Club Med announces it will invest $25 million in an enhancement program for the newly renamed, Club Med Sandpiper Bay. Known as the only family all-inclusive resort in the United States, Sandpiper Bay will become the flagship of Club Med “Premium Sports” resorts. The resort will close for renovations on August 20, 2010, with a grand opening on December 18, 2010.

The 216-acre renovated Sandpiper Bay resort will include unique features such as a 7,000 sq ft fitness center, championship tennis facilities and an 18-hole golf course on-site with additional access to more than 16 courses nearby.  French architect, Francois Champsaur, collaborated with Club Med to design vibrant accommodations offering different room categories including Deluxe Family rooms with two separate bedrooms to ensure enough room for everyone, three new restaurants serving gourmet cuisine from around the world and new children’s facilities. Enhancements to the children’s programs and facilities will include activities such as a Le Petit Chef and a water park.

“We’ve poured a lot of energy and planning to reinvent Club Med Sandpiper Bay allowing guests to rediscover life’s balance with a world of nourishing experiences to better ones’ self,” states Sabina Sicuso, Vice President of Marketing, Club Med. “With state-of-the-art facilities, the best names in the sports training business, and innovative children’s programming, we’re confident that the new Sandpiper Bay will go above and beyond guests expectations of an all-inclusive.”

In addition to renovations, children’s programming and sports facilities will feature significant enrichments, including:

Children’s Programming and Facilities

Sandpiper Bay reinvents the way children vacation by creating personalized experiences at The Kidz Village, which allows children as young as four months and older to interact, participate and grow in programs specially designed for their age group. Activities include everything from junior tennis, golf and sailing to circus school, La Petit Chef cooking lessons and Zumba Tonic™. Children alike discover a vacation that has been designed to improve skill in fields that spark their interests within a fun environment.

Sandpiper Bay also makes it exceedingly easy when traveling with a baby. Highchairs, cribs, strollers, bottle warmers, bathtubs and much more will be ready for the family’s arrival to ensure that both parents’ and their baby have a seamless vacation experience.

Tennis & Golf

Club Med Sandpiper Bay also announces its partnership with the International Tennis Academy [ITA] which offers a one-of-a-kind learning environment. The Academy takes an unparalleled approach to elite tennis training within a resort setting. With world-class coaching from talents such as Gabriel Jaramillo, former tennis director of the Nick Bollettieri Academy, and expansive facilities – six clay courts, 14 hard courts, one stadium court, a new pro-shop, training facility and a new 12,000 square foot clubhouse – the resort offers active adults and junior pros a tennis training experience unlike any other.

Sandpiper Bay’s International Golf Academy provides golfers with the personalized service of a golf concierge that facilitates access to more than 16 private and public world renowned golf courses within 20 minutes driving distance from the resort such as the PGA Ryder course.  Of these, the resort is home to one, featuring an 18-hole golf course, a Tom Fazio II designed practice facility, a putting green and driving range and a lavish clubhouse and pro-shop. The International Golf Academy also announces a partnership with one of Golf Magazine’s top 100 golf teachers, Brad Brewer. Among the curriculum, participants of the Academy will have the opportunity to take part in courses crafted by Brewer himself.

Fitness & Well-Being

The state-of-the-art fitness center will be transformed from 700 square feet to an astounding 7,000 sq ft. It will also feature an indoor cardio dance studio, yoga studio and outdoor meditation areas with panoramic views of the tranquil bay.  After an invigorating workout, guests can get pampered at the dreamlike spa with rejuvenating spa treatments, massages and facials