The Valspar Championship will return to Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida, in 2027. However, the property will have changed ownership by then. According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal, a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday revealed that Salamander Collection has signed an agreement to sell the golf resort to Concert Golf Partners.

The sale is expected to close by the end of the year, with the Lake Mary-based buyer agreeing to pay $19.8 million, in addition to assuming certain liabilities. Meanwhile, Salamander Collection, which acquired the course for $35 million in 2007, will retain 34 acres of the property for future development, as per the outlet. 

As part of the deal, Concert Golf Partners will acquire the resort’s golf courses and hospitality operations. Innisbrook is home to four courses, including the Island Course, the oldest of the four, which opened in 1970 and has previously hosted U.S. Open qualifiers and NCAA championships. The Copperhead Course is the resort’s flagship layout and best-known venue, serving as the annual host of the PGA Tour’s Valspar Championship.

The property also features the South and North courses. Beyond golf, the 600-acre resort offers six swimming pools, restaurants, tennis courts, and a spa. Concert Golf Partners is expected to further enhance the resort through investments in the property. However, this isn’t the first time Salamander Collection has sold a portion of the Innisbrook property.

The company previously sold 54 acres to Toll Brothers, which is developing 122 luxury single-family homes and 52 townhomes on the land. In any case, Golfweek reached out to Concert Golf Partners for comments on their purchase. They released a joint statement on behalf of Concert Golf Partners and Salamander. 

“Concert Golf Partners and Salamander Collection have entered into a Purchase and Sale Agreement under which Innisbrook Resort would join the Concert Golf Partners portfolio,” the statement said. “The transaction is expected to close in the coming months, subject to customary closing conditions. 

“Innisbrook is expected to continue operating during the transition, and no immediate operational changes are planned at this time. Concert Golf Partners, which maintains a portfolio of private golf and country clubs nationwide, currently intends to retain Innisbrook’s team and build on the foundation established by Sheila Johnson and Salamander Collection. 

“Salamander Collection will remain involved in a consulting capacity following closing. Additional information will be shared as appropriate.”

All that said, what does the sale actually mean for the Valspar Championship?

Innisbrook’s history and Valspar’s future

The Valspar Championship began in 2000 as the Tampa Bay Classic on the PGA Tour, with Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course serving as its host venue. However, the resort’s association with professional golf dates back even further, having hosted the JCPenney Classic for a decade, from 1990 to 1999. 

With the sale, the tournament’s future at Innisbrook appears secure, thanks to an agreement between the event and the property that runs through 2030. Beyond Innisbrook, Salamander Collection also owns PGA National Resort in South Florida, along with several other luxury destinations stretching from Colorado to Jamaica. 

Meanwhile, Concert Golf Partners is no stranger to the golf business. The company operates in 20 states and owns and manages more than 40 private clubs, including Carrollwood Country Club in Tampa. The acquisition of Innisbrook will bring its Florida portfolio to 10 properties, with holdings stretching from the Jacksonville area to Naples.