The Passing of a Timesharing Pioneer Developer: Allen Ten Broek of The Mariner Group
In 1976, timesharing was barely a blip on the real estate horizon. But not for consummate visionary Allen Ten Broek, who passed away on May 5, 2025. Al and his partner Bob Taylor had founded The Mariner Group in 1972 in Fort Myers, Florida. They initially built condominiums, residential communities and the exclusive 300-acre South Seas Plantation on tiny Captiva Island, their flagship property. They were also one of the first timeshare (then called interval ownership) developers, selling fixed vacation weeks in resorts specifically purpose-built for timeshare on Captiva Island. In southwest Florida. The few resorts then in sales were conversions from aging condos and hotels.
While timesharing was still in its infancy, Al bravely forged ahead, traversing where no one had gone before … a true pioneer. Mariner’s timeshare concept was an instant success, with interval weeks quickly selling out, putting Sanibel and Captiva on the map as scores of vacationers flocked to the tiny barrier islands, known for their low density and enviable environmental surroundings. Here, there was a committee for every bird, turtle and tree!
Under Al’s guidance, Mariner set the design standard for timeshare developers to follow. Knowing that quality was paramount to the buyer, his goal was to create a timeless product that was anticipated to last 30 years, bringing value to the owners for decades to come. With some of their resorts now over 40 years old, they have clearly stood the test of time, ranking among the most-desired resorts for vacationers within the exchange companies. Over the years, Mariner’s timeshare owners have earned a stellar reputation for extremely low delinquencies in their annual maintenance fee payments. This has enabled their management to provide continuous property and unit updates, keeping the resorts in tip-top shape at all times. Also unique, vacancies are rare because existing owners seldom exchange.
From the company’s very beginning, Mariner placed on-site sales people at its resorts, providing owners with options for reselling their timeshares. This was extremely rare … and still is. Bob and Al ensured that this was maintained, knowing there might come the time in the future when an owner wanted to sell their vacation week. If other companies did that now, the industry would not be plagued with phony “Exit Companies” promising to buy timeshares from unsuspecting owners trying to sell. Mariner owners do not have that problem due to on-site sales people at each resort.
As highly respected timeshare developers with desired resorts in popular vacation destinations, Al and Bob created a partnership in 1992 which ultimately became Hilton Grand Vacations, one of the world’s largest multi-billion dollar publicly-traded timeshare companies, now serving more than 725,000 vacationing families.
During the ensuing years, Mariner rapidly expanded, developing and managing multiple resort hotels, residential communities, retail and business parks throughout Southwest Florida. Al was deeply involved in resurrecting the historical Useppa Island Club and the company’s acquisition of the original Robb and Stucky retail store in Fort Myers, which grew into a high-end interior design and furnishing retailer with locations across the U.S. They were the largest owner/operator of resorts along the state’s Gulf coast from Tampa to Marco Island. After several years of intense growth at South Seas, Mariner built whole ownership residential units, adding restaurants, meeting rooms, amenities, and employee housing. By the early 1990s, South Seas had 884 units and had enjoyed a $16m expansion, making it one of the first world-class vacation resorts in Florida.
Under Al’s leadership, Mariner worked closely with architects and planning consultants, instilling a premium on environmental protection. Separate businesses included real estate development, fine furniture retailing, general contracting, hotel and property management, financial services. Along the way, Mariner had accumulated other resort properties, including Sundial, and The Dunes Golf and Tennis Club, all operated under the umbrella company of South Seas Resort. After winding down Mariner businesses in the late 1990’s, Allen continued his career as a consultant and manager for various resort projects including an involvement with Old Bahama Bay in West End, Grand Bahama Island.
In addition to his business pursuits, Allen was involved in his community, primarily Sanibel, where he chaired the committee tasked with its incorporation in 1974. Allen also spearheaded the original beach renourishment efforts on Captiva and later became chairman of the Florida Shore and Beach Preservation Association. He was most proud of his and Bob Taylor’s philosophy of environmentally friendly development, advocating for lower density and sustainable growth. This original focus on development blended perfectly with the island’s natural surroundings, and was in many responsible for the nature-oriented experience that Sanibel and Captiva embody to this day.
When Mariner sold South Seas to a real estate investment trust in 1998, the company had 800 employees at South Seas and was the largest private employer in Lee County with over 5,000 employees, becoming a major participant in the region’s economic growth. With such a large staff, this spurned many new careers in real estate, development, finance, property management, and construction.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Allen attended the University of Wisconsin, graduating with a B.A. in English, becoming an executive with AT&T from 1962-1972. He also served in the Air Force National Guard. He leaves behind three children and six grandchildren.
Al was respected for his role as a pioneer leader in the timeshare industry he helped create. Under his guidance, Mariner changed the lives of thousands of people who worked for his company, purchased their real estate and timeshare products and vacationed at their hotels and resorts, resulting in millions of happy vacation memories, leaving a positive impact on people in countless ways. This is the true legacy that Allen Ten Broek leaves behind.
