Henderson’s Legacy Golf Course set to reopen
After an unexpected and sudden closure and ongoing legal disputes, Legacy Golf Club in Henderson is set to reopen Friday.
And Par Excellence Drive Trust, LLC owners Georges Maalouf and Eddie Haddad are confident the course has never looked better.
“The course condition is better than it’s ever been in the past several years,” Maalouf told the Las Vegas Review-Journal Thursday. “I think golfers will be very pleased with the course, and it’s only going to get better over time.”
As of Wednesday, the golf course had 60 golfers who scheduled tee times for opening day, Haddad said.
“We’re very excited about the opening,” Haddad said. “What an opportune time for golf. The weather is absolutely beautiful and we welcome everyone to come out and enjoy it.”
Legal battles continue
Par Trust closed the course July 5, and homeowners in the 350-home Grand Legacy Association soon went to court. Fearing the new owners would try to raze the course and build homes, the homeowners sued, arguing that the property is restricted from development for another 21 years.
Two other HOA groups — bringing to about 2,000 the total number of residents trying to stave off development — later joined the fight, and a trial has been scheduled for March.
Tom Sarnelli, a board member of the Grand Legacy association, said the lawsuit will remain to ensure that the 177-acre, 18-hole course remains open until 2038, as stated in the deed restriction.
Haddad and Maalouf have said they want to work with the residents, who remain distrustful of the new golf course owners.
“We’re not disputing the idea that this land can only be developed as a golf course, but that obligation ends in about 20 years,” Maalouf said. “We’d like to give homeowners the certainty that the course will remain as a golf course long past the 20 years.”
The owners said they plan to meet with the surrounding homeowner association boards in the coming months to discuss their vision, which may involve “limited development that includes additional amenities for the homeowners and some type of turf reduction.”
“The golf course is not designed with our desert climate or water conservation in mind,” Maalouf said.
They hired golf course architect Patrick Burton to “enhance” the golf course.
“We want to be clear, that we will keep away from those areas occupied by residents,” Haddad said. “Our goals are one in the same. We’re just trying to make the course financially feasible.”
Homeowners surrounding Legacy remain wary.
“This is nowhere near being over,” resident Rick Carter said. “They are not disclosing what’s going on. Let’s start with the fact that they bought this property with two named people and seven blind trusts. Who is behind the trusts? What are they hiding?”
Additionally, Carter said home values have dropped by $60 to 90,000 due to the uncertainty of the golf course’s fate.
“Our single biggest asset is our home,” Carter said. “That’s given us a lot of anxiety.”
Contact Sandy Lopez at slopez@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4686. Follow @JournalismSandy on Twitter.
