Discovery Land Company

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Discovery Land Company (Discovery or the Company) is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based real estate development company and is one of the premier developers and operators of luxury resort communities and private clubs in North America. The Company has been noted as one of the world’s finest developers of resort communities by The Robb Report Vacation Homes ^[1]and Luxury Living^[2] magazines.

Discovery is a fully integrated developer that acquires, plans, entitles, manages, operates, markets, and sells its projects. Discovery’s properties have set very high standards when it comes to service to members, family orientation, quality of golf, and other private club facilities as well as the architectural character and craftsmanship of homes. Discovery is best known for its exceptional member service, overall attention to detail, and commitment to creating a lifestyle experience for its owners and their families.

Besides outstanding quality and service, many aspects of the development initiatives led by Discovery Land Company are considered to be environmentally progressive. The Company generally develops low density projects (i.e. less than 1 residential unit per acre) that have a very positive economic impact on their local communities. Discovery has a track record of adopting best practices to mitigate or eliminate the potential impacts of its developments and for doing extensive analysis, planning, and monitoring of its developments. The Company’s philosophy is to build with the land and to enhance or restore its natural beauty. Discovery’s Founder and Chairman, Michael Meldman, has been quoted as saying, “You cannot recreate the natural beauty of the environment with any amount of money.” [1]

1 History
2 Properties Developed by Discovery Land Company, its affiliates and principals
3 Philanthropy
4 External links
5 References

[edit] History

Discovery Land Company was founded in the 1990’s by Michael Meldman with the opening of The Estancia Club in Scottsdale, Arizona and then the Iron Horse project in Whitefish, Montana with an emphasis on family lifestyle and the establishment of Discovery’s trademark Outdoor Pursuits programs. Discovery has since gone on to craft its brand as a premier developer of luxury family lifestyle clubs. Discovery’s portfolio includes 14 properties in Hawaii, California, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Texas, and North Carolina in the U.S. as well as Los Cabos, Mexico and the Abacos in the Bahamas.

[edit] Properties Developed by Discovery Land Company, its affiliates and principals

Baker’s Bay - Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club is a private golf and ocean community, marina, and club located on the northern point of Great Guana Cay in the Abaco Islands, Bahamas. Only 150 miles (240 km) from the Florida coast, Baker’s Bay features more than 6 miles (9.7 km) of beachfront and offers views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Sea of Abaco, a private 18-hole Tom Fazio golf course, a private marina, as well as private beach club and spa. The 610-acre (2.5 km²) private community will offer 244 custom homesites, ranging up to an acre in size, 115 single-family developer-built residences, and a Caribbean-style marina village with resort amenities. [2]

– Recent Press - Discovery Land Company and it’s partners recently won a prolonged court battle that challenged the Bahamian government’s approval of the project. The Bahamian government has made recent statements in the press that Baker’s Bay was in the “national interest” and that Government officials would do whatever is necessary to ensure that they effectively support, facilitate and accommodate the development. In a recent article, Prime Minister Hubert A. Ingraham was quoted as speaking of Discovery and it’s partners by saying, “It is the Government’s wish that we had many more developers like the developers here at Baker’s Bay.” Ingraham went on to say, “It took them a long time to get approval from the Government; they were strung along and they had to pay monies to keep the option to buy this land. They eventually bought the land and they have been assaulted ever since (but) their resilience and their determination is very much respected by myself and appreciated by the Government of The Bahamas.”

Litigation against the government and Baker's Bay Club by citizens of Great Guana Cay continue.[3] The first case is moving to Privy Council.

Baker's Bay Golf & Ocean Club is opposed by dozens of conservation groups, including Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society as well as Sierra Club.

Source: ^[3]

El Dorado – A private, gated beachfront community and golf club located in Los Cabos, Mexico. The project has an 18-hole championship golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus, and includes a fully amenitized beach and private golf club, and 210 custom estate residences, villas, and casitas on approximately 520 acres (2.1 km²) of prime beachfront land facing the Sea of Cortez. The project features custom lots, villas, and casitas with ocean front and view lots selling for $2M to $10M. [4]

Kukio – A private beachfront community and golf club located on the Big Island of Hawaii. The project has an 18-hole championship golf course and a 10-hole short course both designed by Tom Fazio, a private beach club, and 375 custom estate residences and cottages on over 1,400 acres (5.7 km²) of prime Kona Coast land. Lot prices at Kukio range from $1M to over $15M+ and membership is $250,000. [5]

Gozzer Ranch – Gozzer Ranch is a lakefront 395-home community and private club located in Northern Idaho in the charming resort town of Coeur d’Alene. The community’s amenities include a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, luxurious fitness center and spa, full service 152-slip marina and family-friendly member service levels that raise the standard for lake front communities in the United States. Gozzer Ranch started sales in 2005 with lot prices averaging over $500,000. [6]

The Madison Club – Located adjacent to the Hideaway in La Quinta, California, The Madison Club is an ultra-exclusive enclave that has redefined the top tier of Coachella Valley’s premier private golf communities. The Madison Club’s 225 home owners enjoy private access to a spectacular 18 hole Tom Fazio designed course, magnificent clubhouse / spa facilities, and exceptional member service. Lots prices average over $2M. [7]

Mountaintop Golf and Lake Club – A private golf and residential community located in the popular Highlands-Cashiers region of the western North Carolina mountains. Acquired in late 2003, the development plan includes 318 homesites, 18 holes of private Tom Fazio golf, and a luxurious mountain lodge-style clubhouse. [8]

The Hideaway – An exclusive, equity golf club and residential development located in La Quinta, California. The Hideaway’s 36 holes of golf provide members with two distinct and world-class golf experiences, Clive Clark and Pete Dye designs. The residential offering consists of 450 single-family homes and homesites. Combined with Discovery’s attention to member service and quality, the Hideaway has become one of the premier developments in the Coachella Valley/Palm Springs market. Lots are listed from $200,000 to $1M+. [9]

Spanish Oaks Golf Club - Acquired in September 2005, Spanish Oaks is a 400-home gated community and private golf club located in the Hill Country of Austin, Texas. In addition to the well regarded 18-hole Bobby Weed-designed golf course, development plans include a swimming hole, fish camp, luxurious Member’s clubhouse and Discovery’s signature Outdoor Pursuits program. [10]

Mirabel – A 346 home gated golf community located on 713 acres (2.89 km²) of Sonoran Desert terrain in North Scottsdale. Situated at an elevation of 3,000 feet (910 m), Mirabel offers commanding views of the Scottsdale/Phoenix valley. The Tom Fazio-designed golf course opened in December 2001. Lot prices range from $300,000 to over $900,000 with a membership price of $125,000. [11]

Vaquero – A 335 home gated community located on 525 acres (2.12 km²) of rolling terrain in Westlake, Texas near DFW and Alliance airports. The community features a private equity Tom Fazio-designed golf course on some of the most beautiful topography in north Texas. The golf course opened for play in November 2001. Lots range from about $200,000 to over $1.75M with a membership price of $175,000. [12]

Iron Horse – A Tom Fazio championship golf course and year round resort residential community comprised of 311 home sites on 820 acres (3.3 km²), located in the popular resort area of Whitefish, Montana. The project broke ground in 1998 and sites range from $200,000 to $2M. The membership price is $125,000. [13]

Cordevalle Golf Club and Lodge – Discovery’s sole hotel and golf-only project, the development is an exclusive, invitation-only golf club in Santa Clara County, California designed by Robert Trent Jones II featuring a well-appointed clubhouse with a 45 room private luxury hotel and spa in the Santa Clara Valley. The project opened in 1999 and nearly all the 435 memberships were sold to Silicon Valley business leaders. Discovery’s interest in Cordevalle was sold in 2007 to a European investor.

The Estancia Club – An exclusive luxury golf course community in Scottsdale, Arizona. An equity club, Estancia was turned over to the membership unanimously. The 640-acre (2.6 km²) gated community has achieved the highest average per lot sales price in Arizona for any master planned community at the time. 265 lots are priced from $175,000 to over $1M, with villa product ranging from $900,000 to over $3M.

[edit] Philanthropy

Discovery Land Company has established a charitable foundation (Discovery Land Company Foundation or the Foundation) with a mission to assist communities surrounding each of Discovery’s developments by providing support to programs that serve families and children. The focus of the Foundation today is to assist in the development of innovative high quality foster care programs utilizing residential facilities. The Foundation also contributes to specific groups in need and environmental charities. The Foundation also mentors and connects its charitable grant recipients with additional resources to further their growth and success. Examples of the Foundation’s cooperative partners and grant recipients include: LIVESTRONG - The Lance Armstrong Foundation, Big Brothers & Big Sisters of America, H.O.P.E. Farm Texas, Neighborhood Place of Kona/Youth Development - HI, Whitefish Sports Facility Foundation, Amigos De Los Ninos de Cabo San Lucas Mexico, Friends of the Environment - Abacos The Bahamas, Blue Ridge School Education Foundation - Cashiers NC, Hopi Elementary Scottsdale AZ.