How our decision was reached

It is with a deep sense of humility and sadness that we announce the closing of Pecan Valley Golf Club. After nearly a half-century, it is time for this iconic tract of land to be rededicated and repurposed to become the finest community asset it can be. Fortunately, the current ownership has the vision and capability to make this happen with the reverence and conviction the Southside and Pecan Valley Golf Club deserves.

The underlying reason for this effort is deceptively simple. So much so, the last three ownership groups, with the help of some of the finest golf operators in the United States, could not adequately address the issue. Pecan Valley Golf Club has failed to meet its economic goals consistently for nearly two decades. After over 3 1/2 years of ownership, having considered and attempted every possible scenario to improve the operation and performance of the Club, we can say for certain that it is not a relative price or turf condition issue, nor is it one of customer service. It is more fundamental than any of these factors.

We have discovered that it is the exceptional difficulty of the overall design of the course. That is to say, the vast majority of golfers simply do not relish the unforgiving nature of the layout and they simply do not play it as frequently as they play other venues. In a business that lives and dies on customer satisfaction and the resultant return play, Pecan Valley does not meet the challenge.

Once we discovered that the basic decision to play or not play is based more on overall round enjoyment than simple price, condition and service, we understood that hustle and best efforts are not enough to turn it around. Ultimately, we concluded that it would require a complete redesign and reconstruction of the course to overcome this fatal flaw. Of course, this would mean that the tract would no longer be "Pecan Valley" but rather a vague shadow of its former self.

To further explain, the trend at Pecan Valley over the last decade has generated no return on investment for its current and previous two owners.

So, what will become of Pecan Valley? The current ownership is considering the broader prospect of re-purposing the re-development of this significant Southside asset if there is adequate public benefit and appropriate economic opportunity. The concept is a matter of extensive research and planning grounded in a keen understanding of "highest and best" use on a community scale.

The plan involves several key elements, each linked to the other, whereby a self-supporting, economically sustainable rededication of the land can produce very significant new investment, new employment, new recreational opportunities and the re-vitalization of an area of the Southside that would not have it otherwise. In this scenario a property that is currently on the tax assessor's list at about $3.5 million could transform into a new investment well in excess of $200 million. This new investment will consequently lift surrounding property values in a similar fashion thereby making this area a more attractive and vital asset.