Nestled in a western crook of Lake Pleasant sits Scorpion Bay Marina, a playground for water sport enthusiasts and home to hundreds of boat owners whose vessels allow them long, luxurious stays on the water. With six docks lined with boats, a full restaurant, Paqua Park – the floating obstacle course, general store and office, plus several floating overnight cabins, Scorpion Bay Marina is a floating city securely anchored by an underwater system of concrete and cables. Like most cities, infrastructure, staffing and safety are all priorities at Scorpion Bay Marina.

“We are a city on the water, there’s no other way to describe it,” said Scorpion Bay General Manager Lynn Lovelady. “We have our own water and sewer system, electricity, trash system, you name it. We have to be self-sufficient out here.”

The most important aspect of this city is its stability. During the winter when water levels are low, engineers and divers build and place new concrete anchors under the expansive dock system. While they’re underwater, they also tighten any cables that may have come loose, and realign any dock that has slipped position. “We’re on the water so obviously there’s some movement,” said Lovelady. “Especially after powerful storms we can see or feel where things need to be adjusted.”

Equally important is safety. Most cities have their own police, fire and emergency medical professionals and the marina is no exception.  In early December 2019, Scorpion Bay Marina at Lake Pleasant opened its newest dock and boathouse, which were built and funded by the Maricopa County Parks and Recreation Department, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and Arizona Game and Fish Department. The dock and boat house are used exclusively by those agencies in order to “ensure the best possible public-safety response times and to provide the agencies with a secure space near the water to store the tools and resources they need to effectively do their jobs,” according to Maricopa County District 4 Supervisor Clint Hickman.

“Safety is our number-one priority at Scorpion Bay. While our guests will not utilize the new docks, it is of great benefit to have regulatory and safety personnel nearby to work with our experienced marina management team should an issue arise,” added Lovelady.

Another critical element of making this floating city functional is sanitation. “We have a lot of people who stay on their boats, and we have a lot more who come out to visit us, either renting boats or visiting the restaurant so we have to have a top-notch water and sewer system in place.” That system also runs under water, then up the hill to a treatment facility. “I don’t mean to brag, but our treated water rates are higher than the cities around us,” said Lovelady. The reclaimed water is used on plants and other greenery in and around the marina parking lot.

Staffing and food are things every city needs, but most don’t share the logistical challenges that Scorpion Bay does. Food, beer, wine, liquor, ice and general merchandise must be transported by boat. “We take boat deliveries five days a week to keep the operation up and running. We use a custom barge set-up specifically designed for our heavyweight needs, as thousands of pounds of goods arrive weekly to satisfy the needs of our floating city,” said Matt Osterman, Scorpion Bay Grill General Manager. “It also takes some state-of-the-art equipment to process new and used cooking oil and the grease created in the process. It takes a lot to fuel our small floating city, but to be a part of this community trumps all.”

Ensuring the right number and type of employees are available to keep this floating city running smooth is also critical. Positions at Scorpion Bay Marina range from marina maintenance positions to dockhands, multiple positions at the Grill including cooks, runners, hostesses, store associates, bussers, dishwashers, servers and prep cooks, lifeguards for Paqua Park and more. The marina employs individuals 18 and older for full, part-time and seasonal jobs and works to retain team members through 401k, PTO plus health, dental, life and vision benefits for full-time employees plus a daily lake view, a free meal and access to boat rentals for all other positions.

“I think the bottom line is that we’re pretty tucked away out here so being fully operational and independent is important. If something needs to be fixed, we can fix it without having to jump through any hoops. We just get it done,” Lovelady concluded.

About Scorpion Bay

Located just 45 minutes from downtown Phoenix in Peoria, Arizona on Lake Pleasant, Scorpion Bay offers convenience and world-class marina services for the entire family. With hundreds of covered and uncovered wet slips, world-class food at Scorpion Bay Grill – as well as boat rentals including pontoons, fishing boats, ski-boats, kayaks and other water toys – you’re sure to find a full day of entertainment on the water. As part of Lake Pleasant Regional Park, visitors can venture out for hiking, picnicking and wildlife viewing in the area. Parking is easily accessible, and our no cost electric tram will take guests and their gear from the parking lot to the dock in minutes. Scorpion Bay is managed by Desert Troon Companies http://desert-troon.com/

ABOUT DESERT TROON COMPANIES 

Based in Scottsdale, Arizona for more than 40 years, Desert Troon Companies manages a diverse portfolio of commercial, retail and lifestyle property investments. The company’s depth and breadth of experience includes corporate build-to-suit, office, retail, hotel, master-planned community, mixed use and historic preservation projects. Notable lifestyle projects include Scorpion Bay, Torreon Golf Community, Hassayampa Golf Club and Troon/Troon North Communities in Arizona, Cimarron Hills Golf and Country Club in Texas, and Red Mountain Resort in Utah. For corporate or leasing information please call 480-563-5247 or visit http://desert-troon.com/ 

Scorpion Bay is Arizona’s premier floating playground, offering everything from daily pontoon and ski boat rentals to slips for harboring your yacht (or dinghy). Come for the fishing or come for the frolicking—either way, incredible mountain views, fantastic dining and world-class marina services await less than an hour out of Phoenix. https://www.scorpionbayaz.com/