Why should Huck and the West Coast guys have all the fun?

[Mike Sweeney]

I received an email about a project coming to the Dutchess/Putnam County area. I believe these guys also started the Chechessee Club in addition to the West Coast Mayacama and Roaring Fork Club. It is my understanding that this is okay to post:
_____________________________

 
January 17, 2008
 
 
Ladies and Gentlemen,

 
The properties that are to be developed are as follows:
 
1.   Pawling, New York:  We have acquired 1,150 acres of rolling land that will be developed as a lodging club similar to Mayacama and Roaring Fork Club.  Jack Nicklaus will design the course and other amenities will include a major equestrian facility with 60 to 80 stalls, indoor and outdoor riding rings, first class spa, hunting and shooting facilities, trails and a kid¡¯s camp.  Additionally, the club will include an extensive lodging component with 150 to 200 cottages that will be fractionalized or can be owned as single family residences.

2.   32 Winds:  After years of effort, we have finally secured properties in Los Cabos, Mexico (1,800 acres and 2 ¡Ç miles of oceanfront), slope-side lodge sites in Aspen and Snowmass, Colorado, along with 8 new cabins at Roaring Fork Club, ridge top villas and club villas at Mayacama that will be combined into a club program giving families 100 days of lodging and private club access for all members of the family to all the above properties¡­¡­¡­.. beach, mountains, wine country and New York.
 

[David_Tepper]

Mike -

Another couple weeks of this stock market and this might be a tougher sell!  

In the meantime, the new gilded-age continues.

DT

[Michael Whitaker]

Mike - You're just under the 14 club limit aren't you? Jump on board!!!

[Tom Huckaby]

LOL
I'm sure all of the west coasters here love to be known as this.

 

It reminds me though of a high school incident... basketball coach yelled at me and a bunch of friends "hey, Huckaby and the rest of you a**holes..."  I'm sure this is nothing like that.  But what is it about me and/or my name that always puts me to the forefront?

Interesting big-bucks developments anyway... I'm with Michael W. - Sweeney, you need to get on board.

TH

[Jeff Spittel]

The only thing that surprises me about this is that they aren't trying to airlift in the Napa Valley. Sounds pretty ghetto.

Dow down 320 and counting. . .

[Steve Lapper]

All the DJIA, Gilded Age, Napa talk aside, these guys (the developers) are among the best in the business and nobody's dummies. They've built successful private clubs like Mayacama, Chechessee Creek, Roaring Fork Club and Spring Island. It will be interesting to see what they can add to the Upstate NY & Cabo San Lucas areas.

I just wish they wouldn't plan so early on committing to the likes of Nicklaus prematurely.

[Bill_McBride]

All the DJIA, Gilded Age, Napa talk aside, these guys (the developers) are among the best in the business and nobody's dummies. They've built successful private clubs like Mayacama, Chechessee Creek, Roaring Fork Club and Spring Island. It will be interesting to see what they can add to the Upstate NY & Cabo San Lucas areas.

I just wish they wouldn't plan so early on committing to the likes of Nicklaus prematurely.

You're pretty up on this golf development stuff, Steve.  How would you rank the following in terms of value to developer?

-Fazio
-Nicklaus
-C&C
-Doak
-write in

Just curious.......  Thanks.

[Steve Lapper]

Bill:

   I hardly would consider myself "up on" this stuff. I know Jim Light and think very highly of his integrity and talent.

   This subject has been covered ad nauseam, but I'll give you my opinion. Clearly, if you define "value" to a developer, that likely means an architect's name contributes to helping sell neighboring real estate. If thats the case, names like Fazio & Nicklaus still reign. They both have the higher "Q" factor among the golfing public and outside of this treehouse and a few other Internet repositories of GCA insanity, a documentable (mostly successful) track record of helping sell high-end residences.

   Like most others here, I might wish C&C and Doak had more gravitas among developers, but I'm happy they don't. Rather than have their work end up as dilutive and formulaic as TF & JN, let us enjoy the special creativity they usually bring to any site. Nevertheless my instinct tells me that in prominent locations like Upstate NY and Cabo San Lucas, special works by the likes of Bill, Ben, Jack, Kelly, Gil or others would ultimately be well received. Unfortunately, most developers (good or bad) think they are avoiding risk and helping ensure their project's success by picking a "safe" or well-known ex-PGA name. Ultimately it relies on the architectural taste of the developer and his perceived end-user. Their buck, their choice.

[John Moore II]

Bill--I think you put the architects in the right order yourself, as far as from a public point of view. Fazio is well known for top level courses, Nicklaus is a big name, period. C&C are getting better known and Doak I might suggest is only moderately know to those in the public. Now, to those of us 'in the know' the ranking would be a bit different. Maybe C&C, Doak, RTJ Jr, Nicklaus, and Fazio, or something like that. But to the general public, Fazio sells.