The Latest in Luxury Resort & Real Estate News

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Canada's Okanagan Region to Get New Greg Norman Golf Course

(PEACHLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA) -- Hall of Fame golfer Greg Norman recently announced he will be designing a championship golf course on the former fairways of Ponderosa Golf Course in a new village-oriented development here in Western Canada.

The Ponderosa planned community is situated here along the southeast slope of Pincushion Mountain.

This new $1 billion Ponderosa community, situated on 400 acres within the charming town of Peachland, is a master-planned golf course development by Treegroup Developments Corp. in collaboration with the Westbank First Nation.

Ponderosa will feature spectacular views, a village center, winery, tennis facilities, golf academy, hotel, and approximately 2,000 homes of all price ranges over a 15-year period. The first release of real estate is anticipated to be available Spring 2010.

The Greg Norman Championship Golf Course will provide exciting new challenges for all levels of golfers.

"The character of the site gives us an enormous opportunity to provide a signature course with breathtaking views from all aspects," says Norman. "It's our goal to utilize the natural features of the site, such as the calm backdrop of Lake Okanagan, the Ponderosa pines and the spectacular views to create a unique golf experience."

Treegroup selected West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Greg Norman Golf Course Design to create a golf course worthy of hosting world-class golf events and tournaments, generating additional tourism dollars for the area. The course is scheduled for an official opening in Spring 2011.

"This is an amazing opportunity to bring new jobs to the Peachland area," Treegroup Development CEO Norm Porter said. "Ponderosa is expected to create over 200 commercial and service industry jobs as well as thousands of skilled jobs, most notably in construction, over the next decade. Also, the existing services and amenities of Peachland will complement the new community of Ponderosa beautifully. It's a perfect combination."

In 2007, nearby Kelowna was identified as the fastest-growing municipality in British Columbia and among the 10 fastest-growing cities in Canada. As the gateway to the province's express Coquihalla Highway to the lower mainland, Peachland is an enviable location for residents seeking the excitement of nearby metropolitan amenities while living in a relaxed, four-season environment.

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Dye Designs Announces New Crook Point Resort Golf Club in Central Oregon

(PISTOL RIVER, OR) -- Plans are well underway for a new resort-style golf community here in Central Oregon.  Located on the Pacific Coast, halfway between the coastal communities of Brookings and Gold Beach, the new Crook Point Resort Golf Club was officially introduced to the public in mid-May during a presentation before the Brookings-Harbor Chamber of Commerce.

This scenic stretch of the coastline is already considered one of the premier golf and fishing destinations in the United States.

And now, with a new 18-hole, Dye-designed golf course on the horizon, the natural appeal of Oregon's coast is about to reach new heights with spectacular ocean views leading the way. 

The proposed golf course, scheduled to open for play in the summer of 2011, will be designed by Perry Dye, son of famed golf course architect Pete Dye.

"This is the kind of site a golf architect dreams about," Perry Dye said. "We have the opportunity to take advantage of the beautiful Oregon coast by routing our design along the shoreline and up on the cliff vistas.

"The dramatic landscape and gorgeous views will give this course a uniquely natural feel. I am excited for what Crook Point will surely become - one of the most sought after tee times on the west coast."

Plans for the $20 million destination golf resort project were unveiled by the Crook family and local developer Leroy Blodgett.

Although the 200-acre resort would rival Bandon Dunes, it would be aimed at a clientele different from the business groups that travel to Bandon for two or three days of golf and meetings.

"This would be more a getaway kind of thing," Blodgett told a local reporter, noting that  families would likely stay at cabins on the resort for four or five days. "Maybe they'd play golf. Maybe not. It's a beautiful area."

Although the resort would have an 18-hole, top-rate golf course designed by Denver-based Dye Designs, which has designed 229 golf courses around the world, "our target market is to have a reasonable green fee."

"We're like $115, including a golf cart," Blodgett said, noting that Bandon Dunes is about double the fee.

Besides the 18-hole golf course, the resort would have between 25 and 75 cabins and employee housing, Blodgett said. About 95 percent of the property would remain open space, with a low environmental impact, he said.

Once the guests arrive, they would check in and be issued golf carts, with no cars allowed on the resort. The lodges would range from one to four bedrooms, from 1,000 to 1,850 square feet.

Blodgett said there are currently six vacation rental cabins on the site.

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American Resort Development Association Issues Timeshare Resale Advisory

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- The American Resort Development Association released Sept. 10  two advisories to help consumers and timeshare owners navigate through the secondary market, which includes timeshare resellers, internet advertisers and other resale companies, to ensure a safe and positive sales experience. The advisories were developed to help dispel the growing misinformation and confusion in the secondary marketplace by providing specific tips on reviewing timeshare resale companies, their practices, costs and services in the marketplace.

As a result of the current economic environment, disreputable companies are using unscrupulous tactics to take advantage of owners who may need to sell their timeshares. In fact, several state attorneys general have addressed concerns about resale "scams." Since the resales industry is largely unregulated, ARDA is working with its members, including reputable resale companies, to ensure transparency on both the buying and selling process.

"This is not an indictment of our reputable resale company members, but rather a problem faced by everyone who loves this industry being painted with the same 'timeshare scam' brush," said Howard Nusbaum, president and CEO of ARDA. "We continue to work with stakeholders to craft what we believe will be guidelines for best practices and legislation.

"It's simply a matter of buyer beware.  With the state of the economy today, a large number of our owners are being approached by a variety of companies, with offers of previously unheard of rental revenues or resale prices, and even just "getting out from under" one's timeshare week.  Many of these offers are hard to understand, even for the savviest of timeshare owners."

Added Cindy Thomas, Stoneridge Resort Manager: "Unfortunately, we have heard from many owners who were dissatisfied with the end result of these transactions and little can be done about it after the fact.  As always, if a deal sounds too good to be true, it just might be.  Be aware and be diligent.  Do your own research and check with your own timeshare resort association before doing anything,"

The first of the two consumer advisories focuses on the types of timeshare resellers with four steps to guide consumers through the process: utilizing existing resources, understanding timeshare resale companies, choosing the best option, and following basic rules. The second advisory provides tools to evaluate resale companies with a list of tips. (For further information on resale guidelines including the two advisories, please visit: https://www.arda.org/Content/NavigationMenu/ConsumerInformation/ResaleGuidelines/Resale_Guidelines.htm)

Most importantly, ARDA encourages consumers and timeshare owners to conduct research and due diligence on any resale company or advertiser in advance of paying any money or signing any contract or agreement.

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