BRAINERD, Minn. — Cragun’s Resort, family-owned since 1940, is now under contract with a local investment group led by veteran resort management specialist and Brainerd lakes resident Jamie Tatge.

“We are incredibly honored and humbled to carry the legacy and excellence of this legendary property, which has produced nearly a century of memories for so many Minnesotans,” Tatge, president of Leisure Hotels and Resorts, said in a news release.

Cragun’s is the third largest resort in Minnesota.

Dutch Cragun, 93, and his late wife, Irma, ran Cragun’s Resort for the majority of its existence, taking over for Dutch Cragun’s parents, who bought the property.

Contributed / Cragun’s Resort

It was not a promising venture at the time of purchase just after the Great Depression, Cragun said in a news release.

“It was a big hill that sloped down to a marsh. It was a swamp, a gamble,” he said.

Cragun recalled his dad hiring local families to build the cabins. He said the crews were just celebrating the completion of the eighth family cabin when the attack on Pearl Harbor was announced.

“One by one, the men helping build the cabins were drafted,” he said.

Contributed / Cragun’s Resort

Over the years, the building continued with upgrades that allowed Cragun’s to expand its amenities.

“The first thing I did when I took over the property from my parents was put hot water heaters in each cabin,” Cragun said. “We also put a heated swimming pool in. Then guests from the competition really started coming to Cragun’s.”

From rustic cabins, hot water and a heated pool, Cragun’s continued to expand, with year-round occupancy starting in 1978. In 2015, construction began on a $25 million remodel and expansion with upgrades to lobby areas, hotel rooms, cabins, golf courses and the marina.

The resort now offers 206 lodge-style rooms, 55 cabins ranging from one to seven bedrooms, and seven homes on the golf course. The resort has five dining options, three golf courses and more than 400 employees.

“For generations, Cragun’s has been a place for families, traditions, and making memories,” Eric Peterson, general manager and development director, said in a news release. “Our current resort team looks forward to working with the new ownership group to continue providing the amazing hospitality that has set Cragun’s Resort apart from our competitors.”

Contributed / Cragun’s Resort

Peterson said the golfing amenities at Cragun’s draw players from all over the country.

“This transaction also includes the newly renovated 54-hole Cragun’s Legacy Courses, which provides a world-class golf experience and is the home of the CRMC Championship, a PGA Tour Americas Event in 2021,” he added.

Outdoor recreation is a priority at Cragun’s, with seven pontoons, four speedboats, Jet Skis, stand-up paddle boards, row boats, canoes, bicycles and 12 new snowmobiles. The resort also owns Gull Lake Cruises, a 120-passenger luxury yacht that docks at Cragun’s and offers both public and private cruises from May through October.

Cragun’s also features more than 50,000 square feet of meeting spaces, including its largest, the Tamarack Event Center, at nearly 15,000 square feet.

The sale is expected to be finalized before the start of the summer 2025 season.