Catawba Island Club

What Catawba Island Club does

Catawba Island Club is a private, family-owned membership club located on the Lake Erie shoreline in Ottawa County, Ohio. The property was established in 1928 as Catawba Cliffs Beach Club and was acquired by the Stouffer family in 1967, who rebranded it as Catawba Island Club in 1968. The club serves 1,300+ member families on a multi-generational basis and operates with a 12-month waiting list, indicating structurally constrained supply relative to demand. Amenities include an 18-hole golf course, a 380-slip marina at full capacity, a 33-room hotel, multiple dining venues, fitness and racquet facilities, event spaces, and a yacht charter service operated via the vessel GEMINI. Community institutions such as the Yachtsmen Association are associated with the club's marine programming.

The club's revenue model is built on five primary streams: recurring membership dues, hotel and lodging revenue, marina slip rentals and boat storage, food and beverage operations across multiple outlets, and private events and catering. A supplementary revenue stream is provided by yacht charter services. As a private club, pricing is not publicly disclosed and access is restricted to members and their guests. The business is asset-heavy (real estate, marina infrastructure, golf course, hotel) and labor-intensive across hospitality, marine, and recreation functions. The property effectively operates as an integrated resort and marina complex under a private membership wrapper.

Ownership has remained with the Stouffer family since 1967, with no public funding rounds, equity issuance, M&A activity, or external capital event disclosed. Operating activity in recent years has been concentrated on internal leadership development, particularly within the events and golf departments, with multiple staff additions and promotions between 2017 and 2025. There is no public revenue disclosure, no investor presentation, and no third-party distribution or technology platform associated with the business.

Name

Catawba Island Club

Legal name

Catawba Island Club

Website

https://www.cicclub.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1967

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Private family-owned membership club on Lake Erie's Ohio shore, founded 1928 and held by the Stouffer family since 1967. Serves 1,300+ multi-generational member families via golf, marina, lodging, dining, and event amenities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Country Club

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Marinas (713930), Food Services and Drinking Places (722), Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water (4872)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Membership Clubs (Category-Focused) (CRAEADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Marine Recreation Rentals & Tours Retail Counter (On-site Sales) (CRAMAIAM), Coastal & Marine Nature Lodges (THAGAIAH), Sailing Experiences (Lessons, Regattas, Day Sails) (THAJAJAG)

Keywords

• Private membership club
• Golf and country club
• Marina dockage services
• Wedding and event venues
• Boutique hotel accommodations

Headquarters

HQ city

Port Clinton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues for full club access including all amenities for member and immediate family (children under 25). CIC is a non-equity club with no contractual obligations.
2. Hotel Accommodations: 33-room boutique-style hotel offering twin rooms, queen rooms, and suites. Room rates are charged per night plus tax.
3. Marina Services: Seasonal dockage for members at North Marina (320 deep-water slips) and South Marina (60 fixed slips). Transient dockage available for Associate Yachtsmen and guests. Rack storage for jet skis, dinghies, and small boats. Professional marine services including maintenance and repairs.
4. Food and Beverage: Multiple dining venues including Main Clubhouse (scratch kitchen), Side Door, Galley Grill, Beach Bar, Barefoot Bar, Burgee Bar, Dock Shop, and Westerly Pub. Caters private events and weddings.
5. Private Events: Wedding venues (Pavilion, Front Lawn, Harbour Room, GEMINI yacht), corporate events, meetings, and social events with various room capacities from 5 to 175 guests.
6. GEMINI Charters: 73-foot Burger Motor Yacht available for charters to Lake Erie Islands (Put-in-Bay, Kelleys Island) and scenic cruises. Includes food and beverage options. Pricing includes up to 30 passengers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Catawba Island Club is a private membership club on Lake Erie's Ohio Shore that sells annual memberships granting member families unlimited access to golf, boating, dining, fitness, racquet sports, swimming, and accommodations. Ancillary revenue comes from per-night hotel stays, seasonal marina dockage, à la carte food and beverage across multiple dining venues, private event hosting (weddings, corporate, social), and GEMINI yacht charters.

Product overview

Catawba Island Club is a private family-oriented club located on Lake Erie's Ohio Shore offering a comprehensive portfolio of amenities and services. The club features multiple dining venues (Main Clubhouse, Side Door, Galley Grill, Beach Bar, Barefoot Bar, Burgee Bar, Dock Shop, Westerly Pub), championship golf, tennis and pickleball facilities, a fitness center, two swimming pools, and extensive marina services (North Marina with 320 slips, South Marina with 60 slips). The club also operates a boutique hotel with 33 rooms, offers GEMINI yacht charters, hosts weddings and events at multiple venues, and provides year-round youth programming. The club operates two marinas, an 18-hole Arthur Hills/Steve Forrest golf course, and various recreational activities across all seasons.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• GEMINI: A 73-foot Burger Motor Yacht designed and built for cruising the Great Lakes, serving as an exclusive entertainment venue for special occasions, charters, and events.

Products and services

• Catawba Island Club Membership Annual private club membership granting member and immediate family (children under 25) unlimited access to all club amenities including golf, boating, dining, pools, fitness, racquet sports, and social events. Non-equity structure with no contractual obligations, no annual assessments, no monthly food minimums, and no renewal periods. Currently operates on a 12-month waiting list.
• Hotel Accommodations Boutique hotel with 33 rooms including Twin Rooms, Queen Rooms, and Suites featuring Lake Erie waterfront views, complimentary WiFi, and resort amenities. Rooms sleep 2 people maximum with no rollaway beds permitted. Max 5 rooms per member per day.
• North Marina 320 deep-water slip marina accommodating vessels up to 130 feet with cable TV, water, electric, wireless internet, and telephone at fixed and floating docks. Professional marine services including maintenance and repairs.
• South Marina 60 fixed-slip marina in a quiet cove accommodating vessels up to 70 feet, with rack storage at 100% annual capacity for jet skis, dinghies, and small boats.
• Championship 18-Hole Golf Course Championship 18-hole golf course designed by Arthur Hills and Steve Forrest along the shores of Lake Erie, with golf shop, private PGA lessons, and youth golf camps.
• Tennis and Pickleball Courts Three outdoor tennis courts and three outdoor pickleball courts on Har-Tru surfaces, open May through early October, with private lessons, group lessons, youth clinics, and adult leagues.
• Fitness Center State-of-the-art fitness center inside the Golf Shop with cardio machines, weights, TRX cables, and an aerobics room offering yoga classes, water aerobics, and private swim lessons.
• Swimming Pool Facilities Two lakefront pools: the CIC Main Pool with two lanes for aquatic fitness, certified lifeguards, lap swim, water aerobics, and private lessons; and the Harbor's Edge Pool for unguarded open swim. Open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
• Club Dining Eight member-facing dining venues including the Main Clubhouse (scratch kitchen, breakfast, lunch, dinner), Side Door, Galley Grill, Beach Bar, Barefoot Bar, Burgee Bar, Dock Shop, and Westerly Pub. Caters private events and weddings.
• GEMINI Yacht Charters 73-foot Burger Motor Yacht designed and built for cruising the Great Lakes, accommodating up to 35 passengers for private charters, destination trips to Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island, weddings, corporate events, and sunset cruises. Includes optional food and beverage service.
• Wedding Venues and Private Events Multiple indoor and outdoor wedding and event venues including the Pavilion (up to 175 guests), Front Lawn, Harbour Room (up to 100 guests), and the GEMINI yacht (up to 35 guests), with full catering and event planning services.
• Meeting and Event Spaces Meeting and corporate event spaces including Library (20 guests), GEMINI (35), Side Door (50), Lounge (60), Cliff Room (70), Harbour Room (120), Chart Room (120), and Pavilion (175).
• Youth Programming Summer youth programs including Parents Date Night, Sunset Date Night on GEMINI, Thursday Kids Camp, CIC Summer Olympics, Shark Water Week, golf camps, tennis clinics, and private swim lessons.
• Yachtsmen Association Boating club within CIC offering meet and greet parties, organized cruises, sailing days, and social events for members and guests, with a monthly WAYPOINTS newsletter distributed during boating season.

Quantifiable outcome

• Golf traditions at CIC go back to the 1920s
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Mentor Harbor Yachting Club: Private Lake Erie yachting and social club located on Ohio's northern coast, with marina, dining, pool, and social programming. Highly comparable to CIC given shared Lake Erie shoreline geography and marina-centric membership model.
• Westlake Yachting Club: Private club on Lake Erie in Bay Village, Ohio offering marina, dining, pool, and member events. Closely comparable to CIC as a Lake Erie private membership club with deep-water marina and social amenities.
• Edgewater Yacht Club: Private Cleveland, Ohio yacht club on Lake Erie with marina, dining, and member programming. Direct peer to CIC on geography and as a Great Lakes membership club with boating as a core offering.
• Detroit Yacht Club: Historic private Great Lakes yacht club on the Detroit River with marina, dining, ballroom, and member events. Comparable to CIC's full-service private club model with deep-water marina and event programming.
• Bay Pointe Country Club: Private Midwest country club with marina, golf, dining, and pool amenities. Directly comparable to CIC as one of the few private clubs that combines golf, marina, and hospitality under one membership.
• Point O'Woods Country Club: Private Great Lakes country club with golf, dining, and member recreation. Comparable to CIC as a tier Midwest private club with strong tradition and broad amenity offering on the lakeshore.
• Cleveland Yacht Club: Private Cleveland-area Lake Erie yacht club with marina, dining, and social programming. Direct peer to CIC given shared Lake Erie geography and full-service private club structure.
• Plum Hollow Country Club: Private Michigan country club with golf, racquet sports, dining, and pool. Comparable to CIC as a tier Midwest private club with similar full-amenity membership structure and multi-generational member base.

Regional players

• Naples Yacht Club: Private Florida yacht club with marina, dining, and social programming. Operates a similar full-service private club model to CIC but in a warmer, year-round geography without the strong seasonality CIC faces on Lake Erie.

Broad incumbents

• Country Club of Detroit: Long-established, premier private country club in Michigan offering golf, dining, and member amenities. Comparable to CIC as a legacy Midwest private club with similar tier positioning and traditional membership structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=Ts26-jMarrA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/catawba-island-club

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Catawba Island Club