Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez, and Ivanka Trump have been denied membership to the exclusive Indian Creek Country Club in Florida, according to reports.
The organization is located on the wealthy enclave of Indian Creek, known as Billionaire Bunker because of its rich residents. High-profile residents of the island include former National Football League player Tom Brady, singer Julio Iglesias, and businessman Carl Icahn.
The country club charges an initiation fee of $1 million alongside monthly fees of $44,000 per member. Despite their wealth, several new billionaires moving to the Sunshine State island have faced difficulties joining the organization.
Billionaire Bunker club fees and amenities
Founded in 1929, the club features a private 18-hole golf course, a Mediterranean villa style clubhouse, and a swimming pool overlooking the Miami skyline from Biscayne Bay, according to The Wall Street Journal. The organization maintains strict privacy, operating without social media accounts and keeping its website restricted to a member login screen.
The club has roughly 350 members, consisting primarily of long-term island residents. These local members include doctors, real-estate developers, entrepreneurs, attorneys, and financiers.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez own three properties on Indian Creek. People who attended an annual dock party in February told The Wall Street Journal that the couple attended the event hoping to impress board members. Although club members queued to shake hands with Bezos, he has not received an invitation to join six months later.
Party appearances and membership delays
Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, who own a $30 million home on the island, have also struggled to secure admission. Mary Anne Shula, the widow of former Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula, sponsored the couple for membership.
Mary Anne Shula hosted a cocktail party to introduce Trump and Kushner to the club board. Only half of the 15-member board attended the event, and the couple has not received an offer of admission. However, reports indicate Kushner's work on a new sewer project for Indian Creek has brought the couple closer to approval.
Sponsor attempts and admission requirements
Dina Goldentayer, a real-estate agent who has sold homes on Indian Creek, described the unique nature of the organization to the newspaper. "Most communities you buy a home, you become a member of the club, and this community doesn't fall in line with that," Goldentayer said. "It's the most exclusive single-family home community, it's the most exclusive private members club."
Gaining admission to the club requires candidate sponsorship from two current members and letters of recommendation from five others. Six members of a membership committee evaluate potential nominees before putting them forward for a final decision.
A source told the newspaper that the club's 15-member board of directors makes the final vote on all admissions. Former AutoNation chief executive officer Mike Jackson leads the board as club president.
