Jeff Bezos can afford three homes on one of America’s most exclusive islands, but apparently even that does not come with automatic access to the country club at its center.
The Amazon founder and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, own roughly $234 million worth of real estate across three properties on Indian Creek, the private Miami-area island commonly nicknamed the “Billionaire Bunker.” Despite that investment, Bezos has yet to secure membership at Indian Creek Country Club.
The situation is not necessarily a rejection. A source told Page Six that Bezos and Sánchez Bezos will likely be admitted eventually, but that his wealth and name will not allow them to bypass the club’s deliberately slow social process.
For a couple accustomed to entering some of the world’s most exclusive rooms, the remaining hurdle is not another multimillion-dollar purchase. It is winning over the people who are already inside.
Bezos Has Spent About $234 Million on Three Indian Creek Properties
Bezos began assembling his Indian Creek holdings in 2023. He paid $68 million for his first property that June and added a neighboring estate for $79 million several months later. He subsequently purchased a third home on the island, bringing his total spending to about $234 million, according to public records cited by The Wall Street Journal.
Indian Creek is a small, guarded island in Biscayne Bay where waterfront homes surround the country club’s 18-hole golf course. Its concentration of wealthy residents has earned it the “Billionaire Bunker” nickname, but residential ownership and club membership operate separately.
The country club itself sits in the middle of the island and dates back nearly a century, with a private golf course, Mediterranean-style clubhouse and waterfront amenities.
Bezos Spent February Mingling With Members at the Club
The clearest sign that Bezos is interested in joining came in February, when he and Sánchez Bezos attended Indian Creek Country Club’s annual dock party as special guests.
People who attended told The Wall Street Journal that Bezos mingled with members and spoke with prominent figures including real estate billionaire Richard LeFrak and businessman Eddie Lampert.
The Journal reported that Bezos attended hoping to persuade board members to admit him. Six months later, he still had not received an invitation.
Page Six’s latest reporting suggests that delay should not be interpreted as a definitive snub. Its source described membership as a slow process in which prospective members are expected to attend events and develop genuine relationships with the existing membership. “No one is going to make it easy because he is Jeff Bezos,” the source told the outlet.
Seven Existing Members Can Help Start the Process
According to The Wall Street Journal, the approximately 350-member club generally requires a prospective member to secure sponsorship from two existing members as well as recommendation letters from five others. A six-person membership committee then considers nominees before the club’s 15-member board votes on admission.
The price is formidable by ordinary standards but unlikely to be the obstacle for Bezos. People connected with the club told the Journal that the initiation fee is close to $1 million, with annual dues of approximately $44,000.
Tom Brady Got In Easily, While Other Billionaires Have Had to Wait
Bezos is far from the first extraordinarily wealthy person to discover that Indian Creek’s residential gates and country club doors are different things. Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump, Mark Zuckerberg and members of Qatar’s royal family own property on the island but are not members of the club, according to the Journal’s reporting.
Kushner and Trump have spent years becoming more involved with the community. Kushner joined Indian Creek Village’s governing council, while Trump has played the course as a guest of members. The Journal reported that their prospects for eventual admission have improved.
Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon faced a different obstacle. A club member organized opposition to his candidacy before Solomon ultimately secured membership. Others have moved through with considerably less difficulty. Entrepreneur noted that Tom Brady and Jersey Mike’s founder Peter Cancro both joined without facing the same kind of prolonged resistance.