 In 1947, after five years of funding a staff to keep up the lawn and cottages, the island was purchased from the club's remaining members for $675,000 (about 7.4 million in 2017) during condemnation proceedings by the state of Georgia.The State tried operating the club as a resort, but this was not financially successful and the entire complex was closed by 1971.The complex was designated a historic landmark in 1978.