Golf course developer quits

Jeffrey Libby

Friday, Feb. 8, 2002 | 10:15 a.m.

Less than a week before formalizing an agreement to build and operate a $16 million golf course in Henderson, a Dallas-based golf course developer is pulling out of the deal.

Henderson officials in September 2000 chose Evergreen Alliance Golf Limited -- from a field of seven candidates -- to build the city's first public golf course on city-owned land. But on Wednesday, Evergreen Alliance president and CEO Lawrence Corson contacted Henderson to inform the city of the company's decision.

"He (Corson) said there's been a shift in corporate strategy and that they're going to concentrate on management rather than development," John Rinaldi, Henderson director of property management, said. "He said they're no longer funding golf course development."

Calls made to Evergreen Alliance weren't immediately returned.

As part of the proposed deal, the city would have leased Evergreen the land without a base rent for the first 10 years of operation, rather than taking a percentage of any profits. After 10 years the city would charge Evergreen a base rent of $250,000 a year, Rinaldi said.

As recently as last week Evergreen officials were talking optimistically about completing the 204-acre, 18-hole course sometime in 2003.

A round of golf at the Whitney Mesa course off Sunset Road in Green Valley would have been just $50 for a Henderson resident. Several fairways would have flanked the Whitney Mesa bluff, with views of the entire eastern Las Vegas Valley.

But other fairways would have traversed some of the lowest ground in Green Valley on soil plagued with a high salt content and a high water table from heavy run-off. The soil troubles added $1 million to construction costs, Rinaldi said.

"I believe golf still remains our focus," he said. "I can't imagine we're going to change courses now."

Evergreen Alliance was chosen by Las Vegas officials in November to manage a golf course currently under construction in the northwest. The council originally chose golf course developer Billy Walters over Evergreen because Evergreen's delays in building the Henderson course concerned some council members. But Walters ultimately withdrew his proposal.

Mark Vincent, Las Vegas city finance director, said today that the business decision in Henderson by Evergreen was most likely a construction issue and would not affect the Las Vegas contract.