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.