A plan to lease hundreds of acres of golf courses and green space in The Meadows to Benderson Development Co. for nearly 50 years has sparked a lawsuit over the future of one of Sarasota’s oldest and largest communities.
The Meadows Community Association board voted 6-3 last month to authorize its president to sign the contract. The deal would transfer control of 500 acres — including three, 18-hole golf courses and vast expanses of open space — to a subsidiary of Benderson Development, which owns and operates the nearby Mall at University Town Center.
The lease comes after years of operating losses pushed the country club into bankruptcy and forced two of its courses to close. Under the deal, Benderson would pay off the mounting debts and work to reopen the courses…