Family struggled to sell, revitalize property over the years 

A limited liability company (LLC) associated with a billionaire entrepreneur finalized the acquisition of the defunct Errol Estate golf course last week, finally taking the property off the hands of the late golf course owner’s family.  

Driven Apopka LLC closed on the land sale on July 24 and finalized it on July 25, confirmed Andrew Klein, the grandson of late golf course proprietor Julian (Larry) Klein, who died in 2018.  

The Errol Estate golf course includes almost 380 acres and 170 net usable acres and is located west of Wekiwa Springs State Park and north of U.S. 441 in Apopka. 

“No comment about my personal feelings, although those involved on the seller’s side are pleased that they can put this behind them – especially having involved an estate and heirs,” Andrew Klein said in a July 30 email to The Apopka Chief.  

When asked how much the property was sold for, he said, “I can’t directly answer that, but it has apparently been publicized as $4.25 million.”  

Michael Repole, co-founder of the beverage companies Glaceau and BodyArmor who sold both companies to Coco-Cola, didn’t purchase the property under his individual name. Rather, he is listed as the signing authority of Driven Apopka LLC, which is located on South Apopka Vineland Road in Orlando. Driven Apopka filed paperwork to form as an LLC on July 7, according to the LLC’s listing on Bizpedia.com.  

Andrew Klein said he doesn’t know what the new owner’s intentions are for the former golf course. He also said that he, his family and 5th Hole Investments are expected to have no further involvement with the land under new ownership.  

Errol Estate homeowners are starting to find out about the real estate deal, but Andrew Klein said to his knowledge there has been no formal communication about the news.  

For several years, the Klein family struggled to maintain the golf course’s viability, to the point where the city of Apopka became involved with the land’s maintenance.  

Before his death, Julian (Larry) Klein spent between $50,000 to $60,000 a month for the golf course’s operational costs.  

Developers such as Celebration-based Signature H presented the owner with proposals to save the golf course. 

In 2018, Signature H unveiled its concept for New Errol comprised of many amenities including the revitalized golf course, boutique hotel-lodge and a community water park. The Apopka City Council approved the plan, but it came to a standstill because 5th Hole Investments and Signature H dissolved their working relationship for undisclosed reasons. Since then, the golf course, clubhouse and tennis courts shuttered, and the clubhouse was demolished.  

In 2020, the Errol Estate Recreation District Advisory Committee convened to explore turning the former golf course into Errol Recreational District. However, that plan didn’t materialize.  

In summer 2024, 5th Hole Investments put the former golf course on the market for $7.5 million through the Orlando commercial real estate firm Foundry Commercial. 

In May, 5th Hole Investments offered to sell the golf course as is to the city of Apopka for $6.3 million in cash, a number based on 5th Hole Investment’s 2020 appraisal that was made public. City leaders immediately dismissed the proposal.  

The $6.3 million cash offer included a proposal to pay two Errol Country Club utility liens with an outstanding balance of about $295,000 in the amount of $150,000 at the time of acquisition.