that a tax deed application can be initiated, putting the property at risk of being sold to the highest bidder. The fate of the Sinners Golf Course remains uncertain as the tax lien on the property has been sold to Alterna Tax Asset Group. The property is currently not in use, and the future of the golf course will depend on the actions taken by the new lienholder in seeking to recoup the unpaid taxes and any potential interest.
