Want to know a little more about how the Alden came to be the beautiful resort that she is today?
by Peter Roos
To help celebrate 50 years of ownership by the Renfrow family, they and long time guests have been digging through files of old advertisements, postcards, and newsletters, uncovering many fun photos and historical treasures.
Alden Suites Beachfront Resort was born in 1954 when the original developer built 40 cottages on roughly 3 acres of gulf front land along St. Petersburg Beach in unincorporated Pinellas County.
Three years later the city of St. Petersburg Beach consolidated the cities of Pass-a-Grille, Don Cesar Place and Belle Vista, to become its current size. St. Petersburg Beach was already a popular tourist mecca by then.
In 1963 Ripley’s Believe It or Not opened Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum on Gulf Blvd. across the street from the beach motels at 55th Ave. The following year, in 1964, the St. Petersburg Beach Aquatarium (aka Shark World) opened on the beach between 64th and 67th Avenues. For more than a dozen years the largest saltwater pool in the world hosted performing dolphin shows, including one of the highest jumpers in captivity, a zoo and lots more.
In 1965, Florida cattleman turned hotelier, Gilbert ‘Gil’ Fortune, purchased the 71-room Alden. Fortune also owned the Normandy and the Odyssey hotels at that time, just south of the Alden, which ultimately became the Tradewinds Resort. Fortune added another 20 gulf front units to the Alden in early 1969, now called the “Lanai Building.” Robert P. Renfrow was at that time a very successful developer of low income, elderly housing projects, through sponsorship and affiliation with HUD and various co-sponsors, like the Catholic Diocese, Goodwill Industries, and many others. He was in essence, a “consultant” on these projects and was in great demand with many organizations who desired to develop multi-family housing projects throughout the southeast United States. Robert and his wife Gennifer Renfrow took the profits from that business and invested in the now 91-unit Alden Motel & Apartments in May 1969 with investor, Dr. Sydney Nathans.
In 1973, with Renfrow’s brother in law Robert Featherstone as a new investor, Dr. Nathans was paid off and Renfrow bought two acres of vacant land just north of the Alden property, for $200,000. (Gulf front land on St. Pete Beach now sells for $3 – $4 million/acre). Renfrow hired a husband-wife management team to live on property and run the day-to-day business.
Eventually, they bought into the ownership group. A six-story, 42-unit all-suite building was erected on the newly purchased land, three stories in 1978 and three more stories in 1981. In 1984, replacing almost all of the original cottage-style units, another six story, 45-unit “Nassau Building,” was built along with a second swimming pool and two elevated tennis courts with parking below. In 1994, the city’s name was officially abbreviated to “St. Pete Beach.” The Cabana Beach Bar was added, along with the Fountain Court Conference Room, two new hot tubs, and the BBQ grill deck, in 1995.
Six years later, in 2001, Robert Renfrow passed away at just 72 years old after a battle with cancer. Prior to his death, he named his son, R. Gary Renfrow, then 42, the new president of Alden Enterprises, Inc. Gary had spent his entire adult life working in the hotel industry, as well as with an international accounting firm that specialized in hotel market consulting. Gary hired Anthony “Tony” Satterfield as the new General Manager in 2003. Satterfield was eventually promoted to Vice President of Operations and a Corporate Officer. He is still there. In 2012-2013 a new 12-person hot tub was added, and the Snappers Oasis Food Trailer opened.
Family ownership and pride are part of what have kept the Alden up-to-date with six-figure renovation budgets.
Gary and Mary Ann have been very active in St. Pete Beach, in the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce, and in our mutual favorite charity, Tampa Bay Watch. Tony Satterfield has been an active voice on the local tourist development council for over a decade.
Both Satterfield and the Renfrow family are recipients of the Tampa Bay Beaches Chamber of Commerce’s greatest honor, “Tourism Person of the Year.”
When Gennifer Renfrow passed away in 2015, the new majority owners became daughters Leigh Renfrow and Jennie Renfrow Ibarguen, along with Gary & Mary Ann Renfrow.
In 2018, through a comprehensive renovation effort, the remaining original cottage units were converted into seven all-new beautifully appointed beach bungalows. In 2019 the Alden Suites Beachfront Resort celebrates 50 years of ownership by the Renfrow family with a year-long #ALDENWOW50 celebration.
To commemorate this major milestone the Alden Suites Beachfront Resort has launched a year long Golden Anniversary campaign that invites guests to celebrate the many things they love about the Alden.
Among the celebratory activities launching this month are an inspiring video series; a new social media campaign, #ALDENWOW50; a photo contest, a new mural and lots of special Golden Giveaways. It all leads up to the big Alden Family Reunion set for November 9, where longtime guests will gather from all over the world to celebrate the big anniversary. Gary Renfrow, president of Alden Suites Beachfront Resort, shares: “So many families return to the Alden year after year to celebrate reunions, weddings, birthdays, and holidays. We’re inviting them all to join us in a big celebration, the ultimate Alden Family Reunion to celebrate 50 years of memories.” Live music, food and drinks, entertainment and special surprises will make for an unforgettable celebration on the beach.
“Here in St. Pete Beach you can have a huge resort experience, if that is what you came here for, or you can have a family run establishment for 50 years, and it feels like home. This is a slice of Old Florida, that is just cool in its own way, that doesn’t even need description, it’s something that’s vanishing but the Renfrows maintain it, they keep that spirit alive. To preserve something like this and to keep it magical, takes a special energy and a special family, and for that we are very appreciative” noted David Downing, then president and CEO of Visit St. Pete Clearwater.
Tony Satterfield, vice president of operations at the Alden Beachfront Resort adds “At the end of the day, if we drive up and down this beach, we’ve all got great beaches, we’ve got great hotels here. What really makes the difference is the staff. I am fortunate to have an executive team, starting with the owners, that really has a commitment to customer service. If you take a look at our TripAdvisor reviews, you will see time and again individual employees and what they did outside of the norm to make our guests’ stays wonderful. We’re so grateful to our dedicated team of employees.”
‘The Alden Beachfront Resort is now a majority women-owned business,” pointed out Mary Ann Renfrow, including amongst its ownership group: Leigh Renfrow, Jennifer Renfrow Ibarguen, Mary Ann Renfrow, Margot Boyd and Dr. Geetha Kamath.
The 50th Anniversary celebration began in January 2019, and continues throughout the year, with different elements each month. Giveaways, charity highlights, contests, and exclusive vacation packages are bringing the fun to each and every Alden guest, and to the local community.
Golden chocolates and golden beach bags will be gifted to guests as they check in during selected months. Random Acts of Celebration will select lucky guests to receive free water sports, dinners, cruises, and more.
All of the latest news about their monthly celebrations are available on the blog aldenwow.com. The property is having another GREAT YEAR but rooms are still available most weeknights.
With magnificent, sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico and oversized, fully equipped suites, Alden Suites Beachfront Resort delivers vacation “Wows” unlike any other on St. Pete Beach.
The TripAdvisor® Award of Excellence and Traveler’s Choice award winning resort offers the perfect combination of relaxation, recreation and value. Guests enjoy the service and convenience of gulf-front hotel living, all for a price that provides more memorable vacation moments per dollar.
For reservations and more information, visit aldenbeachresort.com or call 727.360.7081. Stay connected and up-to-date on resort specials by following Alden Suites on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (@aldensuites), and the hashtag #aldenwow. It is the perfect place for a staycation.
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Visit aldenwow.com for more historic photos and facts about the Alden.