Developer Proposing to Lease Yale Golf Course, Create "World-Class" Resort

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

First heard about this last night.


http://theaposition.com/anthonypioppi/golf/2034/developer-wants-to-lease-yale-course-make-if-centerpiece-of-world-class-golf-resort


Details to follow.


Anthony

[Michael Moore]

Interesting. How is the Woodbridge course?

[ANTHONYPIOPPI]

Some excellent holes. Check out the aerial. Cluster of greens up near the clubhouse are cool. Town looked into selling some of the land and keeping holes near the clubhouse for a short course, if I remember correctly.

[Jeff Loh]

Better than Trump

[Sam Kestin]

I absolutely loved the course at Yale. Hope this project works out and makes the course what it could be--and makes it more accessible to the general public.

[Ronald Montesano]

Hope this project fails. Yale can be accessed with a little due diligence. Why must big business run everything? Unless Yale U is looking to jettison the property (which they use for golf, X-C and other stuff, I imagine) this is a sad statement of our evolving world.


I wish that I were a social fixture. Is that like a lamp or a faucet?

[Charlie_Bell]

I just wanted to offer thanks for including in your article the information about the powerful opposition to Betts' previous project.  I live about 10 miles from the failed Yale Farm project (not to be confused with the current one, 100 miles south), and locals opposed it with great passion.  Although I would have been happy to work there in my retirement, I'm happier with the thought that the gorgeous property remain unspoiled by multi-million dollar mansions and other man-shaped features.  Even if those features included world-class greens... 

[Anthony Butler]

First heard about this last night.


http://theaposition.com/anthonypioppi/golf/2034/developer-wants-to-lease-yale-course-make-if-centerpiece-of-world-class-golf-resort

Considering the background of Mr. Betts, I can't wait to see the Doonesbury cartoon on this..

[Jud_T]

This is ridiculous.  The course at Yale is primarily for the benefit of students, faculty and alumni and should remain so.  The school has a $25BB endowment and clearly doesn't need this guy's cash or clientele.  If they wanted to up the maintenance/restoration budget it would be a rounding error on the school's budget.  I'd be gobsmacked if this happened. 

[John Kavanaugh]

Sounds like an old union busting tactic.

[Paul Jones]

Sounds like an old union busting tactic.

John,

What is an old union busting tactic?

[John Kavanaugh]

From what I understand Yale is maintained by a union staff. I can't see a lease honoring the contract. It's a common tactic in the coal industry.

[Mike Sweeney]

From what I understand Yale is maintained by a union staff. I can't see a lease honoring the contract. It's a common tactic in the coal industry.

You do understand that Yale is in NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT !!


I have no real insight as a longtime non-Yale member. While I would be surprised to see this go through, I was also surprised when the Yale Athletic Department signed a deal with Under Armour this year. People like money:
___________________________________________


Apparel deal is said to be worth $16.5 million over 10 years

More per year than Nike pays Illinois, Rutgers, Iowa State

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-01-12/why-under-armour-is-paying-big-ten-money-to-sponsor-yale-sports

[Jim_Kennedy]

Doesn't the property have gift restrictions on it?


I'm guessing that just the taxes on the property, once developed, would push the cost of a round well over the $200.00 mark, never mind another hundred or two for the hotel, staff, restoration, increased maintenance budget, etc. - $400.00.   

[SPDB]

I think its interesting that negotiation of a lease with Yale is not cited as one of the conditions to the project, which may suggest that he's got Yale's preliminary buy-in or he's confident that he can get it. Given that Betts is a senior fellow of the Yale Corporation, the howls of conflicts of interest will be deafening.

[Nigel Islam]

Hope this project fails. Yale can be accessed with a little due diligence. Why must big business run everything? Unless Yale U is looking to jettison the property (which they use for golf, X-C and other stuff, I imagine) this is a sad statement of our evolving world.


I wish that I were a social fixture. Is that like a lamp or a faucet?

Well said

[Tim Martin]

This will never happen. Mark it down!

[Jon Cavalier]

The land for the course was donated by Ray Tompkins widow to "stand as a memorial for her husband and to be used for encouraging the outdoor sports among the Yale undergraduates."


While it's unlikely that the course is encumbered with formal gift restrictions (or that any such restrictions would work to legally bar the project), it would seem that Yale leasing the land to a private developer in this way would at least be an affront to the spirit of the gift, particularly when Yale is not in dire need of the extra cash.

[Jud_T]

 

[Ronald Montesano]

From what I understand Yale is maintained by a union staff. I can't see a lease honoring the contract. It's a common tactic in the coal industry.

My one time at Yale, I was with three members of the elite that run the world. They moved like scared teenagers from the 18th green to the club house, at precisely 5:57 pm, to get the last 8 beers of the day. When that union shuts down, it shuts down.

[Mike Sweeney]

From what I understand Yale is maintained by a union staff. I can't see a lease honoring the contract. It's a common tactic in the coal industry.

My one time at Yale, I was with three members of the elite that run the world. They moved like scared teenagers from the 18th green to the club house, at precisely 5:57 pm, to get the last 8 beers of the day. When that union shuts down, it shuts down.

Yale Dining has stayed open late for many GCA outings when requested upfront. At other times when they close, we have done the college style tailgate in the parking lot, which is really fun. It may be painful for Mike Whitaker to read this, but they have a pulled pork bbq style sandwich this season that is better than anything I had in South Carolina


Greenskeeper Scott Ramsey negotiated many adjustments with the union over the years. I am sure it was challenging at times but the place is in a much better place (not perfect) with Scott.


I have played with a Autistic son and father (his son, not mine) at Yale with two "Neuro-typical" players at prime time and everyone had a great time. I will only take my Autistic son late in the season, late in the day, and I have had members seek me out to play with us because they had Special Needs in their family.


Proposals often start with high expectations and end up somewhere else. This is probably my last season at Yale as a member as we are purchasing property in Hudson, NY. I really hope the unique features on and off the course at Yale remain intact. It is a great course and a better place as it sits today.


Fairways and greens.

[Stephen Pellegrino]

Does the prospect of restoring Yale (which has been at/near the top of the unofficial list of courses most in need of thoughtful restoration and maintenance) mollify the fears of private commercialization? Certainly the restoration of the 3rd hole alone would be a important accomplishment - bringing back a lost note in an architecturally significant American masterpiece.

[John Kavanaugh]

The developer declaring that both courses would be World top 100 is enough to wish it not to happen.

[Jud_T]

Does the prospect of restoring Yale (which has been at/near the top of the unofficial list of courses most in need of thoughtful restoration and maintenance) mollify the fears of private commercialization?

In a word?  NO

[Tim Martin]

Does the prospect of restoring Yale (which has been at/near the top of the unofficial list of courses most in need of thoughtful restoration and maintenance) mollify the fears of private commercialization?

In a word?  NO

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