Granite Pointe Update
Project News
Dear Members
There has been much speculation about what is happening with the development and whether we are
going to rebuild the course next year. At this point there are no announcements as the developer works
his way through the approval requirements. Having said that there has been no triggering of the golf
course build yet. As you know the developer has until December 31,2024 to trigger the golf course
rebuild. He is keen to do this but we will need to be patient while he goes through a complicated
approval process.
So, for now let’s assume Granite Pointe will opening next year for another wonderful season.
We can take advantage of early bird offers at GP as they are released while knowing that if the project is
triggered, Granite Pointe will immediately refund the fees. Early Bird passes are targeted to start
October 1 st .
For the coming 2025 season the Early Bird Rate will remain the same as for the 2024 season with an
added bonus Clubhouse credit.
Further: Am has confirmed with Balfour that their new member and early bird offers don’t expire until
Dec 31, so you will be able to take advantage of those offers if our golf course construction moves
forward in 2025.
Grounds update
It has been a challenging year for our 7 member grounds crew who have juggled multiple construction
projects both related to the development project and golf course maintenance and enhancement.
What have they been doing on your behalf?
Completed and opened the new green on hole 12, complete with new irrigation. This
installation has had its struggles with the severe rains of June giving way to baking heat in July
and August that at first drowned the grass roots and then burned them up. Rex has done a
great job fighting these issues and we should expect the green to establish itself this fall and
mature next year. The green has been punched and sanded once this fall and will be punched a
couple of more times to encourage a healthy base for it mature.
Completed and opened the new tee complex on hole one complete with cart path and new
irrigation. We have been able to get on the tee box a little early but we can all look forward to
this establishing itself next year. Oh yes there has already been a hole in one from it. Congrats
Dean Winters.
Removed range poles and netting making way for the developer to access their property.
Cleared trees on holes 17 and 18 to expose views toward town and the lake.
Removed dangerous trees on 14 tees and 15 green
Moved the mainline off the development property.
Improved drainage throughout the course with new equipment to rotor out clogged drain lines.
More to do here but a good start.
All this work done by our 7-person maintenance crew while managing all the other maintenance items
on the course. These folks will often be seen here on their off days working for a few hours at the
course. We are very fortunate to have a talented and dedicated staff who work hard and take pride in
their job.
Rex has been planning on how to improve the difficult course areas without spending too much while
we wait for the course re-building announcement.
We discussed rebuilding the wet area near 8 tee boxes. This is being considered for next year. Rex feels
the larger wet area in front of the Red tee is the result of clogged drains. The plan here would be to
temporarily move the 8 tees forward and dig and replace the drainage.
Also discussed were the bunkers. The bunkers are in need of a full rebuild, drainage replace and new
sand. Knowing that we won’t be rebuilding the bunkers we discussed some temporary lower cost fixes.
One idea is to bring in sand to the bunkers that receive the majority of play. While this is a band- aid fix,
Rex will bring this idea to the board with an estimate of cost.
Finally, we discussed how to improve management carts on the course. We don’t have to tell most
people that we have cart paths for a reason and that we should not be driving within 20 yards of greens
or tees except on a path. Rex advised that next year he will be using white field marker paint to mark
on No Go Cart zones. This should help but we can all take the step to remind ourselves that what the
course looks like starts with us. Drive on cart paths, replace your divots and fix your ball marks.
We think we all can recognise what a wonderful community asset we have at Granite Pointe and I hope
you will all be back to enjoy it in 2025.
Club Operations
On September 7 th , we hosted the historic Boyd Haddad cup with 128 golfers from all around the
Kootenays. Congratulations to team Granite Pointe who took home first place on both the Boyd and
Haddad competition. You can see the full leaderboards posted in the Pro-shop. The Pro-shop will now
be open from 7:45AM until 6PM moving forward. There is lots of merchandise available for discount.
Make sure to use up your credit and take advantage of the sale prices. The Ironman will be a 2 person
scramble this season by popular demand. The event will take place on Saturday, October 19 th and
registration will commence this week. Club Verde will remain open from 11-7PM. They are planning
another couple’s night with live music on October 4 th . Our 9 and Dine special will continue to the end of
the season. $45 taxes in for guests to play 9 holes and eat after 3PM.
Thanks again to all of our members for your support. We are looking forward to capping of the season
strong. Our golf simulators will be running through the winter. Club Verde will be shut down and we will
continue the regular snack shack model. Simulator season will commence November 13 th .
Respectfully submitted,
Board of Directors
Nelson Golf & recreation Society
Granite Pointe Development Plans FAQ: August 9, 2024
Granite Pointe Golf and Recreation Society “GPGRS”
Crestone Properties, Farhad, and related applicable private corporations are the “developer”
Where are we at with the redevelopment of the golf course lands?
The development lands have been subdivided, legally registered with land titles and sold to the
developer. You can see the land parcel boundaries on the BC Assessment website by searching
1123 Richards St W or follow this link:
https://www.bcassessment.ca/Property/Info/SjAwMDAwNkpEMw==
The signed purchase and sale agreement saw Granite Pointe Golf & Recreation Society (GPGRS)
receive $2 million in proceeds upon completion. GPGRS remains a mortgage holder on the lands
with an agreement to collect the balance of sale proceeds payable in six years, or sooner.
Will the golf course be shutting down and when?
The golf course will not be shutting down. There is a new agreement in place (Lease Agreement)
between the GPGRS and the developer where the developer has the option to lease the entire
golf course from the society. The developer would need to provide notice to the GPGRS no later
than December 31 of each year that they intend to exercise the option to lease the golf course.
The developer cannot exercise the lease unless they have met several conditions showing they
have the money and signed contracts to rebuild the entire golf course. The rebuild would require
the course to close temporarily. The rebuild timeline is 18 – 24 months but could take longer as
projects of this complexity do.
If GPGRS receives notice of lease before December 31, 2024, then Granite Pointe will not open
for play in 2025. If we don’t receive notice, then the golf course will be 100 per cent open in 2025.
Each year going forward would be subject to this notice until June 30, 2026, at which time the
option to lease expires.
The annual December 31st deadline is a date, but these things are known well in advance. If we
don’t have notice to exercise the lease by end of October 2024 or some sense of the momentum
of the developer’s intent, we can safely assume we won’t receive notice by December 31, 2024.
What is the role of Troon Golf in this agreement?
Troon Golf is a golf course management firm: https://www.troon.com/. They have ties to the
developer. If the developer exercises their option to lease the golf course and re-builds the golf
course; then the developer has conditionally agreed to engage Troon to manage the operations
of the golf course. Nelson would be the first Troon golf course in Canada.
Who will be re-design the golf course?
Doug Carrick is the golf course architect. Capilano Club, Predator Ridge, Grey Wolf, Fox Harbour
are just a few of his creations. He has been here already twice. His initial plan is already on the
wall in the clubhouse. His link is attached. Just a wonderful person with great stories and
experience. He is looking forward to this project and working with TROON and Farhad’s team.
https://www.carrickdesign.com/
Will people get to retain memberships when the golf course reopens?
YES. The lease has provisions to offer current GPGRS members a membership plan similar to what
is offered at other West Kootenay courses. Based on today, 2024 rates, the planned membership
would be estimated at $3,000 per year including a cart for current GPGRS members. The above
is the estimate based on 2024 rates which will change in the future.
Will there be an initiation fee?
NO. The locals of the community will receive a locals-only rate, at least a 40% discount off the
rack rate, current Granite Pointe members will be offered membership, and the golf course
operations management team would be extremely incentivized to maximize the local community
support and engagement. The model is similar to Whitewater Ski Resort where locals get a great
deal and tourists/travelers pay a premium to support the amenity.
What will annual memberships cost under Troon management?
The estimate for 2024 is $3,000 per year including cart. This estimate is based on 2024 rates –
but Troon is not managing the course today – if Troon starts management in 2028 then the rate
will be applicable to 2028 rates which we cannot predict with any certainty at this time.
Will the Granite Pointe board have any say in how the golf course is run?
NO. The GPGRS is the owner of the golf course lands and will be a landlord. GPGRS will have the
authority of a landlord under the terms of the lease. The operations and management of the golf
course will be the developer (tenant) of the lease.
Is this deal to lease the golf course already signed?
YES. The lease is signed; however, the lease is not effective until we receive notice per the answer
above regarding course shutdown, and the developer (tenant) has secured money and contracts
to rebuild the course.
What were the alternatives to signing this deal?
NONE. Unfortunately for the golf course, selling lands is the only option. We do not have a
sufficient membership base or high enough membership fees to pay the growing cost of
operating the golf course.
In 2020 we were on the verge of bankruptcy with zero options or alternatives for money. Many
late-night meetings over the winter of 2019/2020 with very little hope. We asked for support in
every way even trying to couch the golf course as an interface to the forest and needed wildfire
management money to clean up the course. Everyone said no. In 2020 we were not going to
open, the credit union offered us just enough money to pay our bills January, February, March
and April 2020 so we could open the doors – COVID happened, and golf was the only thing
available – we got all the hand outs and we successfully ended 2020 in the black. We have limped
along since then to have 2021, 22, 23 all in the black – but barely. During that time, we had our
massive debt receive interest relief, payment deferral, etc. If we did not sell the land, we would
have a ~1.4+M loan with interest only payments of ~$10,000+ per month. If we were carrying
that loan today, we would be heavily in the RED if not insolvent (bankrupt) and in receivership.
The equipment is all at the end of life. The carts are mostly at the end of life. We would need to
triple our membership to get to a place where we could run the operations, pay a full compliment
of greens people, and have some money building to replace equipment. All that would still not
help with an irrigation system that needs a full re-build.
Without going too far into history and detail, if we did not receive the funds from this land sale
in 2023 the golf course would be closed. We have had many dark days as a volunteer board and
this land sale and cash influx has been nothing short of a miracle.
When will the membership be provided with the next update?
Updates will happen quarterly or sooner if new information crystalizes. Right now, the next
milestone is December 31, 2024, but we would update the probability of that notice much
sooner. We will send an update again at the end of the season in October or sooner if critical
facts need to be communicated.
Keep updated on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/granitepointegolf/
