File photo / Jim Neuger
Marina Holdings owner Steve Arnold
Updated: February 16, 2022
Freedom Boat Club of Maine to add sixth location
Courtesy / Freedom Boat Club
Freedom Boat Club of Maine plans to employ 10 people at Point Sebago Resort in Casco, bringing the company's total to 70 during boating season.
Capitalizing on strong interest in boating and outdoor recreation that gained traction during the pandemic, Freedom Boat Club of Maine will add another port of call this year, on Sebago Lake, the company announced Tuesday.
Freedom Boat Club, part of a Sarasota, Fla.-based franchise with 330-plus locations worldwide, plans to open its sixth Maine location at Point Sebago Resort in Casco this spring.
"We're very excited to be able to open a location on Sebago Lake," said Steve Arnold, owner of Marina Holdings, which includes Yarmouth Boat Yard, Moose Landing Marina and Freedom Boat Club of Maine. "The second largest lake in Maine, Sebago is a popular boating destination."
Freedom Boat Club already has a working relationship with Point Sebago, having managed the resort's marina and a large fleet of rental boats for years, Arnold said. "Adding Freedom Boat Club to the mix will provide more boating options for Point Sebago Resort guests and our existing boat club members."
The company expects to employ 10 people at the new location, bringing the total to 70 at six locations, including Linekin Bay Resort in Boothbay Harbor, added last year.
Freedom Boat Club is also at Yarmouth Boat Yard on the Royal River; Moose Landing Marina in Naples; Fore Points Marina in Portland; and Sunset Marina in South Portland.
The addition of a sixth location follows a 28% surge in membership last year and higher sales of both used and new boats by Marina Holdings, according to Arnold.
Hiring underway
Asked about the challenge of recruiting in today's tight labor market, Arnold told Mainebiz that the company has already hired a club manager for the new location and is in a "good place" for bringing on dock staff.
"While the labor market has been tight," he said, "we are really lucky that we are a fun place to work. We receive a lot of referrals for new staff from existing employees and last year's seasonal crew members."
Arnold, a Florida native who moved to Maine in 2003 after a career in finance, bought the Freedom Boat Club of Maine franchise in 2017. In a 2018 "On the Record" interview with Mainebiz, he said he was impressed by the organization's business model and "robust training" for new franchisors.
Susie Amerkanian, Point Sebago's director of guest services, said that Freedom's expansion ties in well with upgrades and updates the resort is making.
"This year our guests will have more recreation and entertainment options than ever before," she said.
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