By DENNIS SILVERS
If you believe in the so-called Golf Gods like I do, you must be wondering what in the world is going on with the golf courses of the Las Vegas area.
Case in point — the recent golf course closures in the Vegas market.
Let’s look at the Legacy Golf Club in Henderson.
This Arthur Hills-designed course bordered on being an iconic course that hosted many events — both professional as well as amateur.
At one time, the Legacy was the longest golf course in the Vegas Valley, stretching out to more than 7,200 yards.
Legacy’s amenities were excellent, with a grass practice range, chipping area and a large practice putting green.
The course’s reviews were favorable. Many described this golf course as “a mix of interesting holes mixed with the mundane.”
Unfortunately, the Legacy had been in financial trouble over the last few years and it was not a well-kept secret that the property was up for sale.
In fact. the property sold about two years ago, but the deal fell through escrow.
The golf course property was, in fact, sold recently for $5.6 million from Pacific Life, who owned the property. It was managed by O.B. Sports Golf Management, which manages other golf courses here in Las Vegas.
The property’s new owner immediately closed the golf course the day after it was sold, leaving all the employees out of a job and wondering where they would go next.
One of the sale’s interesting things is, according to the city of Henderson, the property has to remain a golf course for decades unless otherwise rezoned.
Coming as no surprise, the new owner has said he wants to build residential homes on the golf course property and some commercial on the property’s west side facing Green Valley Parkway.
As expected, the surrounding homeowners already filed for an injunction to stop the new owner from building. Like similar situations with SilverStone Golf Course in the northwest Valley and the Badlands Golf Club near Queensridge off Alta Drive, this Henderson case will end up in the courts.
It comes down to money and my hunch is the Henderson City Council will grant the variance to the deed allowing the new owner to build homes — much to the dismay of the surrounding homeowners.
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Chip Shots
Homeowners near Badlands Golf Club are upset the golf course has been closed. But many were also unhappy that the water has been turned off, which lets the grass and plants on the course die and also harms the wildlife on the course because of the lack of water.
Some homeowners are taking it upon themselves to get water to the wildlife by putting out water bowls or leaving garden hoses running during the day.
With the Las Vegas City Council’s two new member, residents are hopeful the
planned home development might either be denied or greatly reduced from the original plans.
The property’s new owner, Yohan Lowie, CEO of EHB Cos., has threatened to sell the property to a new party if the Planning Commission and City Council continue to drag their feet.
— There’s a rumor that another golf course in Henderson might be filing for bankruptcy because of financial hardships.
After I have verified the rumor and learn more information, I will more about this in my post.