View Full Version : Changes at Caliente Resort
lohelo
09-01-2007, 10:50 PM
My wife and I visited Caliente Resort for a few days last fall. Really enjoyed the resort. Planning another visit but it looks like we will be there during what appears to be a swingers event.
Also don't care if there are swingers or any other groups there that are not pure nudists AS LONG AS they don't try to push their lifestyles on us. We enjoyed the nightlife on our last visit but aren't interestd in being propositioned while dancing in the disco on our next visit.
Caliente now has monthly events with swinger groups. AAHZ parties on the weekend. Can anyone who has ATTENDED one of these parties confirm if these are the types of parties where swinging is in the open or does management still maintain some standards.
First hand accounts only please.
Thanks much.
Tampanude
09-02-2007, 10:26 AM
Caliente opened as an "upscale true nude" resort. Sadly, to make up for lost revenue it now presents itself as clothing optional and has adjusted it's advertising to suggest more of a "hedo" acceptable clientel than it's original purpose.
to answer your question.... if you advertise it, suggest it, sell it. They will come
As far as "first hand" accounts; we have none.
We only "swing" while exercising
http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/clown.gif
lohelo
09-02-2007, 07:59 PM
Thanks. I suppose if no one has been there lately, we may have to be the first.
Will post here if that happens.
Wcstflyer
10-20-2007, 02:51 PM
Caliente is a fabulous looking upscale resort that cost a bundle to operate. Unfortunately for a property with such high operational expenses, they cannot continue to bleed red ink. Like Paradise Lakes, Cypress Cove, Desert Shadows and others, there are a finite number of weekends a year that comprise the bulk of tourist oportunities to recoup expenses and hopefully make some money.
Lifestyles type groups have a track record of spending lavishly on food, drink and entertainment; much more than Ma and Grandpappy Kiddlehopper or the Griswalds and their two small kids. This is an unfortunate fact of life.
For the most part the two groups co-exist nicely during the day, especially if the Christian nudists will take a page from the Bible and accept their fellow man and (hint) stay away from the upper terrace conversation pool where some of the most egrecious sexual encounters seem to occur at night. Fate would have it that there always seems to be Al and Peggy Bundy/ swingers extraordinaire occupying the same few square feet of Caliente conversation pool with Mr. and Mrs. Thurston Howell III. Al and Peggy get into a conversation about who has done what with whom, and before you know it Mrs. Howell is complaining "oh lovee, do something! I'm getting hives." The Howells go back to Cleveland and Caliente gets another black eye as Sodom & Gomorrah west.
Believe me folks. The place is still drop dead gorgeous and, minus a restaurant blip when manager Phil Raimondi tragically died of cancer (and the staff had a turnover before chef Seddiq was hired), tourists can't discern any difference in the resort.
Tampanude
10-20-2007, 03:33 PM
We resided our AANR membrship with Caliente for two years. The promise of a new, truly nude resort embracing the nudist ideal was a great draw. That ideal, however was replaced by $ 8.00 grilled cheese sandwiches and the all too familiar "boutique" appeal of nipple-less lingerie night events, swinger ($$$) friendly meets and conventions.
Too bad, it IS a beautiful location but they are desperately now trying to cover an overspent initiative.
Where once was an ad for the "peppers" ( kid friendly activities) has been replaced by "The worlds best "clothing optional"; resort i.e. hedo
..............Just our observation here in Tampa
Wcstflyer
10-20-2007, 04:55 PM
Tampanude, you are right about the $$$$ prices. The last time we were at Caliente the cost sent us scurring to Rapscallion down Land O' Lakes Blvd. (where we had a great dinner) and to Benedetto's on SR 54.
We also can't argue about the low-brow lingerie floating around the nightclub, some of which makes Frederick's of Hollywood look like Rodeo drive. You might be interested that the current Caliente management banished the Under The Sun couple from running the Tijuana tent & flea market in the area behind the pool where a lot of the crotchless panties, nipple clamps, dog collars (et. al) were sold. They are now back in their store near Paradise Lakes where a lightning bolt recently flashed from out of the sky and zapped the establishment. The structure wasn't burned but it fried the building's electrical systems.
Could the Great Kahuna be sending a message? shocked
Croydon
10-20-2007, 05:23 PM
Caliente opened as an "upscale true nude" resort. Sadly, to make up for lost revenue it now presents itself as clothing optional and has adjusted it's advertising to suggest more of a "hedo" acceptable clientel than it's original purpose.
to answer your question.... if you advertise it, suggest it, sell it. They will come
As far as "first hand" accounts; we have none.
We only "swing" while exercising
http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/clown.gif
The change to Caliente was bound to happen. Caliente is not just any nudist resort, it is a MEGA nudist resort. It is a large resort, providing many amenities. That being said, it cost a lot of money to maintain the resort and its services. I can not imagine Caliente making a profit on being a nudist resort and that is just what happened. For a resort like that to make profit, they have to have a lot of visitors and not only that, a lot of visitors that actually spend money at the resort (i.e. drinks, massages). They invested a lot of money into the resort and weren't getting much back.
Caliente had to change their business model. They now attract swingers because they spend money. It makes sense. The swinger lifestyle is all about having good time and good time is what Caliente offers. They can dance, spend spend spend on drinks, rooms. Everyone gets to party and have good sex while at it.
Fuzzy Nuts
10-20-2007, 07:03 PM
I think the same thing is going to happen to Caliente Caribe (Eden Bay). It seemed to be moving towards a somewhat different lifestyle the last time I was there. That is why I am not returning.
Tampanude
10-20-2007, 09:07 PM
Well, they can have it. No interest at all in spending our nude dollars there. We enjoy the oh so much less superficial and laid back, Lake Como and the jewel of Florida, Cypress Cove.
Illinois07
10-20-2007, 09:15 PM
What you're seeing is the tip of the iceberg. And traditional nudism is the ship that's going to hit it. Paranoia about pedophilia & exposing kids to nudity is pushing everyone to become "adults only" to avoid trouble, and clubs are turning to DINKs and swingers to stay afloat. I'll bet in 25 years the traditional nudist clubs, with camping, volleyball court and a pool, will be gone, and kids will be banned. And it will be a good thing too with the things that will be going on there.
Larry1
10-21-2007, 08:13 AM
I do not know, but if Calinte is pushing for the swinger lifestlye but is advertising as a clothing optional resort and we that practice nudism/naturism has been saying for years that nudism/naturism is not about sex. What kind of message would they be sending by promoting the swinging lifestyle? To me it just reinforce what opponents of nudism/naturism has been saying about our lifestyle for years. I do not have anything against the swinger lifestyle, if it is your thing so be it, I have many friends that are swingers, I just do not think they should be promoting the lifestyle as in a nudism/naturism venue. If I am wrong on this I applogize.
Larry
Croydon
10-21-2007, 09:26 AM
I do not know, but if Calinte is pushing for the swinger lifestlye but is advertising as a clothing optional resort and we that practice nudism/naturism has been saying for years that nudism/naturism is not about sex. What kind of message would they be sending by promoting the swinging lifestyle? To me it just reinforce what opponents of nudism/naturism has been saying about our lifestyle for years. I do not have anything against the swinger lifestyle, if it is your thing so be it, I have many friends that are swingers, I just do not think they should be promoting the lifestyle as in a nudism/naturism venue. If I am wrong on this I applogize.
Larry
I think a lot of people are forgetting the fact that Caliente is a business first and a "nudist" establishment second. The first goal and their first priority is to make money followed by fostering the philosophies of nudism.
That business model isn't working for them so they have to change course and find another way to make money. For Caliente, that is catering to members of the swinging lifestyle. The resorts attracts them, and they spend a lot of money when there. They now see that a different clientele will bring profit to the resort. It would be stupid of Caliente to not seize the opportunity. To continue what they are doing for the sake of nudism, it would mean they would have to continue operating the resort at a lost. That can't happen.
It seems, at this point, Caliente is trying to find a balance. They want to remain clothing optional to attract nudists but at the same time, cater to the swingers. I think this balance will not work. You can not have nudism and then cater to swingers, which goes against the philosophy. It just doesn't mesh. What Caliente will have is nudist visitors who are uncomfortable with the sexual atmosphere and tone of the resort and you'll have swingers who don't want to be around "prudes".
I wouldn't be all surprise if Caliente, later on, decides to get rid of the clothing optional. One thing I have learned about swingers is that despite their liberal sexual beliefs and practices, they are not quite comfortable in the nude. Other than wearing "sexy" lingerie and clothing, they really prefer to be covered in some way.
EricNY
10-22-2007, 12:21 AM
I think a lot of people are forgetting the fact that Caliente is a business first and a "nudist" establishment second. The first goal and their first priority is to make money followed by fostering the philosophies of nudism.
.
You are right it is a business, and they have a choice. HOWEVER it is wrong if they pose as a nudist location if in fact they are a swinnger location. Honesty in advertising, tell it like it is.
Wcstflyer
10-22-2007, 08:53 AM
(Finally some intelligent discussion on the direction of nudist resorts.)
I'm sure in the course of planning nudist resorts there are conceptualizations that emerge in the idealized minds of people without the benifit of a crystal ball to the future. Did Reint Brink ever think his little bit of Eden at Orient Bay would get leveled by a hurricane and force him to re-build the chalets into atomic bomb shelters? Did Steve and Linda over at the Papaguya restaurant think they would eventually gentrify a zone of transition in north Palm Springs on the macro scale of Desert Shadows? Above all, I'm certain that most nudist resort planners in 1980 didn't foresee a precipitious generational drop-off in our lifestyle and the lack of gen x and y nudists to fill the resort coffers. Hence a business model cannot be fixed and survive in the mega-nudist resort business.
When Caliente opened I recall Chuck Foster and Ernie Dubois boldly talking about phase II condos, adding another floor to the hotel and stores in an attractive little Costa del Sol-like shopping plaza with a fountain on the grounds behind the second pool. That is history. The talk now is all about revenue enhancement and widening the nudist/clothing optional umbrella.
A couple of weeks ago when I was in Florida I turned on WDAE 620 (the sports animal) and the Caliente advertisement came wafting out. It was a woman's voice, and for the first few seconds I thought she was inviting me to the Mons Venus or Hooters but no, she was telling me that the hottest place in Tampa Bay- perhaps the entire state of Florida- to watch the Buccaneers football game was the sports bar at Caliente. Now we have a lot of TV's around the bar but the implication was of more, much more. And knowing the demographic of who listens to sports talk radio, I envisioned entire convoys of males 18-29 with 37 cents in their pockets racing up the Dale Mabry with the expectation of seeing nude centerfolds prancing atop the bar rooting for Jon Gruden's gang. Oh boy.
Since this thread is primarily about Caliente I won't get into Paradise Lakes and the fear lurking in some people that John Forier is turning into Godzilla Of Sleepy Hollow. :sneaky:
NakedGary
10-22-2007, 10:13 AM
Let face it folks, AANR follows the $$$$, high fashion, night club, and entertainment, thinking $$$$ and more memberships. The minute any Clothing optional, nude, or clothesfree nudist resort opens their doors to the public, and turns their heads to swinging, and explicit activity in common areas, is the time AANR should de-sanction that facility as a family nude recreation facility.
TNS has already told Desert Shadows they are not accepting ads from that facility in the future.
If my home clothesfree club wasn't a 100% AANR facility, I would have seriously considered not renewing AANR member years ago, and staying with TNS. They do much more for their members and nude recreation than AANR. AANR is a club organization not very concerned with the security, privacy, and well being of its members and families in nude recreation.
Illinois07
10-22-2007, 07:51 PM
It's sad but true - when you eliminate children from resorts, the adults start acting like children.
Illinois07
02-05-2008, 10:50 PM
I have read that the Naturist Socirty has "de-sanctioned" Caliente for swinger activities. Does anyone have further information on this?
DKirkpatrick
02-11-2008, 08:08 AM
TNS has de-listed a number of clubs for a number of reasons. :o
You can view their network listings by state at their web site.. http://www.naturistsociety.com :)
One might say the timing of Caliente's de-listing is suspect with respect to their recent choice to be more open about their association with "lifestyler" groups. :confused:
The discerning reader is left to make their own conclusions. shocked
AANR has not as yet de-listed Caliente. This suggests that they operate to different standards than TNS. :rolleyes:
NakedGary
02-12-2008, 02:42 PM
Thanks "TNS" for De-listing "Desert Shadows" in Palm Springs, CA. and Caliente in FL.
Now, I wish AANR would follow suit instead of following the $$$$ and ###'s
NakationGal
02-22-2008, 11:47 PM
A married couple (friends of mine) went there, and turned right back around. Total swingers place. Super sad . :(
Wcstflyer
02-23-2008, 08:54 AM
A married couple (friends of mine) went there, and turned right back around. Total swingers place. Super sad . :(
There is a good chance that your friends stumbled on to a Theme Party weekend which is held on the third weekend of every month. It's likely your friends overheard plans for that evenings private party or some racy talk. Caliente has strict non-sexual policies for public areas.
Recently Caliente general manager Steve Dorsey sent a pdf to members of the Caliente Master Association explaining in the rationale for inclusiveness and the importance of keeping the resort open to the greatest number of nudists. In the letter a couple of sentences leap out; the first is the effort that must be expended to avoid an "us vs. them" dynamic and the second is what I term the last ditch Doomsday option of becoming a $10,000 per year nudist country club. To avoid the latter Caliente management is risking creating the former. As of now, everybody with an agenda is enjoying hurling criticism at Caliente and all other subsets within the nudist set.
The Christian naturists for which social nudism has strict non-sexual codes is damning the Lifestyle groups and the Lifestyle groups are bemoaning the cliques and rich snobbish elitists that permeate Caliente. There is open swinger warfare over at one Tampa Bay area website where couples are threatening to pick-up their Sun Tan lotion and leave due to a $20 nightclub surcharge on Theme Party weekends. Couples feel hurt at other couples they feel have a condescending attitude toward them. Who said there was life after High School?
NakationGal, I don't know if you've had the opportunity yet to visit Caliente but it is unlike any other clothing optional resort you've ever visited. The clubhouse and grounds are magnificent, even nicer than Coyote Hills Country Club out in Fullerton where you live. The resort amenities are considerable; factoring in the latest price increases they are still less than a comparable membership at the Payne Stewart (R.I.P.) designed course off Bastanchury Rd. And if you visit, the likelihood of you finding anything of an offensive sexual nature in public areas are minimal due to strict behavioral enforcement and a security force that is not above escorting those breeching codes of conduct off the Caliente grounds.
http://www.calienteresort.com/Tampa
DKirkpatrick
02-24-2008, 07:42 AM
Recently Caliente general manager Steve Dorsey sent a pdf to members of the Caliente Master Association explaining in the rationale for inclusiveness and the importance of keeping the resort open to the greatest number of nudists.
At the same time the national offices of social nudism are going to lengths to distance themselves from the sexual element.
I don't think anyone is in disagreement with the fact that what people do in the privacy of their tents (or cottages) is wrong. Privacy has its place. The problem comes from the open association with alternate lifestyle organizations.
This can and will draw a correlation between that resort and those organizations, and ultimately social nudism at-large. From there, it is a modest hop-skip-and-jump to label and legislate said clubs into the realm of adult oriented business or sexual business, which then will attempt to legislate children from said clubs.
From there the progression is to all nudist resorts and organizations effectively legislating the social nudism lifestyle out of existence - a stated goal of many "winger" socio-religious PACs.
If anyone is of the opinion that will never happen, they are clueless as to the extent that the Florida legislature has gone in the last decade to entertain laws that would make it illegal to be nude in the presence of one's own children or even in your own homes. The Mark Foley debacle aside.
"Inclusion" sets Steve into a direct opposite direction of the face of nudism that the major organizations in all western countries seek to portray.
In the letter a couple of sentences leap out; the first is the effort that must be expended to avoid an "us vs. them" dynamic and the second is what I term the last ditch Doomsday option of becoming a $10,000 per year nudist country club. To avoid the latter Caliente management is risking creating the former. As of now, everybody with an agenda is enjoying hurling criticism at Caliente and all other subsets within the nudist set.
Sadly, only a small segment of organized social nudism actually take the time to become informed as to the legislative efforts that are faced in every state on a regular basis. They seem to think they are immune from legislation because they are behind a privacy fence in a private club. Let's consider for a moment that there used to be many golf clubs that did not accommodate women at one time. That has changed over the last 2 decades as new laws regarding how private clubs may operate have been passed. Nudist resorts, or what ever they wish to call themeslves are not exempt. It would be interesting to learn just how many people that go to Caliente for one of the theme parties even know what an "AANR" or "TNS" is.
The "me" vs "them" argument is not as clear cut as you might think. I doubt that it is because people have as much of a disdain for private bedroom aerobics as it is a genuine fear that the open association with the sexual will have on social nudism as a whole, with those NOT involved in "lifestyling" being those hurt the most.
The Christian naturists for which social nudism has strict non-sexual codes is damning the Lifestyle groups and the Lifestyle groups are bemoaning the cliques and rich snobbish elitists that permeate Caliente.
How so? I know plenty of Christian nudists who have sex in their cottages or tents. A few are even swingers - yes. I think its too easy to blame a specific religious bent. While brought up Catholic I no longer identify with the Catholic church. I know plenty of lifestylers - not all nudists. Yet I see the danger an open association with these theme parties can and will have on social nudism as a whole.
There is open swinger warfare over at one Tampa Bay area website where couples are threatening to pick-up their Sun Tan lotion and leave due to a $20 nightclub surcharge on Theme Party weekends. Couples feel hurt at other couples they feel have a condescending attitude toward them. Who said there was life after High School?
If the bar is doing a business why the surcharge? Surcharges at general nightclubs are there to assure they get something for those who don't drink their share. Or is that a liability fee that allows someone to say the people purchased a one-night membership? Enquiring minds would like to know? :-)
NakationGal, I don't know if you've had the opportunity yet to visit Caliente but it is unlike any other clothing optional resort you've ever visited. The clubhouse and grounds are magnificent, even nicer than Coyote Hills Country Club out in Fullerton where you live. The resort amenities are considerable; factoring in the latest price increases they are still less than a comparable membership at the Payne Stewart (R.I.P.) designed course off Bastanchury Rd. And if you visit, the likelihood of you finding anything of an offensive sexual nature in public areas are minimal due to strict behavioral enforcement and a security force that is not above escorting those breeching codes of conduct off the Caliente grounds.
Yet on some message boards there are stories abounding that suggest there is a specific lack of security and enforcement of said sexual activity in open areas, especially after dark. The one thing about myth is that a percentage of it is always steeped in truth.
DMK
PS - I have friends who lives in the condo section so I ain't talking through my hat. Had they known this was to have happened they might not have purchasded-in. Now they are stuck.
usuallylurk
02-24-2008, 09:02 AM
There is a good chance that your friends stumbled on to a Theme Party weekend which is held on the third weekend of every month. It's likely your friends overheard plans for that evenings private party or some racy talk. Caliente has strict non-sexual policies for public areas.
Recently Caliente general manager Steve Dorsey sent a pdf to members of the Caliente Master Association explaining in the rationale for inclusiveness and the importance of keeping the resort open to the greatest number of nudists. In the letter a couple of sentences leap out; the first is the effort that must be expended to avoid an "us vs. them" dynamic and the second is what I term the last ditch Doomsday option of becoming a $10,000 per year nudist country club. To avoid the latter Caliente management is risking creating the former. As of now, everybody with an agenda is enjoying hurling criticism at Caliente and all other subsets within the nudist set.
The Christian naturists for which social nudism has strict non-sexual codes is damning the Lifestyle groups and the Lifestyle groups are bemoaning the cliques and rich snobbish elitists that permeate Caliente. There is open swinger warfare over at one Tampa Bay area website where couples are threatening to pick-up their Sun Tan lotion and leave due to a $20 nightclub surcharge on Theme Party weekends. Couples feel hurt at other couples they feel have a condescending attitude toward them. Who said there was life after High School?
NakationGal, I don't know if you've had the opportunity yet to visit Caliente but it is unlike any other clothing optional resort you've ever visited. The clubhouse and grounds are magnificent, even nicer than Coyote Hills Country Club out in Fullerton where you live. The resort amenities are considerable; factoring in the latest price increases they are still less than a comparable membership at the Payne Stewart (R.I.P.) designed course off Bastanchury Rd. And if you visit, the likelihood of you finding anything of an offensive sexual nature in public areas are minimal due to strict behavioral enforcement and a security force that is not above escorting those breeching codes of conduct off the Caliente grounds.
http://www.calienteresort.com/Tampa
Your defense of Caliente's "open arms to alternative lifestyles" is very much like other things -- defending something that's pretty indefensible to the audience. This is called the "but you don't understand" defense.
I heard it when a pair of shock jocks were kicked off the air, and a major macrobrewery was brought to its knees for sponsoring a radio stunt that involved sex in a church. hahahah. Ho ho. I also hear the "but you don't understand" defense when people ship hundreds of computer jobs offshore -- and people try to explain how that is good for America.
And you conclude it with the ownership's plea, "don't fight this, please accept this."
Also, you have an interesting comparison. You're comparing Caliente to a golf resort. Hey, I didn't know Caliente was getting into the golf business!
Tell me more!
I'm an advocate of free speech, don't get me wrong, but I don't like swinging mixed in with my nudism. AANR, up until recently, would break their ties with nudist parks that latched onto what we call "lifestylers". In fact, in all my nudist communication, I have to be careful to avoid the terms "lifestyle" and "like-minded" .... because those words have been hijacked by the swingers.
A few years ago, one Georgia nudist park surrendered their AANR charter when they went "lifestyle". There is one midwestern club which purports to be the average, family, run-of-the-mill nudist park, but one weekend a year opens its gates to an X-rated event with porn stars, etc.
Do you think AANR should welcome those two parks back "into the fold" now?
Some AANR big shots have asked me why I DON'T belong to AANR anymore. I promised a letter to a higher-up, as an explanation as to our departure from AANR membership, and I now have one more line item to add to it.
boatsteve
02-24-2008, 10:09 AM
And if you visit, the likelihood of you finding anything of an offensive sexual nature in public areas are minimal due to strict behavioral enforcement and a security force that is not above escorting those breeching codes of conduct off the Caliente grounds.
I saw a couple having intercourse in the pool and so have some close friends of mine, on a different occasion. In my case a manager did make them stop but did not have them removed.
In my friends' case, security ignored the complaint, even though it was done while children were close by in the same pool. Yeah, that's strict behavioral enforcement alright!
These are not isolated incidents!
And it's not Christian Naturist against lifestylers, it's most the nudists that are members, many of whom bought residences in Caliente only to have the policies change drastically from what they started out as.
I have to say that at least Paradise Lakes didn't allow the games during daylight hours and kept it to late night events. It resulted in the nudists and swingers being able to coexist.
Illinois07
02-24-2008, 07:36 PM
The snooty "Don't bother me unless you're ready to buy a condo" attitude on my first visit made me cross Caliente off my "vist again" list. Their January scheduled "Catholic schoolgirls in heat" contest mde me cross it off the list for good.
usuallylurk
02-25-2008, 08:10 AM
We did not have a hostile welcome on our visit two years ago. Quite the contrary. They had an $88/night room special and free grounds fees for first time visitors who held a membership card with one of the "majors" (TNS, AANR, FCN) and they gave a brief tour.
We were also meeting up with two couples who are friends of ours from "up north". One lived in the casitas, the other couple lives in the Tampa Bay area and had a membership there at the time. We were there mid-week, a relatively quiet time in November.
All six of us were going to go out to dinner one night, but instead of having a drink at the bar (expense) the six of us chose to just get a Coke out of the machine and chat back in our room, as our restaurant reservation was over an hour ahead of us.
There was one woman who stayed in a nearby room who gave me a bit of the creeps with a smiling stare as I went back and forth to the Coke machine, so perhaps she thought we were organizing a party of some type. I can't really judge anything from that, however.
After we went out and returned from dinner, we went to the lounge for a couple of drinks, and there was karaoke. Again, we didn't see anything out of the norm for a nudist park, except for the opulence and up-scaleliness. We didn't find Caliente to our liking, not because of any behavior or reputation at the time, but because we prefer a more laid-back atmosphere to our nudist vacations. We didn't see anything to our DISlike at Caliente. But we're Cypress Cove fans.
Wcstflyer
02-25-2008, 08:38 AM
Gosh, I really managed to wake up this thread. If I follow all the posts, Caliente Resort is to mainstream nudism as Opie and Anthony are to James Dobson's Focus on the Family, a resort free-falling past the Ponderosa Sun Club (where they hold Nudes-a-Poppin) straight to the fiery pit of Hell. :lightingzapA: And all this time we thought we lived a life closer to Ozzie and Harriet Nelson.
My perspective is admittedly not a swingers perspective. What I can present is a point-of-view of someone who owns properties at Caliente, attempts to keep in-touch with most decisions made by management but does not become embroiled with the drama and politics of the resort. We have people who are going into tachycardia because of the Aahz parties, retired businesspeople who believe they know the magic business model that will put the resort into the black while not upsetting the greatest percentage of members and guests. To this I say good luck because as of now General Manager Steve Dorsey's popularity ranking is below Attila the Hun and just above Vlad the Impaler...and he's lasted longer than most of the other GM's. In the end only one thing is certain, Caliente cannot continue as a so-called 5-Star clothing optional resort with all the expenses that accrues without a substantial revenue stream.
Caliente is essentially a built-out resort property with exception of the Casitas area (which I'm not going to discuss because of on-going litigation.) This necessitates the resort portion-i.e. the clubhouse, bars and restaurants- to now show a profit. Often mentioned as a solution is the golf Country Club business model with a high yearly membership fee. While I could go for that if it would stop the Aahz parties, that is not viable without howls of exclusionary elitism from the vast percentage of the present membership base. A post I read at another website brought up a good point: Many Caliente members (and some residents) wanted a caviar resort within their beer budget. When I walk through the condo section I am constantly struck by the number of "For Sales" signs. Today these are not flippers, there are a lot of people leveraged beyond their budgets, people with adjustable mortgages going up with very little equity in their vacation homes. Those are the people who I feel sorry for.
:fun: Wet T-Shirt Contest This Weekend!!! Balloon Animals For The Kids. :clown: Unfortunately I did not think of this fabulous line but ruthlessly plagiarized it form another nudist site because it so poignantly demonstrates the quandary facing this resort. I haven't seen the overt sexuality in the public areas many of you have complained about but if it's going on there is a problem in a nudist resort marketing to families. During the couple of Aahz weekends we have been at Caliente we did not go to the clubhouse in the evening but during the day the behavior we saw prompted more groans than indignation. There was the couple in their thirties who walked around with a "gee Marg, we're not in Waukegan anymore" look on their faces. On Aahz weekends there are a lot of eager couples talking a little louder, drinking a little more and are a little more animated than the long-time nudists and residents for whom Caliente is home, hence nothing to get excited about. But honest folks, I have not seen any orgies in the conversation pool any time I've been there.
Illinois07
02-25-2008, 05:55 PM
The bottom line is Caliente's business problem - when they built the place they should have known how small a market nudism/naturism is. They have the right to do anything legal to keep the resort going. But with the sponsorship of "Catholic schoolgirls in heat" contests AANR should remove Caliente from its list of approved clubs. Period.
Bryan and Jen
03-27-2008, 06:36 PM
I know I am getting in on this post late, but I had to add my two cents. We are members of both Paradise Lakes and Cypress Cove. We have visited caliente and thought it was one of the msot beautiful places we have ever been. The should be given credit for creating such beautiful facilities. however when we visited there, we did not feel that we fit in. In our opinion the people were not as friendly or open to conversation like at Paradise or Cypress. Also it was just so expensive. When we went the first time, we had the tour and all they did was try to push us to join and push their properties. I felt like I was at a car dealership. This is coming from a person who used to be in the auto business, LOL. my feeling when they first opened was that they would not continue as a nudsit resort in the long run because of the overhead they had to maintain. Once they sold the properites, how will they make a profit. Now a few years later, and after the housing bubble has burt, they relaized they were not making money. We have heard this from people at Paradise who used to go there or have friends that bought there. What the original developers planed, could not work, and they had to attract visitors any way they could. A lot of people who bought at Caliente were in fact " House Flippers " who bought with sub-prime loans. They figured with the popularity of the resorts in Pasco county and the booming housing market, they would make big money and cash in. Well just like the big tech boom several years ago, the housing boom did go boom, but the wrong way. Caliente advertises on the local radio stations here in the Tampa Bay area. But if you here the ads, it is not promoting it as a nudist resort, but an upscale clothing optional resort. And they sound like a niteclub. I would not be surprised to see down the road the resort go bankrupt. Paradise Lakes went through a time when they were basically competing with Calient. However Paradise is going through a re-birth under new ownership and is getting to be more like to old Paradise. What people do in their own time behind closed doors is the own business. I do not believe that certain actions should be public, especially in a nudist resort. The swinger crown, swingers are everywhere. We have met people who swing that live at Cypress Cove. Just they know what the proper conduct is. We have never seen anything lewd at Paradise or Cypress. We have seen it at Caliente in the evening. I actually thought I should have brought dollar bills. One day we will live at a resort which is our dream. It will either be Paradise or Cypress, most likely Cypress due to the size and more actual activities going on. Hopefully maybe Caliente will carry on and go back to being what the original plan was, a new dimension in nudist living for everyone. I just do not see it happening due to the cost to maintain the operation and the fact that the majority of nudist and families are middle class people who just cannot afford the cost of such a resort. To survive, they have to get their money someplace. As a huge supporter of AANR, I wish they would take a more active look at what is actually going on their. If it is what some people claim, something should be done.
simonsebs
06-04-2008, 11:52 AM
National Organization Suspends Pasco Nudist Resort's Charter (http://suncoastpasco.tbo.com/content/2008/jun/04/national-organization-suspends-pasco-nudist-resort/)
I just found this and thought I would share. If the things I've been hearing are true, then this needed to happen.
Eric6420
06-04-2008, 01:19 PM
Calliente seems to attracts hedonists in order to make more money, well, if that's what they need to do to survive, they do not really have a choice.
Should nudists organisations banned them? I am not sure, after all Cap d'Agde was always considered as a naturist place even if there are a lot of swingers there.
Of course, if people have sex in the pool in the middle of the day, it is not a place for children...
There is also the money factor, I understand that if people are paying 250$ a day/night there, they may want a little more fun and exitation than a traditional nudist center.
NakedGary
06-04-2008, 05:45 PM
Two articles published so far today on AANR's suspension of a Pasco Nudist Resort charter. The second gives a little more of the "why."
AANR's public relations coordinator Carolyn Hawkins of the Kissimmee-based organization, said she didn't know exactly why the charter was suspended but that the resort will continue to benefit from its association with AANR until the investigation is complete.
AANR is now backed into a corner putting out two different articles out to two different news /press agencies. One saying she didn't know the reason, the other pointing to complaints of swinger activities.
Hard to believe a hand full of people in a small office of a national nudist organization close by this pasco nudist resort cannot get their press releases, and reason for this charter suspension together and in sync.
Re:
"National Organization Suspends Pasco Nudist Resort's Charter" Geoff Fox, The Tampa Tribune, Wednesday, June 4, 2008
News (http://www.tbo.com/news/)
National Organization Suspends Pasco Nudist Resort's Charter
http://media.tbo.com/photos/trib/2008/june/0604caliente385.jpg
Associated Press file photo (2006)
By GEOFF FOX (gfox@tampatrib.com) | The Tampa Tribune
Published: June 4, 2008
LAND O' LAKES - Caliente Resorts, the clothing-optional destination off U.S. 41 in central Pasco County, recently had its charter with the American Association for Nude Recreation temporarily suspended.
Carolyn Hawkins, public relations coordinator for the Kissimmee-based organization, said she didn't know exactly why the charter was suspended but that the resort will continue to benefit from its association with AANR until the investigation is complete.
"We have a board of trustees, and if we get complaints from a group of people, whatever the complaint is, if the board chooses, they can call a meeting and decide to do a temporary suspension," Hawkins said. "We do have an internal investigation going on."
She said AANR's next scheduled board of trustees meeting will be in August, but a meeting to discuss the investigation could be called at any time.
"The charter is suspended, but that doesn't mean they can't still offer AANR memberships," she said. Through AANR, nudist and clothing-optional resorts get discounts on advertising, support from lobbyists in Tallahassee and Washington and a listing on AANR's Web site, among other benefits.
There are almost 270 AANR-affiliated resorts in the United States, the Caribbean and Dominican Republic.
With more than 350 home sites situated on 127 acres, Caliente opened in 2002. It features an artificial 8,500-square-foot lagoon and waterfall, spa, nightclub, five bars, restaurant, fitness center and motel rooms, among other amenities.
Angye Fox, Caliente's public relations director, said the complaint involves false accusations recently made about the resort on several Web sites. She said Caliente plans to issue a response today.
"This doesn't mean we won't be affiliated with them in the future," Hawkins said. "We don't want to lose them. It's a beautiful club, and I love it out there. I hope they can get it resolved."
Reporter Geoff Fox can be reached at (813) 779-4613 or gfox@tampatrib.com.
__________________________________________________ ______________________
Other article:
"Pasco nudist resort suspended by national association"
Jodie Tillman, St. Petersburg Times, Wednesday, June 4, 2008
http://www.sptimes.com/blogs/new-headers/overnite-header.gif
June 04, 2008
Pasco nudist resort suspended by national association
http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/images/2008/06/04/caliente.jpg
LAND O'LAKES -- Caliente Resorts, often billed as the "Ritz-Carlton" of Pasco County nudist resorts, has been temporarily suspended from the American Association for Nude Recreation.
The suspension is over allegations that Caliente had been associating itself with swingers groups through third-party Web sites, said Doug Butler, president of the Caliente masters association, which represents the hundreds of homeowners and condo owners who live near the resort.
Carolyn Hawkins, spokeswoman for the American Association for Nude Recreation, declined to discuss the nature of the allegations. But she confirmed an investigation is under way and the association's board could vote to reinstate Caliente as soon as August.
The association is a prominent marketing organization that offers discounts to members. Its members agree, as part of the AANR charter, to be family-friendly.
Angye Fox, a spokeswoman for Caliente, said she would release a statement later this afternoon.
Caliente hosts monthly parties put on by a group called Aahz, which on its Web site describes its parties as "lifestyle oriented," a phrase often associated with swingers. A Web site featuring the swingers' lifestyle also highlights Caliente. And Fox will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Swingfest, the "world's largest swingers party and adult expo," held in Hollywood, Fla.
Butler, the homeowners president, said the parties or Web sites haven't resulted in any run-ins between the attendees and Caliente residents. "Behavior hasn't been a problem," he said. "It’s more of the Web site stuff that appears Caliente has an association with these kinds of groups."
Visitors to Caliente, along with other central Pasco nudist resorts, contribute a good chunk of tourist dollars to the Pasco economy each year.
Jodie Tillman, Times staff writer
Posted by tampabaycom at 2:10:24 PM on June 4, 2008
in Pasco (http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/pasco/index.html) | Permalink (http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/06/nudists.html)
Partial articles from: "Bart's Nudes in the News WeBlog & RSS Feed"
NakedGary
06-05-2008, 01:04 AM
Nudist resort stirs up residents
By Jodie (http://www.tampabay.com/writers/article380321.ece)Tillman (http://www.tampabay.com/writers/article380321.ece), Times Staff Writer
In print: Thursday, June 5, 2008
Caliente officials say most of the attention stems from its attempt to increase revenue by marketing toward a younger demographic through Web sites, mainstream media ads and monthly theme parties.
http://www.tampabay.com/multimedia/archive/00026/B4S_Caliente060508_26118c.jpg
LAND O’LAKES — In this gated community, the theme parties start late, and the invitations alone are enough to upset the neighbors.
“Ladies break out those naughty school girl outfits,” one invitation said. “It’s time to tease your way into those good grades.”
“Party like a rock star,” said another. “Dress like a porn star.”
The neighbors are all nudists who live at Caliente Resort & Spa, Pasco’s upscale, clothing-optional community that attracts thousands of tourists each year and is a full-time home to hundreds of people.
And the parties in question are monthly, sexually charged events put on by an outside “lifestyle,” or swingers, group with Caliente’s blessing — sparking a debate over the nature of nudism, which devotees defend as natural and nonsexualized.
“We don’t want to be thrown in with the whole hedonism thing,” said Doug Butler, president of the association that represents more than 350 single-family homes and condominiums.
Complaints about Caliente’s connection with swingers groups reached the American Association for Nude Recreation, which late last month temporarily suspended the resort from its organization.
Association spokeswoman Carolyn Hawkins confirmed an investigation was under way but would not elaborate on it.
The association, a national organization that requires its club and resorts to be family friendly, could decide as soon as August whether to reinstate Caliente. At risk if Caliente were to lose its membership: marketing assistance, lobbying on nudist issues and discounted membership fees that attract tourists.
Caliente officials chalked the suspension up to a “misunderstanding” about information that was on some third-party Web sites run by swingers groups.
A group called the Swingers Club List, for instance, has Caliente on its Web site as a suggested destination, though swingers gave mixed reactions.
One person who posted on the group’s Web site said Caliente “is all you want it to be … it swings at night and is friendly in the daytime.” Another posting said: “You must be kidding. … We went there and there are children and grandparents. Not what I would call a fun place.”
Caliente management said the resort “has very specific rules to provide a safe naturalist environment for our members and guests. We do not allow public displays of affection in our common areas and this policy is enforced by Caliente security.”
Caliente has no reference to swingers on its Web site, though its marketing director, Angye Fox, is a featured speaker at Swingfest ‘08, the “world’s largest swingers party and adult expo” next month in Hollywood, Fla. Her topic: “Swingers and Nudists Can Coexist!”
Caliente officials say most of the attention stems from its attempt to increase revenue by marketing toward a younger demographic through Web sites, mainstream media ads and monthly theme parties.
Aahz Party Lifestyle Group puts on the “lifestyle” parties. Peter Smith, who runs Aahz’s Web site and has attended the events, said nothing untoward happens there.
“I think they’re trying to make it more of something than it is,” he said of critics. “It’s not that kind of party. You go there and the people are just real sexy.”
He said Caliente benefits because the party guests are more likely to spend money at the club than the residents.
“They want Caliente to be strictly their kind of people,” he said. “The problem is, they don’t want to spend a dime.”
Butler, the homeowner, said he understood why Caliente is trying to reach a younger crowd. But he worries those efforts are cultivating a bad perception — especially on the swingers Web sites that Caliente can’t control.
Perception can be everything, said Arlene Reed, the marketing and activities director for Lake Como, another Pasco nudist resort. She said Lake Como has adults-only parties, but only because there is alcohol. She said she wouldn’t want the parties to take on a sexual nature, and she wouldn’t want to be associated with swingers clubs.
“What goes on behind closed doors is their business,” she said. “But in the public eye, we don’t associate with it or promote it.”
Pasco officials recently got an anonymous complaint about swingers parties at private homes at Caliente, said County Commissioner Pat Mulieri. She questioned what the county could do if the parties aren’t in a public place. Still, she said she hoped that Caliente tamped down the sexually themed parties, given that the county promotes its nudist resorts to tourists.
“I don’t blame the people who live there,” she said. “There are million-dollar homes out there. Why would they want to jeopardize that? I just think it puts kind of a black eye on the place. I’ve always said, ‘Nude isn’t lewd.’ “
Smith, with the Aahz party group, said the parties aren’t lewd, either.”Ninety percent of the lifestyle people that go there are dressed,” he said. “The nudists are the ones who go there naked.”
Jodie Tillman can be reached at jtillman@sptimes.com or (727) 869-6247.
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Croydon
06-05-2008, 04:21 AM
The above article by Naked Gary really supports the points I made earlier about the change in Caliente.
I can only imagine the amount of money it takes to maintain a resort so large like Caliente. The daily maintenance/overhead must be astronomical and I am sure the resort does not make enough money to effectively manage it.
It is not of surprise the resort looked at other ways or "other groups" to generate income. Peter Smith of Aahz said something that caught my attention: "They want Caliente to be strictly their kind of people,” he said. “The problem is, they don’t want to spend a dime.” His quote really sounded my alarm because he said something that has some truth: "they do not want to spend a dime." With large mega resorts like Caliente, visitors and home owners do not spend a lot of money once there. To rent a room is expensive as it is ($250/night) and it is just too much money when you add food and drinks. You can not blame visitors or even home owners for watching their spending once at the resort. I recall my last trip to Cypress Cove, food and drinks were very expensive. My buddy and I decided that it was best we went to the local super market and buy enough food to last us a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Instead of eating and drinking at the restaurants, we only treated ourselves to a couple of drinks a day.
Because of Caliente offers so many amenities and the money to maintain it is a lot, they have to charge a lot of money for entrance, entertainment, and food to keep the resort maintained. I would love to know their markup on drinks.
What I didn't appreciate about the above article is Caliente's dishonesty. I didn't appreciate their denial of catering to swingers when their site is often referenced on swinger sites, they provide space and marketing to swingers and swinging groups, they attend the Swingfest...if it quacks, acts and talks like a duck, do not tell me it isn't a duck. Even their own website has a sexual tone to it. The evidence is there so do not lie about it or avoid it.
I also am insulted by their response that they are trying to attract young adults. Let me get this straight: you think you can do that by working with swingers? You aren't going to find many young people in the swinging lifestyle. In addition, I do not think many young people would visit Caliente. It is outrageously expensive. No young person is going to shell out $250/night. Even my spring break trip to Cancun (in college) was cheaper.
If they haven't, it would be smart for Caliente to market themselves to the international world. Considering the weak dollar, a lot of people from So. America, Asia and Europe are visiting the U.S. and spending like crazy. Caliente should market themselves as a cheap trip to international travelers.
usuallylurk
06-05-2008, 07:14 AM
CFI policy prevents one from posting links to the swingers' site of controversy, but the public relations director of Caliente (which purged its name from the site of controversy) is giving a seminar there as to how swingers and nudists can co-exist.
Think of it this way -- what if you owned a club, or were a member of a nudist club, and now, you have to deal with another nudist park within AANR, having its PR person (who also runs a side business doing acrylic paintings with her breasts, another link I won't post here) getting up and preaching to the swingers that nudist parks are swell places to find others.
To use some hijacked code words = "like-minded lifestylers".
Swingers want to associate themselves with us and market themselves with us. We nudists do NOT want that association.
Kudos to CFI for their Open Letter to All Nudist Resorts.
In three weeks' time, The Naturist Society will hold their biggest gathering of the year here in Massachusetts. What a WONDERFUL opportunity they now have! While they openly promote diversity -- they do NOT tolerate sexualization of nudism - or naturism -- and I think that they truly represent "mainstream nudism" -- as does CFI.
usuallylurk
06-07-2008, 10:48 AM
Official word from AANR in the weekly Trustees and Clubs report (6/6) -
Caliente Suspension
It is possible that you have read one or more news stories noting that the AANR Board of Trustees recently rendered a decision to suspend the charter of Caliente club pending a review of the club’s marketing practices. While this investigation is ongoing, it is not possible to discuss specifics of the Board’s review. In the event that you are contacted by members of your club or media about this matter we ask you to direct inquiries to Carolyn Hawkins or (Eric Schuttauf) at the AANR office at 1-800-TRY-NUDE.
So, if the issue comes up, AANR has apparently set up their talking points.
Although, given the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, we are free to continue to discuss the issue among ourselves , or with anyone, without having to ask permission from AANR.
Last Sunday, it was discussed extensively on the beach at the camp I belong to.
NakedGary
06-07-2008, 11:02 AM
usuallylurk
In the event that you are contacted by members of your club or media about this matter we ask you to direct inquiries to Carolyn Hawkins or myself at the AANR office at 1-800-TRY-NUDE.
Q. Who is myself?
.
usuallylurk
06-07-2008, 11:29 AM
Sorry - "myself" in the statement is Eric Schuttauf, who is the executive director (paid position, essentially the chief operating officer ) of AANR. It's isn't "usuallylurk"!
Eric6420
06-07-2008, 12:16 PM
Personally, I think that the nudist movement is too small to begin to ban resorts that are open to swingners. One of the problem of some nudist resorts, particularly in the past, was to ban single men and gay couples (men) from their resorts. Even today, many still have rules that are a bit severe such as "not to touch any body, whatever the way".
I know for example that most gay resorts are clothing optional because nudity is quite popular with gay men, but gay men who go to nudist resorts are rare because they have their own resorts and they may fear to be not really welcomed in "family nudist resorts".
That being said, a lot of nudists places in Europe such as Canary Islands, Cap d'Agde or Ibiza are also very popular with swingners and gay men. Swingners and gay men make a large part of the nudist movement in Europe...
I just think that it would be wiser to categorize resorts to know wich clientele they want to have rather than banning some clubs because they are more open than others...
Journeyman
06-07-2008, 02:59 PM
Personally, I think that the nudist movement is too small to begin to ban resorts that are open to swingners. One of the problem of some nudist resorts, particularly in the past, was to ban single men and gay couples (men) from their resorts. Even today, many still have rules that are a bit severe such as "not to touch any body, whatever the way".
I know for example that most gay resorts are clothing optional because nudity is quite popular with gay men, but gay men who go to nudist resorts are rare because they have their own resorts and they may fear to be not really welcomed in "family nudist resorts".
That being said, a lot of nudists places in Europe such as Canary Islands, Cap d'Agde or Ibiza are also very popular with swingners and gay men. Swingners and gay men make a large part of the nudist movement in Europe...
I just think that it would be wiser to categorize resorts to know wich clientele they want to have rather than banning some clubs because they are more open than others...
I agree with Eric's assessment.
This hand-wringing about Caliente started with some disgruntled home and condo owners there who were upset that their idyllic naturist resort was having once-monthly parties in the nightclub only that were being promoted by a swingers' association. These parties apparently brought and bring in needed revenue. Mistakes were made by Caliente management re: the promotion and marketing of these parties.
How can I know and write this, being an outsider and someone from another country? Because I spent three days there myself last weekend, and interviewed both Ms. Fox, the part-time marketing person, and Mr. Shepherd, the newly hired publicist. (I am a freelance writer and have been specializing in resort/hotel writing since 1994.)
Anyone who has stayed at a nudist place anywhere in the world that has rooms for rent may indeed see or encounter swingers. Our choice of nude recreation is going to attract them, so the two groups must try to exist interdependently and respectfully. Banning swingers from a place is tantamount to banning people of a religious minority, race or sexual orientation. I personally think that with the AANR being more strict in enforcing its rules/values will help resorts who may have agressive, non-nudist people in power.
And again, for the record, in three days last week of experiencing almost everything that Caliente has to offer, not once did I witness any displays of sexuality in public -- not even the dreaded erection! And the nightclub? Like any textile one, some couples dancing not in sync; some couples semi-drunk, and about 98% of people wearing clothes.
Cheri
06-08-2008, 09:25 AM
After inappropriate activities happened, the final straw IMHO was the website links on both Caliente's website and the swinger website pointing to events at Caliente. I won't post those here because of TOS and the sensibility of us all.
Cheri
tiger79
06-08-2008, 11:48 AM
After inappropriate activities happened, the final straw IMHO was the website links on both Caliente's website and the swinger website pointing to events at Caliente. I won't post those here because of TOS and the sensibility of us all.Looking at the situation from my vantage point in England, I find all this hysteria about AANR and Caliente to be vaguely amusing.
If you're bothered by website links, Cheri, why not complain about the AANR's own website, which has advertising from, and a link to, "Go Classy Tours"? Follow the link, and you'll find details of Go Classy's offerings, including "For over 17 years, Go Classy Tours, Inc. has discretely handled reservations for thousands of couples and singles who want to be wicked for a week! Hedonism II, on world famous Negril Beach, and Hedonism III at Runaway Bay, were created as a reward for all those times you've had to deny your basic instincts. In these lush gardens of pure pleasure, the word "no" is seldom heard. ..... And with absolutely everything included in one upfront price you never have to think about money. Not even tips. Just what to do next. And when. And with whom."
Now if that's in line with AANR's stated values, I'd be surprised.
usuallylurk
06-08-2008, 04:10 PM
Personally, I think that the nudist movement is too small to begin to ban resorts that are open to swingners.
They aren't trying to ban them. They are trying to keep the distinction that nudism is not about sex. Swinging *IS* about sex. We should not be promoting swinging or make any association between the two.
One of the problem of some nudist resorts, particularly in the past, was to ban single men and gay couples (men) from their resorts. Even today, many still have rules that are a bit severe such as "not to touch any body, whatever the way".
Most resorts now admit singles. Those that admit singles would now be admitting gays and Lesbians. And I don't know of any park that has an "absolutely no touching" rule. NONE.
I know for example that most gay resorts are clothing optional because nudity is quite popular with gay men, but gay men who go to nudist resorts are rare because they have their own resorts and they may fear to be not really welcomed in "family nudist resorts".
Gays are usually welcome at most resorts -- BUT -- nudist resorts, especially the family oriented resorts, do not go out of their way to say "Gays Welcome" or "We have some gay-oriented events this weekend".
NakedGary
06-28-2008, 03:02 PM
Nudists, swingers can meet in middle
By Jan Glidewell, Times Staff Writer
In print: Sunday, June 29, 2008
Story Tools
It took me a few days to get caught up with the news at home from my summer hideout in Colorado, but thanks to the wonders of modern electronics, I finally got word about the flap (no, that is not a pun and there won’t be any in this column) at the Caliente nudist resort in Land O’Lakes.
Apparently the players (Okay, so puns are hard to avoid in this context) are the resort management, a large group of homeowners and a bunch of folks who call themselves “lifestyles” people and most others call “swingers.”
I am a member at Caliente, but the home prices are way, way out of my financial reach. I have no connection to management of the resort and am disqualified by age, body type and inclination from being part of the lifestyles movement.
So, I don’t really have a dog in that fight, but I remain an interested observer.
It is no great secret that there are, from time to time, swingers at all resorts, major hotel and motel chains, campgrounds and, oh yeah, coming soon to a neighbor’s home near you.
The issue here really isn’t over the nature or morality of their activity, almost all of which takes place in private. It is more over matters like real estate values, public perceptions, economics and marketing.
People who own houses in Caliente have major investments, some topping $1-million, and, despite that they are private dwellings, they are inextricably linked with the resort and its reputation.
Lifestyles individuals and groups have, for the most part, been treated with tolerance as long as their behavior remained private, i.e. behind closed doors of the hotel rooms, casitas, condos, villas and houses that are for rent there, and not in the public areas, including the swimming pools.
Rules against public sexual activity are plainly posted and I have seen them enforced over the most minor of transgressions. I have also, and much more rarely, seen minor transgressions in public areas and merely exercised my right to turn away.
But homeowners, despite their personal convictions, are, perhaps justly, concerned about the image of the place they live. Non-nudist friends, associates, employers or acquaintances, many of them already skittish about nudism, might raise more than an eyebrow if they find out someone lives in a place with a reputation as a swingers’ hangout.
The image they and the resort management, for the most part, want is that of a place where family-friendly nudism, naturism and sunbathing take place, a place that holds Easter sunrise services, a Lions Club and yoga and Pilates classes.
On the other hand, nudism is big business in Pasco, where several other resorts flourish or have flourished over the years. Resident and visiting nudists spend money, a lot of it. They also pay taxes on expensive homes and other real estate, and visitors pay hefty tourism charges on motels and other rentals.
And some of those visitors belong to the lifestyles movement. They come single, in small groups or for organized events like the Swingfest that is part of the current controversy.
How to target that market without becoming a part of it is probably the major issue, and today’s economy is a dicey one that has most businesses leery of ignoring any part of their market base.
Should the resort sponsor and participate in the presentation of an event like that? Probably not. Should it or can it limit the use of its name in advertising about groups planning events there? Maybe, maybe not.
Does it have the right to demand information about the personal and recreational intent of its customers, as long as they aren’t breaking any laws? Probably not.
The last story I read online seemed to indicate that at least a dialogue had begun, and that’s good because all of the parties have a right to express their needs and boundaries.
There is a common ground, and I am pretty sure it can be found.
[Last modified: Jun 28, 2008 12:32 PM]
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NakedGary
07-14-2008, 04:38 PM
Bart’s Nudes in the News Weblog (http://bartsystems.wordpress.com/)
Posted in U.S. Locations - Nude Resorts (http://wordpress.com/tag/us-locations-nude-resorts/) by NakedGary on July 14th, 2008
http://www.sptimes.com/blogs/new-headers/overnite-header.gif
July 14, 2008
“Swinging” Caliente leaves nudist association
LAND O’LAKES — Caliente Resort pulled out of the American Association for Nude Recreation, following an investigation into sexually charged monthly parties at the club organized by a swingers group with Caliente’s blessing, the association said Monday.
The association, the oldest and largest national nudist group that prides itself on family values, had suspended Caliente in May as the investigation opened into the club’s marketing practices.
Caliente dropped its membership Friday after the association sent all members a letter reaffirming its charter values.
“We regret that it was necessary to issue the suspension that led to where we are today,” said John Kinman, the association’s president, in a news release Monday. “Caliente is a beautiful resort, and AANR was a strong force behind its initial development and growth. However, no club is more important than the principles we have advocated for over three quarters of a century.”
Carolyn Hawkins, an association spokeswoman, said Monday Caliente stands to lose advertising and advocacy benefits as an association member.
– Chuin-Wei Yap, Times staff writer
A pair of shoppers sort through tops available at a poolside store at the Caliente Resort. [Time files]
Posted by tampabaycom at 3:41:30 PM on July 14, 2008
in Pasco (http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/pasco/index.html) | Permalink (http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/07/nudist-associat.html)
<http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/07/nudist-associat.html (http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2008/07/nudist-associat.html)>
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usuallylurk
07-14-2008, 06:57 PM
Let's tell it like it is.
Politically, AANR couldn't afford to have them in their fold. It is very difficult to go to Tallahassee and state that "we represent family nudism" on the one hand and then showboat Caliente when they say "we have 300 resorts like this".
Financially, it's going to be painful for AANR. Their membership is dipping down to around the 42,000 mark now, and since Caliente has approximately (reportedly) 3,000 AANR members, many of those will not re-up.
Strategically, it might be a GOOD thing for AANR. They have finally declared a direction that they're going in, and is consistent with what most member clubs offer to their members and prospective members.
NudeAl
07-14-2008, 09:20 PM
I for one fully suport AANR in this move. Due to the publicity and the direction Caliente wanted to go I see this as the only move they could make. If they were to make a concession for this behavior they would not be true to their core values.
NakedGary
07-15-2008, 12:46 PM
Nudist club swings away from national group (http://bartsystems.wordpress.com/2008/07/15/nudist-club-swings-away-from-national-group/)
Posted in Nudist Organizations (http://wordpress.com/tag/nudist-organizations/), U.S. Locations - Nude Resorts (http://wordpress.com/tag/us-locations-nude-resorts/) by NakedGary on July 15th, 2008
See St. Pete Times article below.
http://tampabay.typepad.com/images/times-logo.gif
http://www.tampabay.com/news/growth/article699210.ece (http://www.tampabay.com/news/growth/article699210.ece)
————————————–
Nudist club swings away from national group (http://www.tampabay.com/news/growth/article699210.ece)
By Chuin-Wei Yap, Times Staff Writer
In print: Tuesday, July 15, 2008
LAND O’LAKES — Caliente Resort pulled its affiliation late Friday with the American Association for Nude Recreation, after an investigation into sexually charged parties at the club, the association said Monday.
Caliente’s move came after the association sent a letter Friday to its 260 members reminding them of the kind of family values it expects its charter clubs to hold.
The rupture follows two months of rising tension with the association as the club dug in behind its aggressive marketing toward a younger demographic, including advocating for the coexistence of swingers and nudists.
“As a husband, father of four and an employee of the association, this is not a message I could accept,” Erich Schuttauf, the association’s executive director, said Monday. “AANR clubs represent the best in healthy clothes-free living and recreation for all ages.”
Caliente is not just a club but also a full-time home for hundreds of nudists. The disgruntlement with the swinger-oriented marketing had originated with some homeowners.
“We felt that AANR was taking sides with a small number of homeowners as it related to their concerns about Caliente’s aggressive marketing,” Angye Fox, Caliente’s spokeswoman, said Monday. “We felt that AANR is certainly a valid organization in that it does a great job with government relations and lobbying, but quite frankly, there was no factual basis for their concerns.”
The association temporarily suspended Caliente’s membership in May after the club registered to have a booth at an adult trade show, Swingfest 2008. The association singled out Fox’s involvement in “a workshop advocating co-existence between swingers and nudists.”
Fox said Caliente has been “branching out” in its target markets, trying to reach a younger demographic with more imaginative party themes, including an upcoming “Eyes Wide Shut” party featuring masks (and not much else).
“It helps to bring in young 20-, 30-somethings, and we’ve been far more aggressive than AANR in communicating with the younger generation,” Fox said. “AANR hasn’t kept up with the times.”
Fox said she was a guest speaker at Swingfest, which paid for her accommodations. She said she helped educate the audience on how nudist resorts like Caliente handle different market interests, including setting aside special sections for its parties, having people sign agreements when they enter the club and organizing security patrols to enforce rules.
Dropping its membership in the association means Caliente can no longer enjoy 50 percent advertising discounts and free listings on the 260-member association’s promotional literature, including the association’s Web site. But only the club is out of AANR; the association still has about 1,500 individual Caliente members, association spokeswoman Carolyn Hawkins said Monday.
The club also loses the association’s lobbying influence in Tallahassee and Washington D.C., Hawkins said.
Chuin-Wei Yap can be reached at cyap@sptimes.com or <?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = SKYPE /><SKYPE:SPAN onmouseup="javascript:skype_tb_imgOnOff(this,1,'0',true,16,'' );return skype_tb_stopEvents();" class=skype_tb_injection onmousedown="javascript:skype_tb_imgOnOff(this,2,'0',true,16,'' );return skype_tb_stopEvents();" id=softomate_highlight_0 onmouseover="javascript:skype_tb_imgOnOff(this,1,'0',true,16,'' );" title="Call this phone number in United States of America with Skype: +18139094613" onclick="javascript:skype_tb_doRunCMD('call','0',null,0);re turn skype_tb_stopEvents();" onmouseout="javascript:skype_tb_imgOnOff(this,0,'0',true,16,'' );" IamRTL="0" context="(813) 909-4613" durex="0"><SKYPE:SPAN onmouseup="javascript:doSkypeFlag(this,'0',1,1,16);return skype_tb_stopEvents();" class=skype_tb_imgA onmousedown="javascript:doSkypeFlag(this,'0',2,1,16);return skype_tb_stopEvents();" id=skype_tb_droppart_0 onmouseover="javascript:doSkypeFlag(this,'0',1,1,16);" title="Skype actions" style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(file://C:/DOCUME~1/GARYRB~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/__SkypeIEToolbar_Cache/e70d95847a8f5723cfca6b3fd9946506/static/inactive_a.compat.flex.w16.gif)" onclick="javascript:skype_tb_SwitchDrop(this,'0','sms=0');r eturn skype_tb_stopEvents();" onmouseout="javascript:doSkypeFlag(this,'0',0,1,16);"><SKYPE:SPAN class=skype_tb_imgFlag id=skype_tb_img_f0 style="BACKGROUND-IMAGE: url(file://C:/DOCUME~1/GARYRB~1/LOCALS~1/Temp/__SkypeIEToolbar_Cache/e70d95847a8f5723cfca6b3fd9946506/static/famfamfam/US.gif)"></SKYPE:SPAN></SKYPE:SPAN><SKYPE:SPAN class=skype_tb_imgS id=skype_tb_img_s0></SKYPE:SPAN><SKYPE:SPAN class=skype_tb_injectionIn id=skype_tb_text0><SKYPE:SPAN class=skype_tb_innerText id=skype_tb_innerText0> (813) 909-4613 </SKYPE:SPAN></SKYPE:SPAN><SKYPE:SPAN class=skype_tb_imgR id=skype_tb_img_r0></SKYPE:SPAN></SKYPE:SPAN>.
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NakedGary
07-15-2008, 02:24 PM
BREAKING NEWS -
Caliente removed from American Association for Nude Recreation
on July 14 2008
By Marcia Stone
Pasco Naturally Editor
KISSIMMEE – The end of Caliente Resort’s membership in a nationally recognized association came with a brief e-mail from Caliente’s Steve Dorsey: “Please accept this as the official resignation of our charter.”
The $50 million resort had been temporarily suspended during an investigation about its participation or association with swingers’ parties and recreation, including SwingFest 2008.
The American Association for Nude Recreation, the oldest, largest and most credible organization supporting social family nude recreation, has removed Caliente Resort of Land O’ Lakes, from its organization.
This action was taken following the temporary suspension of the club’s charter because of marketing practices inconsistent with AANR’s principles and standards. In a letter to its clubs dated July 11, AANR reaffirmed its expectations of clubs holding an AANR charter. And Caliente responded by relinquishing their affiliation.
The break-off is a troubling one for hundreds of Caliente homeowners, property owners and thousands members and visitors who look to AANR as a seal of approval of established business standards in the nudist world.
Doug Butler, president of the Caliente Homeowners Association, wrote a straightforward President’s Letter that outlined what legal options property owners had to oppose swingers or sexually oriented events that Caliente management might endorse or participate in.
“Your board has been using for the past year and a half: quiet diplomacy. The board does not want litigation nor was that ever the intent when we met with our attorney, nor is it in any of our plans and wishes. We went for advice on how to best handle the ‘lifestyle’ situation at Caliente.”
“We regret that it was necessary to issue the suspension that led to where we are today,” said John Kinman, AANR President. “Caliente is a beautiful resort, and AANR was a strong force behind its initial development and growth. However, no club is more important than the principles we have advocated for over three quarters of a century.”
The Caliente charter came under investigation when the club registered to have a booth at an adult trade show, Swingfest 2008.
“This is entirely counter to AANR’s advocacy of social family nude recreation and its rejection of any attempt to associate its good name and reputation with sexually exploitive purposes. Club management offered some concessions, but their PR Director is still scheduled to lead a workshop advocating co-existence between swingers and nudists,” said an AANR statement.
“As a husband, father of four and an employee of the Association, this is not a message I could accept,” said Erich Schuttauf, AANR’s Executive Director. “AANR clubs represent the best in healthy clothes-free living and recreation, for all ages.”
Response to the removal of Caliente Resort from AANR membership has surprised local nudists:
–Doug Lynch, a Caliente homeowner, said, “Caliente, a jewel of a resort, is unlike anywhere else on earth. Caliente has AANR values in its filings at Pasco County. It’s not about whether the behavior is appropriate or even about sexuality. Residents and Caliente signed papers to this effect. The By Laws of Caliente Master Association Board of Directors filed with Pasco County say, ‘Caliente is a nudist resort and a nudist residential community, wholesome, (with a) friendly atmosphere conducive to nude recreation. We distinguish between nudity and sex and keep the two in their proper perspectives. The nudist aspect shall not be subject to amendment, change or modification,’” he said.
–Paul Brenot, President, PANDAbare.org, says, “I’m sure that such a decision was made after much deliberation by the principals of Caliente, LLC.”
“PANDAbare.org believes in the ideals of AANR. Our mission is to promote our culture and build a responsible network and partnership with the non-naturist residential, business and governmental segments of our beautiful Pasco,” he said.
“Caliente’s decision to leave AANR was made with what Caliente felt was in their best interest. PANDA will not knee-jerk react to this, but we will see what directions Caliente decides to pursue. Caliente’s future actions will speak louder then any rumor or gossip.
“By letting the dust settle, PANDA will then be able to act with clarity. Like I stated before, this was an issue between the national organization and one of its members. Caliente has now decided to go it alone. We wish them well,” he said.
“The residential naturists who own and/or live in Caliente and those naturist members of Caliente Resort who believe in the ideals of AANR and PANDA are welcome to join and participate in PANDA,” he said.
The Pasco Area Nudist Development Association is a grassroots, all volunteer non-profit group to promote nudism for residents and visitors in a wholesome way in Pasco. It was formed early this year.
AANR has been an aggressive advocate for nude recreation rights and a strong promoter of public education. “When we speak to legislators or contribute to positive mainstream media recognition including the New York Times, Today Show, Time Magazine, and others, they know AANR has earned the reputation as the credible voice for nude recreation,” said Schuttauf.
AANR’s mission is to advocate nudity and nude recreation in appropriate settings, and educate and inform society of the value and enjoyment of such through on-going member growth. It is the credible voice of reason, representing the millions of people who enjoy clothes-free recreation and ‘nakationing’ throughout North America.
You can find more information in next week’s Pasco Naturally, delivered by Wednesday, July 23 to all nudist communities and Land O’ Lakes-Lutz area businesses.
For further information on nude recreation and the associations affiliated clubs, contact AANR at 1-800-TRY-NUDE or visit the association’s website at www.aanr.com (http://www.aanr.com/).
I just spent 3 weeks in Florida. I'm glad I spent my money at Cypress Cove, Paradise Lakes, and Lake Como. Not a single dime went to Caliente this time.
Walt Iliff
07-16-2008, 02:38 PM
I for one fully suport AANR in this move. Due to the publicity and the direction Caliente wanted to go I see this as the only move they could make. If they were to make a concession for this behavior they would not be true to their core values.
For those of you who are not AANR members, but who support AANR's decision to not back down in the face of what could be a huge loss of income, please consider showing your support for AANR and join. I'm sure that Cheri Alexander would welcome your joining through her group, the Travelites, or if you would prefer, you could join by visiting www.aanr.com. Either way, this is the best demonstration of our support for AANR.
Walt Iliff
BTW, I am an AANR Premier member, FYI.
For those of you who are not AANR members, but who support AANR's decision to not back down in the face of what could be a huge loss of income, please consider showing your support for AANR and join. I'm sure that Cheri Alexander would welcome your joining through her group, the Travelites, or if you would prefer, you could join by visiting www.aanr.com (http://www.aanr.com). Either way, this is the best demonstration of our support for AANR.
Walt Iliff
NakedGary
08-01-2008, 08:17 PM
Posted in U.S. Locations - Nude Resorts (http://wordpress.com/tag/us-locations-nude-resorts/) by NakedGary on August 1st, 2008
Daniel Ruth
The Tampa Tribune
Published: July 27, 2008
If nothing (a word term used advisedly here) else, you have to admit Angye Fox is the kind of lass who will literally give you the shirt off her back.
After a recent column about an ongoing, or perhaps on-offing, brouhaha involving the clothing-optional Caliente Resorts and a proposal to join loins with a swingers group, Fox, the nudist colony’s public relations flack, contacted this space.
The column had recalled a time many years ago when I unwittingly found myself in the middle of the Lake Como nudist enclave, which resulted in spending a great deal of time admiring the ceiling.
“I’d like to invite you as my guest to check out the ceilings at Caliente,” wrote Fox.
In response, I gently suggested to Fox that I rather doubted the Azalea of Athens would take kindly to having her husband cavorting about a nudist camp, which was merging with a bunch of ha-cha-cha-cha types.
“We don’t allow single men,” Fox replied, adding that if I were to take advantage of her invitation, the Sunflower of Sparta would have to come along as well.
Uh-uh, I explained to Fox, that was about as likely to occur as the Marigold of Macy’s celebrating the Ottoman Empire.
Gimme Some Skin … Um, Let Me Rephrase
The Caliente column also inspired a few other beloved readers to weigh in.
“Can’t be any worse than seeing bicyclist wannabees who look like the Michelin tire man stuffed into Lance Armstrong spandex, and Pillsbury dough-women walking around the beach in bikinis,” pondered pacfandave.
Cyndiann, who apparently knows more about this stuff than I do, noted: “If the swingers could keep their play weekends to themselves there would be no problem.
“The problem is that several times the swingers got carried away as swingers are wont to do and were doing it in the pool with people all around,” Cyndiann wrote.
I think we need a good, strong, no-nonsense harrumph here.
Harrumph! There, it needed to be said.
That got justastrue’s dander up (bad word choice perhaps). “We haven’t seen any sexual activity in any of the pools … over the past four months.” Whew! That’s a relief.
“There are hugs and kisses and booty slapping, but nothing sexual and nothing different than you would see at your local bar or club,” justastrue wrote.
Booty slapping?! Idon’t think this sort of thing goes on at the University Club, but then again I get invited there about as often as Barry Bonds gets invited over to Bud Selig’s house for dinner.
Lastly, on this topic at least, getoveryourbigself (doesn’t that sound like the name for a race horse?) contributed this terrifying imagery: “Keep up the great work, we’ll continue to be avid fans of your columns. Just don’t dwell on the fact we read the paper nude - just look up at the ceiling.”
no comments yet (http://bartsystems.wordpress.com/2008/08/01/and-now-to-peel-back-the-naked-truth-about-caliente-resorts/#respond)
NakedGary
08-01-2008, 08:20 PM
Posted in U.S. Locations - Nude Resorts (http://wordpress.com/tag/us-locations-nude-resorts/) by NakedGary on August 1st, 2008
News Channel 8
Published: July 29, 2008
LAND O’ LAKES - At the entrance, there are palm trees, a waterfall and a security guard. Most people will never see behind the 20-foot-tall concrete block walls of Caliente.
But recent events behind those walls are drawing attention, even from longtime residents of the nudist resort in Pasco County.
A marketing campaign targeted to appeal to a younger crowd has upset some homeowners — especially once-a-month theme parties that are primarily attended by a group that freely admit they are swingers.
“We decided that we want to attract a young, upscale, hip crowd, and we thought the best way we could do that was to give them a theme so they could dress in costume,” Caliente spokeswoman Angye Fox said.
Fox allowed News Channel 8 to cover one recent party, which featured a young, attractive crowd. Guests appeared to be in their mid-20s or early 30s. Some wore costumes and masks, like in the Stanley Kubrick film “Eyes Wide Shut.” Some guests were partially clothed; some wore no clothing.
Guests are not allowed to engage in sex at the party or in the common areas of the resort, but Fox and the swingers said what goes on behind closed doors in homes or at the resort’s 40-room hotel is their business.
More than 1,200 people paid to get into the event, Fox said. Of those, more than 500 belong to a local swingers group, she said. The monthly events are a huge success for the resort, and it doesn’t plan to stop them anytime soon, Fox said.
Residents of Caliente said they fear the parties are bringing down property values. Some homes are valued at more than $1 million, Fox said. Residents also say they feel uncomfortable with the swingers because they wear clothes to the theme parties, and the nudists believe everyone at the resort should be naked. Some homeowners have even hired a lawyer to express dissatisfaction with the presence of the swingers.
Local lawyer Ann Hathorn sent a letter to the owners of Caliente advising them of the homeowners’ concerns. Hathorn now says the homeowners have asked her not to comment to the media.
The community in Pasco County opened in 2004, and owners describe Caliente as a “very upscale, clothing-optional resort.” Signs at Caliente remind residents that they must be nude while at the resort’s pools.
“You just have to skinny-dip, that’s it,” Fox said. “Everywhere else, you can wear clothing.”
News Channel 8 reporter Jeff Patterson can be reached at (813) 221-5703or jpatterson@wfla.com.
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NakedGary
08-02-2008, 12:40 AM
http://media.tbo.com/assets/_shared/thetampatribune_logo.gif http://media.tbo.com/assets/_shared/wfla_logo.gif
Here are this weeks' two TV Channel 8 Caliente Video URL's - - - That accompany the previous posted article on Caliente.
http://www.tbo.com/video/xml/MGBSLC8X7JF.html (http://www.tbo.com/video/xml/MGBSLC8X7JF.html) swingers
http://www.tbo.com/video/xml/MGBHWSFB9JF.html (http://www.tbo.com/video/xml/MGBHWSFB9JF.html) nudists
nudenwv
08-02-2008, 05:43 AM
if they're going to make it alternative lifestyles they should keep them seperate. having a section for each lifestyle and not be able to mingle with the others. i would still be cautious and not attend. how can they change to this if they are aanr affiliated?
Naturist Mark
08-02-2008, 07:22 AM
if they're going to make it alternative lifestyles they should keep them seperate. having a section for each lifestyle and not be able to mingle with the others. i would still be cautious and not attend. how can they change to this if they are aanr affiliated?
They are not AANR affiliated. AANR suspended Caliente, then last month rather than do what it takes to regain their status they resigned from AANR.
The problem is that many members paid thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to own property at an upscale AANR resort, and now find they own property at a delisted swinger destination. There will be lawsuits.
-Mark
tiger79
08-02-2008, 01:04 PM
The problem is that many members paid thousands, or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to own property at an upscale AANR resort, and now find they own property at a delisted swinger destination. There will be lawsuits.
-MarkMy guess is that only a very small minority of homeowners would back any legal threat. Caliente has huge - truly huge - operating costs, and someone has to pick up the tab. It seems that "traditional" nudist families haven't been going there in sufficient numbers to cover that cost. So there are three alternatives - attract more people from outside the "traditional" market, ask the homeowners to cover the cost, or close down. My guess would be that homeowners wouldn't relish the concept of higher fees, and that if higher fees had to be imposed this would adversely affect property values there. So, if I were a homeowner there, I'd be very tempted right now to sit back quietly for a while and see whether Caliente can grow the business successfully.
As far as the "swinger" business is concerned, a number of homeowners have commented on the fact that these supposedly wild nights are characterised by fully-dressed people!
And, as for the "swinger" website issues, isn't it a fact that many of these sites are private and require some sort of registration to gain access? I bet most people would never even be aware of swinger events unless they went out of their way to search the internet for them (or indeed unless they're swingers themselves......).
Two Metre Man
08-03-2008, 02:37 PM
My guess is that only a very small minority of homeowners would back any legal threat. Caliente has huge - truly huge - operating costs, and someone has to pick up the tab. It seems that "traditional" nudist families haven't been going there in sufficient numbers to cover that cost.
It will depend upon the legal deeds between Caliente and the home-owners. If Caliente is established like Paradise Lakes, the homeowners (condominium - who certainly did instigate legal action against a prior owner of PL) owned the majority of the common grounds, and the club ("Paradise Lakes, Inc.") owned and operated solely the small portion within the gated sections around the club houses and pools. The condominium home-owners paid for the grounds' upkeep via their condo fees, while the club's guests (non-home owners) enjoyed free access to those common grounds. Naturally, legal agreements covered all the interconnected relationships and the rules governing each party's use of the various elements.
Does anyone know if Caliente is legally structured the same way?
TMM
Naturist Mark
08-03-2008, 04:32 PM
My guess is that only a very small minority of homeowners would back any legal threat.
It would depend on what how Caliente characterized the community that property buyers were buying into. Do you suppose that the sales pitches and deeds represented Caliente as a nudist community that may or may not switch to a lifestyle destination?
-Mark
tiger79
08-04-2008, 01:57 AM
You've perhaps fallen for the hype that's surrounded this story. The "swinger" events have been club-based, indoors, evening events and, according to some reports, most of the "swingers" were clothed and well-behaved. We're not talking here about wild naked orgies in the pools and hot tubs. And we're certainly not talking about the sort of atmosphere that pervades Hedonism 2 & 3 in Jamaica.
The bottom line is that someone has to pay for Caliente's operating cost. And regardless of the original intentions for the resort, market forces may be the governing factor in determining whether minor changes are needed to the way the resort operates. If, through their actions, the homeowners end up footing the bill, they'll be the real losers.
Bryan and Jen
08-05-2008, 05:14 PM
The real losers in the problems with Caliente are nudists all over the world. First, nudist have lost what was supposed to be a new dimension in nudist resorts. Second, nudist have to deal with enough negative sterotypes that what Caliente has done does not help. In my opinion, Caliente's original concept was a great idea. However the developers of the place made a huge mistake in the planning. First it took them almost 5 years to get the financing before they could actually break ground. they wanted to take on paradise lakes and make somethign bigger and better. they mis calculated what it would take cost wise to maintain a resort of that stature. The costs to visit that place are well out of the range for your most common nudist couples, families, and singles. When we went there for the first time, they pushed membership so hard I felt like I was buying a used car. The figured people would flock to the place and sign up and buy condos. Paradise Lakes took 20 years to develop their membership base. The first section of Paradise was built in the early 80s. It was 10 more eyars before the next section was built. Caliente tried to do it all at once. I predicted it would not survive. However I thought it would become a textile resort and spa. There have already been lawsuits over the prices of the casitas. The resort has had trouble following it since it was planned. To me the real losers first are the homeowners who bought there to retire to a nudist paradise. Nudists everywhere are the big lsoers to because this has brought out the typical sterotypes in the press about nudism being about sex, and that is not the case at all.
soundman
08-05-2008, 08:22 PM
... most of the "swingers" were clothed and well-behaved.
Why were they clothed at a nudist resort?
NakedGary
08-05-2008, 10:19 PM
Why were they clothed at a nudist resort?
Soundman
The owners describe Caliente as a “very upscale, clothing-optional resort.
All are required to be nude in the common wet areas.
soundman
08-06-2008, 01:13 PM
Does the words "clothed and well-behaved" imply that nude is not well-behaved? It IS a nudist resort first and a sexy party second.
I would think having a clothed, sex themed party at a family nudist resort is not considered well-behaved.
Landlord
08-06-2008, 01:57 PM
My wife and I have just returned from 5 days at Caliente. We arrived on July 30 and left August 4. Generally, our experience was positive, except for some unacceptable behavior one night, and a few nasty remarks teh following day.
The Thursday evening after we arrived, there were a several dozen couples in the the upper heated pool, of which about 20% were engaging in what some may call some serious unacceptable (in public) behavior. Caliente security seems to take no action until someone complains.
Friday, a handfull of the "lifestyle" people were very loud and rude in their negative comments directed towards nudists who did not share in the swinger events.
We found the majority of "lifestyle" enthusiasts to be considerate and respectful of differences; not pushy, loud, or in other ways obnoxious.
It seems to us, that as long as discretion is observed, there should be no problem, but the management of the resort and the leaders of various groups must enforce a reasonable degree of discretion.
NakedGary
08-07-2008, 11:00 AM
Posted in U.S. Locations - Nude Resorts (http://wordpress.com/tag/us-locations-nude-resorts/) by NakedGary on August 7th, 2008
http://www.calienteresorts.com/_assets/images/base/flash_area.jpg
August 7th, 2008
Caliente Resorts has updated their web pages and published their reason of dropping association with AANR, The American Association of Nude Recreation and their direction in marketing trends and customers.
The full Adobe .PDF document can be seen by clicking on following hyperlink, text or Link:
Caliente’s side of the Story and Direction (http://www.calienteresorts.com/news/tampa/_docs/Caliente-AANR.pdf)
or
http://www.calienteresorts.com/news/tampa/_docs/Caliente-AANR.pdf (http://www.calienteresorts.com/news/tampa/_docs/Caliente-AANR.pdf)
no comments yet (http://bartsystems.wordpress.com/2008/08/07/calientes-side-of-the-story-and-their-direction-as-a-clothing-optional-resort/#respond)
I wonder what their comments are about recent feedbacks on tripadvisor.com that seem to contradict the information delivered in this letter.
NakedGary
08-08-2008, 12:46 PM
Posted in U.S. Locations - Nude Resorts (http://wordpress.com/tag/us-locations-nude-resorts/) by NakedGary on August 7th, 2008
http://www.calienteresorts.com/_assets/images/base/flash_area.jpg
August 7th, 2008
Caliente Resorts has updated their web pages and published their reason of dropping association with AANR, The American Association of Nude Recreation and their direction in marketing trends and customers.
The full Adobe .PDF document can be seen by clicking on following hyperlink, text or Link:
Caliente’s (http://www.calienteresorts.com/news/tampa/_docs/Caliente-AANR.pdf)side of the Story and Direction (http://www.calienteresorts.com/news/tampa/_docs/Caliente-AANR.pdf)
or
http://www.calienteresorts.com/news/tampa/_docs/Caliente-AANR.pdf
Comments
Comment by DKH on Caliente's letter and side of the story on their break away from AANR:
...there really was no ongoing investigation. INVESTIGATIONS HAPPEN WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE OF WHO AND WHAT ARE BEING INVESTIGATED.
AANR has never been mentioned in any advertising or materials promoting any of our events or parties. EXCEPT BY ASSOCIATION, SINCE CALIENTE WAS AN AANR MEMBER.
Caliente does promote healthy, mainstream nude recreation in the mainstream.....EXCEPT WHEN IT IS PROMOTING SEX PARTIES IN MAINSTREAM ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLIES.
The overwhelming majority of Caliente's members have no interest in being members of AANR........ EXCEPT THE ONES WHO CONTINUE TO SHOW UP ON THE DOORSTEPS OF THE OTHER PASCO CLUBS.
AANR continues to tout their marketing expertise in the area of growing social nudism, but their membership has dwindled........ GROWING SOCIAL NUDISM AND MEMBERSHIP GROWTH ARE NOT ONE IN THE SAME.
AANR demands ...you accept their moral beliefs "without choices." HMMM... I AM STILL WAITING FOR MY "AANR MORALS GUIDE."
We (Caliente) openly accept and welcome people from all walks of life, regardless....UNLESS YOU ARE AN UNACCOMPANIED MALE.
DKH
EricNY
08-08-2008, 01:23 PM
I would be willing to bet that this letter from Caliente is not 100% accurate. or even 25% accurate
If you think about it AANR stood to lose a large chunk of change dissolving the relationship. I have to assume that AANR took deliberate steps, and tried to come to an agreement.
It seems to me that the Caliente letter is just trying to blow smoke and make it appear that AANR was wrong.
I wish Caliente would just be honest, and up front about what they are. From everything I have EVER heard, Caliente is FAR FAR FAR from "Family Friendly" This is OK with me, but be honest and advertise what you are. Do not pretend to be family friendly when it is obvious that they are not.
Sanslines
08-08-2008, 02:43 PM
So when does Nudes A Poppin - South come to Caliente? Nudes A Poppin is a fantastic money maker and if the goal is to make money then anything goes - right? lol......lol
NakedGary
08-08-2008, 02:47 PM
Caliente's web page mentions being family friendly and all things to do for families in the area, but restrict and won't allow patrons with children to book or use the hotel part of the resort.
Children are not allowed anywhere at night after 8 or 9 PM outside of the villas and private condo's patios that families must book at a premium cost if they want to stay there.
Caliente is a "Adult" clothes free destination. Who would want to take children there after seeing the web page and learning of their adult sexy theme parties and gatherings and activities.
Local TV/Video interview with nudists (http://www.tbo.com/video/xml/MGBHWSFB9JF.html)- "Can a family friendly nude resort co-exist with sexy and swinger theme parties, gatherings and activities?
Sanslines
08-08-2008, 02:52 PM
Caliente is a "Adult" clothes free destination. Who would want to take children there after seeing the web page and learning of their adult sexy theme parties and gatherings.
The same people who go to Hedo II.
EricNY
08-08-2008, 03:16 PM
Caliente is a "Adult" clothes free destination. Who would want to take children there after seeing the web page and learning of their adult sexy theme parties and gatherings and activities.
That is the point Gary and also the problem. Why advertise that you are family friendly when you aren't. Why not just take off the disguise and call it what it is
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