Seven years ago, a group of local investors put in most of their life savings, mortgaged their houses, borrowed millions and put in years of unpaid work to buy and operate Walden Lake Golf & Country Club, which had been for sale for more than three years, with no one else interested in owning it.
But, these investors believed the community — both in and out of Walden Lake — would support the club. In the beginning, they did, but then the recession hit, and participation began to drop. These six families of investors continued to believe in the business through the worst economic times in this country’s recent history. They continued to put money and time into it, in the hopes of one day the economy would turn around, and the business would become profitable.
They endured a business Chapter 11 bankruptcy but could not escape the damage to their personal credit and the ability to buy a house or anything else. They repeatedly asked for the community for help but received the answer that we cannot help, because our bylaws restrict us, similar bylaws that other communities around the country had amended to help save the golf courses that bordered their homes.
We understand that not all homeowners who buy houses adjoining a golf course play golf or even want to socialize at the golf club. We know this, because less than 10% of the houses bordering the 36 holes of Walden Lake Golf and Country Club currently are or have ever been members of the club. This is common in a lot of golf courses, and it is why hundreds of golf courses are failing every year.
But, we have sustained and now are fortunate enough to have made it to a time that a part of the economy — the housing market — is coming back. We also are fortunate enough that we have enough property to sell some of it to save the rest, to give rebirth to a part of the golf property that can prosper with the renovations planned and the revenue the new members from the new residents will provide. It will give the community a place they can be proud of — a place to visit and meet friends in beautiful surroundings, a golf course to which golfers will be proud to bring their friends, families and associates to play a round. We see whole families in the community enjoying the enhanced amenities that come with this project. We see the possibility to turn this around and make our partners’ families whole again — to recover from a place from which no one thought was possible.
Now, as we try to make this happen, we get bombarded with demands and threats from people who, for the past five years, did not care enough to even patronage the club for any reason. You hear, “I would have been a member, or I was thinking of being a member …”
But now, when their neighboring course is shut down, because of a lack of play, and when a revenue-producing plan is being formulated, they are up in arms. “How dare you plan on using your property the best way you see fit. We bought our property because of the golf course.” They also say in their actions: “But don’t expect us to support the golf course. Just expect us to complain when it is not up to our standards, or, in this case, when you want to sell it for development.”
We understand their expectations were that when they bought the house on the golf course, it would always be there. But, we also had expectations that when we bought the golf course, the residents on the golf courses would be members. Unfortunately, in the end, we were both disappointed. Their solution is for us to let someone else give it a try, take millions in losses, ruin our families’ finances, whatever it takes. “Just don’t change our view out of our back yard.” It may not be their exact words, but that is how we interpret it.
In closing, I would like to say our group of partners is diversified — a married couple who own their own business, single parents, grandparents, lots of business experiences in and out of golf and even some with military service in their past. We are all proud Americans, who believe in our rights of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness and the rights to own property. We appreciate the men and women who serve this country and protect those rights that give us the ability to pursue what we see as the best use of our property.
We don’t ask for or expect any special treatment. All we ask for is our rights afforded to us by this great country in which we are proud to live.
Steve Mercer, managing partner
Visions Golf LLC
Walden Lake Golf & Country Club
RUMOR VERSUS FACT
1. We are closing all 36 holes of golf and, therefore, are taking away from Walden Lake the “golf course community” tag.
False. We have never considered closing all 36 holes, and our plans have always been to enhance the golf that remains to a point that Walden Lake will have a premium golf experience and the community distinction of the same.
2. We are putting retail or commercial parcels on the property.
False. Our plans only consist of single-family and multi-family communities, the majority of which is single family.
3. We have applied and received zoning from Hillsborough County.
False. First, we never dealt with the county on this project. Second, the county has no jurisdiction in this matter. It is a process with the City of Plant City only, and we have not filed with the city or any other government agency in relation to this project as of today.
4. There is a restriction on the property concerning zoning and level of care of the property.
False. That restriction has been released by a federal trustee and no longer affects the property.