Discovery Land Company

Discovery Land Company is a Scottsdale, Arizona-based developer and operator of private residential communities and clubs in North America. The company has been called one of the best developers of resort communities by Robb Report Vacation Homes [1] and Luxury Living[2] magazines.

History

Discovery Land Company was founded in 1994 by Michael S. Meldman with the opening of The Estancia Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, and then the Iron Horse project in Whitefish, Montana. The company has 17 properties in Hawaii, California, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Texas, and North Carolina in the U.S., Los Cabos, Mexico and the Abacos in the Bahamas.

Properties developed

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. The future of the development remains to be decided in court with the Privy Council. The site would cover 610-acre (2.5 km2). The Baker’s Bay Golf & Ocean Club is opposed by environmentalists, particularly marine and coral conservationists, because of the impact of the marina and golf course on nearshore marine environments, including the island's coral reef.

On July 7, 2009, the locals of Great Guana Cay made their environmental case against Baker's Bay Golf & Ocean Club.[3] According to the Privy Council website, the decision regarding the development's future will be on November 17, 2009.

Baker's Bay Golf & Ocean Club is opposed by conservation groups including Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ocean Futures Society and Sierra Club.[4] Litigation against the government and Baker's Bay Club by citizens of Great Guana Cay continue.[5]

El Dorado

El Dorado is a private, gated beachfront community and golf club in Los Cabos, Mexico.[6]

Kukio

Kukio is a private beachfront community and golf club on the Big Island of Hawaiʻi. A private charter airline, the Kona Shuttle, provides transportation from Oakland, California.[7]

Gozzer Ranch

Gozzer Ranch is a lakefront 395-home community and private club located in Northern Idaho in Coeur d’Alene.[8]

The Madison Club

The Madison Club is a private golf club located adjacent to the Hideaway in La Quinta, California.[9]

Mountaintop Golf and Lake Club

Mountaintop Golf and Lake Club is a private golf and residential community in the Highlands-Cashiers region of the western North Carolina mountains.[10]

The Hideaway

The Hideaway is a golf club and residential development in La Quinta, California.[11]

Spanish Oaks Golf Club

Spanish Oaks Golf Club is a private golf club in Austin, Texas.[12]

Foreclosure of Spanish Oaks

In 2010, Spanish Oaks and its owners (Hillwood Partners, Discovery Land Company and CCNG, Inc.) defaulted on their original loan of $34.4 million and was forced into foreclosure. As a result, the property has been closed to its members since July 15, 2010. On September 7, 2010, Spanish Oaks Golf Club was sold in foreclosure to Comerica Bank for a reported $29 million, and although the remaining members of the club have been in talks with Comerica to re-open the golf course for play, no date has been set for this to occur. To date, all facilities, including the member's clubhouse and golf course, remain closed indefinitely.[13]

Mirabel

Mirabel is a gated golf community located covering 713 acres (2.89 km2) of Sonoran Desert terrain in North Scottsdale, at an elevation of 3,000 feet (910 m).[14]

Vaquero

Vaquero is a gated community covering 525 acres (2.12 km2) in Westlake, Texas near Dallas-Fortworth and Alliance airports.[15]

Iron Horse

Iron Horse is a Tom Fazio championship golf course and year round resort covering 820 acres (3.3 km2), in Whitefish, Montana.[16]

Cordevalle Golf Club and Lodge

Cordevalle Golf Club and Lodge was the company’s sole hotel and golf-only project, an invitation-only golf club in Santa Clara County, California. 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

The Estancia Club is a luxury golf course community in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Yellowstone Club

In 2008, the Discovery Land Company entered an agreement with Yellowstone Club, establishing a long-term partnership for development and management.[17] In 2009 the Yellowstone Club was purchased and brought out of bankruptcy by investors led by CrossHarbor Capital Partners, including a 5 percent share by Discovery Land Company.[18]

Philanthropy

Discovery Land Company has established a charitable foundation to assist communities concerning each of its developments; it currently assists in developing foster care programs utilizing residential facilities. The Foundation also contributes to environmental charities. The Foundation mentors its charitable grant recipients and provides them with resources.

External links

References

  1. ↑ Development Newsmaker of the Year 2007, Golf Inc., March 21, 2007.
  2. ↑ Leading Man, Luxury Living, February–March 2007.
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ Prime Minister says Baker's Bay serves national interest of the Bahamas, Bahamas Weekly, December 12, 2007.
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ http://www.eldoradogolfandbeachclub.com
  7. ↑ http://www.kukio.com
  8. ↑ http://www.gozzerranchclub.com
  9. ↑
  10. ↑
  11. ↑
  12. ↑
  13. ↑ Lender reclaims Spanish Oaks at foreclosure auction, Austin Statesman, September 7, 2010.
  14. ↑
  15. ↑
  16. ↑
  17. ↑ Press Release:Yellowstone Club Enters into Agreement with Discovery Land Company, Business Wire, September 2, 2008.
  18. ↑ Yellowstone Club revival, Bozeman Daily Chronicle, January 2, 2011.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Thursday, December 17, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.