ClubCorp / BigShots Golf withdraw from Golden Gate Golf Club deal

ClubCorp and BigShots Golf have informed Collier County commissioners that they are withdrawing from a deal involving ownership of the Golden Gate Country Club.

In a letter dated Thursday from BigShots Golf CEO Tony Wehner to Collier County Manager Leo Ochs, Wehner explained the reasons.

“Several factors are contributing to our decision to opt out of pursuing this opportunity,” part of the letter read. “The inspection of the irrigation and golf infrastructure at the Golden Gate golf course revealed investment and development needs far greater than originally anticipated.

financing difficulties of the project given the increased scale of investments required by both BigShots Golf and ClubCorp.

“Unfortunately, these findings cannot be resolved under acceptable conditions. While we are all disappointed with the outcome, we wish Collier County the best.”

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The Collier County Council of Commissioners was scheduled to discuss the deal next Tuesday. It was originally supposed to be discussed at the October 13 meeting, but it was postponed after ClubCorp asked the county to contribute $ 7 million in an October 7 letter for the project, which included an entertainment center. BigShots Golf as well as a 12-hole golf course.

Commissioners purchased the 167-acre golf course at the intersection of Collier Boulevard and Golden Gate Parkway for $ 29 million in August 2019. Plans for the site also include housing for the workforce, and a the future nursing home for veterans had also been discussed.

“With this very recent turn of events, the golf course update for the board of directors was pushed back to the November meeting to give staff time to put together the range of options available,” said Thursday. County Project Manager Geoff Willig by email. “At the November meeting, the board will provide leadership. Staff are moving forward in this direction and continue to work with the community to move the project forward. Despite this setback, I can’t wait to see what we collectively develop for our community.

Willig said one of the board’s options was to contact Bonura Hospitality Group, who also made a presentation at the same time as ClubCorp, but was not chosen.

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Commission Chairman Burt Saunders, whose district includes Golden Gate, said near the end of the Oct. 13 meeting that negotiations with ClubCorp had not been “as smooth” as those of county staff with a company. which plans to set up a distribution center in Charbonnier.

“ClubCorp came back and asked the county to invest $ 7 million in the golf course,” Saunders said. “This is obviously not a start. And the staff are going back to talk to them to see if there is a way to solve or save this project.”

Journalist Patrick Riley contributed to this article.

Greg Hardwig is a sports reporter for the Naples Daily News and The News-Press. Follow him on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter: @NDN_Ghardwig, email him at [email protected]. Support local journalism with this special subscription offer at https://cm.naplesnews.com/specialoffer/