The Minot Country Club will be selling its current golf course and using the proceeds to build a new one.
A joint press release from the Minot Country Club and 28 Club LLC, a group of private local investors purchasing the country club's current course, stated the land, buildings and golf carts owned by MCC will be sold to 28 Club LLC. The sale will allow 28 Club LLC to move forward with restoration of the grounds and pave the way for the expected reopening of the 18-hole golf course in 2013.
28 Club LLC was formed by a group of local, private investors including Mike Fitzmaurice, John Zimmerman, Bock Eckman and Shannon Radke. They plan to rebuild the course in a timely manner while respecting its history and existing character, according to the press release.
Specific terms of the sale were not disclosed.
MCC will use its remaining cash, proceeds from the sale and other retained assets toward financing a new, full-length golf course with full country club amenities such as a club house and swimming pool. Preliminary planning is under way with the goal of a new MCC course opening in 2014.
MCC has retained the services of world-renowned golf course architect Jim Engh for the layout of the new course. Among other projects, Engh designed Hawk Tree Golf Course in Bismarck and Sanctuary Golf Course in Sedalia, Colo.
Doug Larson, president of MCC, said Monday that the decision to sell the current course was difficult, but necessary.
"It was a tough decision, but like the press release said this group of investors is probably better able to restore that course quicker than we could as a club," Larson said. "And being they were willing to keep it a golf course, it made the decision a lot easier."
MCC's new course will be located on donated land in southeast Minot. Larson said the design will be completely new at a completely different venue, and should greatly enhance the community of Minot.
Larson said they are coordinating with the developer donating the property to ensure what they're planning fits with what he's planning to develop.
"This proposed new course is going to have a completely different look and feel to anything else that's in town, mostly because of the type of property it's going onto," Larson said.