The Wabeek Club, a private golf and resort club located in Bloomfield Township, has completed a $10-million interior/exterior renovation that includes dining upgrades, new amenities, and a fresh approach to the country club experience.
Future projects for the Wabeek Club include updates to its 18-hole private golf course and the on-going modernization of the club’s facility, amenities, and family-centric activities.
Launched as a private golf and country club at 4000 Club Gate Drive in 1972, Wabeek was purchased in 2019 by a group of private Detroit-based investors led by Joe Barbat, chairman and CEO of Barbat Holdings in West Bloomfield Township, who recently acquired the historic GAR Building in downtown Detroit.
“When the chance to acquire Wabeek presented itself, I immediately thought what an amazing opportunity to develop a club for the enjoyment of our family, friends, and the immediate community,” says Barbat, chairman of the Wabeek Club.
“I recognized there was a huge gap in the country club sector and was well aware of the stigma and stiff reputations most clubs carry with them. To develop a club with exceptional cuisine and the same amenities offered by five-star resorts right here in our own backyard was an opportunity we just could not allow to pass.
“Now just a few years later, we are on track to be a part of one of the most prestigious and exclusive clubs within our demographic, and with a membership roster that consists of the who’s who and up-and-comers of our community, it’s certainly a rewarding haven that our membership can be proud of.”
Barbat and the new team of business leaders state they were one of the first to step away from the traditional country club model and market and renovate the Wabeek Club as a new resort-style experience.
“Upgrading and renovating the physical appearance of a club isn’t enough anymore for membership,” says Lee Sharkas, general manager and operating partner of the Wabeek Club who spent 14 years as executive chef of Andiamo Restaurant Group in Warren and 15 years as executive chef and general manager of Shenandoah Country Club in West Bloomfield Township.
“With so much competition and so many options for people to choose from now on where and how they spend their time for recreation, dining, socializing, business, and family activities, we knew we needed to flip the entire club to create an exclusive lifestyle experience that brings the best of all of these modern amenities together for our members.”
The resort-style transformation at Wabeek started with a total interior renovation designed by Art Harrison Interiors in Royal Oak. The renovation of the 45,000-square-foot clubhouse included a new fitness area with full gym equipment, new locker rooms with integrated spa amenities like large steam showers, cold rain shower options, and a sauna, new bathrooms throughout the clubhouse, upgraded kitchen equipment, a full makeover of the Ballroom and Dining Room, a new indoor Golf Simulator Room with two state-of-the-art Trackman Golf Simulators, and a redesign and remerchandising of the Pro Shop featuring top golf brands.
New additions to the exterior of the Wabeek Club included façade enhancements, a pool upgrade, a 2,500-square-foot outdoor patio and fire pit lounge area with panoramic views of the first and 18th holes, and a second story outside lounge overlooking the club’s private 180-acre golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus and Pete Dye.
The team at Wabeek also added a new arcade-style Kids Room, along with more family-friendly activities, health and wellness amenities, integrated technology, and remote workspaces into their benefits for members.
“Our team is comprised of innovators who bring a wealth of hospitality and development resources and expertise to the club,” says Blake George, a board member of the Wabeek Club and founder and CEO of BMG Media Co in Birmingham. “We are building a resort-style club with a unique business model that bypasses the challenges that bog down traditional country clubs and brings a fresh approach to the sort of exclusive year-round membership lifestyle that young, affluent families and professionals are looking for today.”
The Club offers members elevated casual dining, to-go options, and resort-style fine dining in its Tribu Mediterranean restaurant, where chef-driven culinary creations from fresh seafood entrées to a Tomahawk Roast, along with a premium wine and cocktail program, are available.
For more information, visit wabeekcc.com.
