Lely Resort is one of the premiere master-planned golfing communities in Naples, Florida. It was named after Cornelius van der Lely, a Dutch inventor. He bought around 25,000 acres of undeveloped land in 1972. His vision was to develop a community with more than 10,500 homes. Today these 25,000 acres span Lely Barefoot Beach, Lely Golf Estates, Lely Country Club, Treviso Bay and Lely Resort. Although the three planned golf courses were built in 1990, 1991 and 1997, the development never really took off until the Stock family took over in 2001. Their vision, energy and creative marketing helped Lely Resort bloom into one of Naples' best selling communities, winning many awards from the building industry and the public.
Today's Lely Resort sits on 2,900 acres and boasts three Championship golf courses, the award-winning Players Club, a hotel for golfers and a wide variety of residential choices. It is bordered by Florida South/Western State College campus, South Regional library, Lely Elementary School and an emergency services building to the North, US 41/Tamiami Trail to the South, SR 951 to the East and St. Andrews Blvd. to the West. Several grocery stores and restaurants, two Walmart Super Centers and a Lowes store are close by. Waterside Shops, an upscale, open-air mall featuring Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstroms, Gucci, Cartier and many more fine retailers is about 20 minutes way. Fifth Avenue South and the Village on Venetian Bay offer top-notch shopping and dining venues and are just a fifteen minute drive from Lely Resort. Marco Island's and Naples Beaches, marinas and fishing charters are also just fifteen minutes away.