Another year, another merger announcement for Ultimate Resort. On the eve of its merger with Private Escapes, now slated for April, the company has completed the acquisition of Tampa-based BVG Inc.’s fledgling destination club, Ventures Equity Vacation Club. Ultimate Resort paid an undisclosed sum for Ventures Equity, in addition to agreeing to take on the clubs’ members as their own at Ultimate’s “Elite” level of membership.

As a result of the acquisition, Ultimate Resort members will have six new homes to choose from for their vacationing pleasure (all but two of Ventures Equity’s homes in Telluride, Colo. and Los Cabos, Mex. were acquired in the deal.) With an average value of around $3 million, the homes will be available to Ultimate Resort “Elite” level members, which is the club’s higher end offering with deposit requirements starting at $200,000 for the 14-day plan.

The properties include a three-bedroom classic “conch style” Key West retreat, complete with white pillars, gabled roof and second story porch. The Beaver Creek, Colo. residence offers skiers striking modern design within close proximity to the slopes. The residences in Scottsdale, Ariz. and New York join homes already in Ultimate Resort’s portfolio. This provides Ultimate Resort with some measure of redundancy these popular destinations, as well as the ability to achieve greater efficiencies due to economies of scale (think multiple houses sharing the same cleaning and concierge crews). Ventures Equity’s Lake Las Vegas property, meanwhile, resolves Ultimate Resort’s long-standing plans to develop a home in the region.

Ultimate Resort kicked off 2008 by introducing three new properties in London, the Caribbean, and Orlando. When Ultimate Resort and Private Escapes complete their merger this spring, the resulting super-club, Ultimate Escapes, will be home to 146 clubs in over 50 locations around the globe.