Cordillera Group to rehab Colorado's Crested Butte

Golf Course News, Nov 2001 by Saunders, Doug

CRESTED BUTTE, Colo. - In a departure from its primary role as a developer, the Cordillera Group has taken on the ambitious task of revitalizing the flagging Crested Butte Golf Club.

The Cordillera Group has transformed itself into a golf management firm after the strong success of its first venture, the Cordillera Resort and Community near Vail. Since its opening in 1992, they have built four courses on the 6,500-acre site as well as creating high-end private clubs near Steamboat Springs, Colo., and Santa Rosa, California. The property at Crested Butte interested the group because of the unique atmosphere of the region and the possibility of incorporating the ski area property as an amenity for its club members around the state.

"We recognized immediately how special this property was and what a great value it represents in comparison to other Colorado ski towns," explained Gerry Engle, CEO of Cordillera Group.

In addition to beefing up the maintenance staff and budget, the firm has made more than $1 million in capital improvements including a major renovation of the clubhouse, an increase in the maintenance shop space, and the renovation and expansion of the driving range. Superintendent Steve Rau and Tim Taagen, director of golf course maintenance for the Cordillera Group, are also working on a series of projects to improve the water features, wetlands, and natural areas on the golf course itself.

WEATHERING TOUGH TIMES

Crested Butte Golf Club was built in 1982 in this ski town located in the southwest corner of the Colorado Rockies. The 7,208-yard course flows over a massive 520-acre site located at 9,000 feet, above sea level. Architect Robert Trent Jones Jr. created a course with large fairways and well protected multi-tiered greens.

But like many other projects built in the mid-80's, it suffered from some economic setbacks as the oil economy in neighboring Texas began to slow.

"Through the first ten years I worked here we had several club managers and the instability was felt in constricted budgets for maintenance," said Steve Rau. "For years I worked with a crew of eight men. I would always develop plans for projects that I hoped to do some day, and just made sure that the basics were always taken care of."

Things began to turn around in 1996 when Rick Devine took over ownership of the golf course and surrounding property. Devine hoped to upgrade the facilities and course to help drive surrounding home sales. He began to put some cash infusion into the golf course by purchasing much-needed equipment for Rau's crew. However, when Devine needed more financial support, he turned to Cordillera.

After Devine developed a partnership with the firm last year, Rau met with Taagen to develop a game plan to bring the course up to their standards.

Taagen knew it would take a long-range approach to bring the course back, but he developed a plan to create immediate changes that would excite the existing membership. Cordillera increased Rau's budget from $390,000 to $550,000 and bought a slew of new equipment. Rau's crew was also bumped up to 21 men.

"Our members noticed the improvements. It was such a change hand mowing the greens instead of using the triplex like we had for years. We also could do more aerification in the spring around the tees and greens," Rau said.

The Cordillera Group's philosophy is that everything should be done top drawer and that idea carries through every facet of a club. "We have embarked on a five year program to upgrade Crested Butte," Taagen said. "We will eventually install a new irrigation system and get the golf course on to the same maintenance program that we use on our six other golf courses. Then we can do purchasing as a group for all of our facilities."