Southworth Unveils $350 Million Transformation at The Abaco Club, Redefining Private Island Living and Play in The Bahamas

Great Abaco Island, Bahamas — The Abaco Club, the 500-acre private retreat long prized for its sporting pedigree and unspoiled Atlantic shoreline, has entered a new era after owner-operator Southworth completed the latest phase of a ten-year, $350 million capital plan—one of the largest single private-club investments in Caribbean history.

Anchoring the expansion is The Bay Club, a beachfront social hub that now frames the club’s two-mile crescent of white sand on Winding Bay. A zero-edge infinity pool, lap lanes, children’s pool and integrated hot tub front the ocean, while a poolside bar and broad sun deck encourage lingering afternoons. Inside, a ground-level family lounge pairs cinema-scale screens with arcade classics and shuffleboard; upstairs, the adults-only Horizon Lounge supplies craft cocktails, billiards and wraparound terraces with firepits and a cigar-ready crow’s-nest. New York design studio Pembrooke & Ives wove Bahamian textures, oceanic palettes and locally commissioned art throughout.

The club’s sporting core has also been re-energized. The Stables—once home to equestrian operations—now showcase a racquet-sports boutique and open onto four new tennis and four padel courts. Adjacent, the Horseshoe bar reinterprets the popular Birdie Bar formula, overlooking a playground, playing field and a 50,000-square-foot catch-and-release fishing pond that doubles as a backdrop for pickup football and family picnics.

Golfers still tee it up over the acclaimed links, but they now return to a re-imagined Cliff House, the clifftop fine-dining room long regarded among the most elevated culinary experiences in The Bahamas. Refreshed interiors and seasonal menus reinforce its perch above Winding Bay.

Real-estate momentum has matched the amenity surge. Year-over-year sales nearly doubled in 2025, driven by three new residential neighborhoods. The Cays Reserve offers 19 beachfront residences from $4.15 million—11 already sold—steps from The Bay Club. The Green fronts the 14th hole with turnkey cottages starting at $3.3 million, while The Ridge Estates presents eight custom homesites from $2.1 million, commanding Atlantic and 18th-hole panoramas. Each purchase provides the most immediate path to full club membership.

Southworth, the Boston-based, family-owned developer, says the investment is only mid-flight. A world-class spa with individual treatment pavilions set amid native vegetation, an expanded fitness complex and a dedicated Kid’s Club hub are slated to break ground in coming seasons. Until then, members will continue to fill days with championship golf, private boating, snorkeling excursions, island-hopping, hydroponic-farm-to-table dining and a calendar of signature events.

“Our priority has always been a lifestyle defined by genuine belonging and memorable experiences,” said Southworth president Tommy Southworth. “These new spaces bring fresh energy and new ways for families and friends to spend time together—experiences they’ll return to and remember for years to come.”

With its $350 million reinvention now on full display, The Abaco Club has raised the bar for Caribbean private-island living, pairing sporting heritage with turnkey luxury in one of the region’s most coveted addresses.