Blackstone’s Safe Harbor Nears Biggest Deal Yet With $1.5-Bn MarineMax Buy

Blackstone Infrastructure-backed Safe Harbor Marinas is nearing a $1.5-billion deal to acquire MarineMax, the world’s largest owner and operator of marinas, according to a Reuters report.

Safe Harbor is expected to pay around $53 per share in cash for MarineMax, which caters to wealthy customers through its marinas, storage facilities and yacht dealerships, according to the report. A deal could be announced as early as this week, although the discussions could still face last-minute complications.

The potential acquisition would end a months-long bidding process for the recreational yacht retailer. Activist investor Donerail and private equity firm Centerbridge were among the bidders in the final round.

Deal Terms And Premium

MarineMax shares closed at $35.68 on Friday. The proposed $53-per-share offer therefore represents a premium of about 49% to the latest closing price.

The offer would value MarineMax’s equity at around $1.17 billion, according to the news agency. The company had long-term debt of $335 million at the end of June, according to LSEG data.

The transaction would also mark the most significant deal for Safe Harbor since Blackstone’s infrastructure arm acquired the marina operator for $5.7 billion in April 2025.

Safe Harbor Expands Marina Network

The acquisition would add MarineMax’s marina locations to Safe Harbor’s existing operations across the US, Caribbean and Mediterranean. Sources said Safe Harbor would own and operate all of MarineMax’s business segments.

MarineMax, based in Oldsmar, Florida, operates 65 marinas and storage locations and 70 dealerships, mostly in the US. Its customer base includes high-end consumers who spend on recreational yachts and related services.

The bidding interest also highlights the growing appeal of marina businesses. According to Reuters, lower interest rates have supported spending by wealthy consumers on luxury products such as yachts, even as consumers in other income groups face tighter budgets.

Donerail had stepped up pressure on MarineMax last year, publicly calling on the company to explore a sale or replace CEO Brett McGill.