Lido Beach's Malibu Shore Club has gone through some serious changes over the last few years.
The resort's exterior and interior, along with its electrical system, have been transformed into a modernized oasis, with more improvements planned for the future.
The Town of Hempstead, which owns the beach club, chose Merrick resident Butch Yamali to run Malibu in 2009, according to Newsday [paid link].
The resort, which includes more than 600 beach cabanas steps from the Atlantic Ocean, was in disrepair at the time, with holes in the roof and boarded-up concession stands. Since, [Yamali] has spent about $7 million, adding nightly performances by local bands, a day camp, renovated tennis courts, stores, a clam bar and other eateries — and more work is on the way, he said.
The 49-year-old Yamali told Newsday that the next project he plans to focus on is Malibu's "central nightclub building," which he said could become a "sports or entertainment facility" that would be open year-long.
One of the newest features of the beach club is Yamali's oyster bar, MaliBlue, which opened in the summer of 2011. The restaurant, along with the other renovations, has drawn even more attention to the resort, which was in disrepair just a few years before.
Under Yamali's watch, the waiting list for cabanas — which rent for $2,553 to $5,752 per season — has grown from 1,750 to 3,500.
