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For the week of December 24 - 30, 2003

News

Ad-hoc group discusses Elkhorn Golf Club plan


By GREGORY FOLEY
Express Staff Writer

A contingent of Wood River Valley residents and public officials convened in Ketchum last week to discuss alternatives to a plan to fully privatize the Elkhorn Golf Club.

Ketchum City Councilman Maurice Charlat, Ketchum Mayor Ed Simon, Sun Valley City Councilman Lud Renick and others met Wednesday, Dec. 17, to discuss whether they want to pursue an initiative that would make the course public or would—at least—ensure some public access.

After the meeting, Charlat said he and other members of the ad-hoc group have not agreed upon a common goal for how the 18-hole course in Sun Valley should be managed—or what strategy they would employ to effect a change on the pending plans of the property’s owners.

"The meeting was positive," Charlat said. "We’re positive enough to continue fact gathering before taking a position or making a decision."

Greenfield Partners, the Connecticut- and Chicago-based owner of the golf course, announced earlier this year it plans to convert the semi-private facility to a members-only private club.

Under the plan, the club’s 195 existing members have been given first priority to join the upgraded, private club under a new set of terms.

All told, 395 private memberships are planned to be offered. Approximately 255 memberships are expected to be made available for sale to pre-existing members of the club and members of the general public.

An additional 100 memberships are slated to be reserved for future property holders in an approximately 100-unit townhouse development that Greenfield Partners is planning to build on the site of the former Elkhorn Hotel.

Carol Waller, executive director of the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau, said several members of her organization are concerned that closing the course to the general public could have a negative impact on the local tourist economy.

Waller attended the ad-hoc meeting last week. In addition, she and Chamber President Bob Nero met privately with local representatives of Greenfield Partners to express their concerns.

Project representative David Hennessy said Tuesday he has assured Waller that some Elkhorn visitors will have access to the club. "People who rent condominiums that are part of the Sun Valley-Elkhorn Association will have play rights to the golf course," Hennessy said.

Hennessy added that Greenfield Partners representatives are "happy to talk to anybody" about the future of the club, but are not now inclined to change their plans. "We’ve looked at the golf course from a number of different ways and it just doesn’t work financially as a public facility," he said.

Charlat said the ad-hoc committee will continue to meet to discuss the future of the golf club.

 

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The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.