Sounds like a bit of insurance fraud, there.
Efforts to keep the North Augusta Golf and Country Club in operation after an April 2007 fire seem to be waning.
Ron Perry, the club's vice president, said members would receive letters today detailing the future of the property.
"Once members are told of what's happening, we will notify nonmembers," Mr. Perry said.
On Friday a listing on the Web site of J.P. King, a Myrtle Beach, S.C., real estate firm, said more information about an auction is to come. Administrative personnel said Monday that the listing's project manager would hold a meeting this week to determine whether to auction the property.
Mr. Perry could not say Monday whether owners would auction the property, but he said J.P. King should not have posted the listing Friday.
Club owner and CEO Fred Layman purchased the property a few days before the fire destroyed the clubhouse. Investigators with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division were unable to determine the cause.
Since the fire, Mr. Layman has reassured members that a new clubhouse would be built.
The club secured a temporary building and opened the day after the fire. Eight months later, it broke ground on a 30,000-square-foot clubhouse valued at $5 million, which was to open this winter.
Longtime members say they maintained their membership because they believe in the club.
"We have stuck with it because we've been a member since 1981," said Bob Davison. "We live very close; we like the golf course; but I think hopefully in the not too distant future things will improve."
Mr. Davison said members were told that the owners had trouble getting the capital needed to secure loans because of the recent economic downturn.
Two-year member George Rettenmaier, however, said he's scared he'll drive by one day to find a chain across the entrance.
"They keep promising and promising, but nothing happens," Mr. Rettenmaier said.
In an interview with North Augusta Today in April, Mr. Layman said that insurance difficulties and the restructuring of the ownership group to add Arizona Cardinals head coach Ken Whisenhunt as a partner slowed the process.
Mr. Layman and Mr. Whisenhunt did not immediately return messages seeking comment Monday.
Mr. Layman said in the April interview that he hoped bringing Mr. Whisenhunt, an Augusta native, on board would boost efforts to rebuild and develop the neighboring community.
Reach Julia Sellers at (706) 823-3424 or julia.sellers@augustachronicle.com.
Comments
Sounds like a bit of insurance fraud, there.
The whole story is odd from the very begining...really does not pass the smell test.
I think they called it "Jewish Lightning" in the old days. I would not renew my membership if I had one.
i think that they called you a bigot in the old days. wait a minute, they still do!
Pizzato, I just reported your ignorant comment to this paper.
As I said yesterday, Laymen is a shister.
Too many things have happened at the Club since Mr. Layman took over. Good members have left for the River Course and Mr. Layman has made them feel worthless.
All need to remember that good things happen to good people and Mr. Layman bad things happen to those who scam others. Yeah Right, a new Club House? What a joke!!!!
May be a good investment for Aiken or Edgefield county recreation services.
this is must viewed news? give me a break, go play golf in the back yard of your trailer park
Norh Augusta needs a municipal course and could purchase this one cheaply! If managed properly,it would pay for itself.
Real, what did you read the article for you idiot.
If the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division were unable to determine the cause of the fire, then the insurance company is required by law, to pay the claim! If they did not, then they should be taken to court.
I do not know Mr. Layman, so cannot make a comment about him, but feel that the golf course would be a good investment to someone, be it private or community. It is a lovely course, and is well kept compared to some I have seen elsewhere.
Try not to be too derogatory in your comments, and give them a chance to put this thing together. It is not their fault that the economy "went south", and the banks are not lending money, even though they have been bailed out by the government. It just so happened that the economy started to decline at the same time as the fire happened, and that had nothing to do with the owner!
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