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BajaNews
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Tiger's Punta Brava golf course still on track
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/07/tigers-course...
By Sandra Dibble
February 7, 2010
Tiger Woods has been on leave from professional golf, but his widely reported personal problems are not the reason for delays in launching a luxury
development outside Ensenada where he is designing a golf course, say promoters and government officials with knowledge of the project.
Developers of Punta Brava, located on a peninsula about 65 miles south of San Diego, say the permitting process has moved more slowly than they
expected, but they count on breaking ground this year and opening in 2012.
Developers say they have maintained their close working relationship with Woods, who has not said when he will resume golfing professionally.
“No matter what, Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world, and there is nobody else that we would rather have design our golf course than the best
golfer in the world,” said Brian Tucker, founder and principal of Punta Brava and a vice president of The Flagship Group, the project’s development
company.
When Punta Brava was announced Oct. 7, 2008, “the world was a different place,” Tucker said. While the economic downturn has brought coastal real
estate development in Baja California to a virtual standstill, Tucker said Punta Brava is moving forward. Since the launching, 167 prospective buyers
have been flown down to tour the site, he said, and have shown enthusiasm for the project.
Sales won’t begin until next February, said Susan Wise, spokeswoman for The Flagship Group.
“We’re not selling 600 units of condos,” Tucker said. “This is to be one of the singular golf clubs in the world.”
With views of the ocean at every tee or green, the Tiger Woods golf course is the centerpiece of the development planned at the tip of the Punta Banda
peninsula overlooking Todos Santos Bay. The project includes 120 units, with prices starting at $3 million for a lot and $3.5 million for a
condominium, according to information released at the project’s unveiling.
Punta Brava’s financial backer is Red McCombs, co-founder of Clear Channel Communications and former owner of the San Antonio Spurs, the Denver
Nuggets and Minnesota Vikings. McCombs is a principal of The Flagship Group, headed by the Austin-based developer Brady Oman. The project’s estimated
cost is $100 million.
Construction was scheduled to begin in early 2009 and be completed in 2010, according to the Tiger Woods Design Web site. The site lists Punta Brava
as one of three designed by Woods; the others are in North Carolina and Dubai.
Baja California Tourism Secretary Oscar Escobedo Carignan said the project is an important step in projecting the state as a “sand and sea”
destination, a term for oceanfront resorts that feature natural beauty. While Punta Brava would have no beaches, it is a dramatic natural setting with
views of the ocean on three sides.
The developers say they are taking care to minimize the project’s environmental impact. A group of opponents to the project, the Viva Punta Banda
Coalition, says the development threatens one of the few remaining areas of marine coastal sage scrub in Baja California and will require large
amounts of water in an area where water supplies are scarce. The opponents say the project’s desalination plant will discharge brine sludge into the
ocean, threatening marine ecosystems.
Tucker said that it has taken “way longer” than expected to get permits. The proposal passed a key hurdle late last year when Mexico’s Environmental
Ministry gave a green light to the project, said Escobedo, the tourism secretary.
The area still needs a land-use change to allow for a tourist development. Linda Salazar, an official with Ensenada’s Urban Administration
Secretariat, said federal environmental officials are expected to act in the next two weeks.
Another hurdle that the project must clear is a detailed review by Mexico’s National Institute for Anthropology and History, or INAH. Archaeologists
familiar with the region say the site holds important remains of groups from as far back as 10,000 years ago.
INAH conducted a preliminary study last year, but needs to conduct a more extensive review before the project can move forward, according to the
institute’s Baja California office. The study would be paid by the developer, but conducted by INAH.
Julia Bendimez, INAH’s director in Baja California, said the institute is prepared to conduct its review of the archaeological sites on the property,
an area known as La Lobera.
“The salvage effort will begin when the company needs it,” Bendimez said.
------------------
Photo by John Gibbins
Punta Brava sales team member Ryan Osterdorf teed off at what would be the location of the golf course’s 10th tee.
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bajadogs
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Man I hate golf.
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ElFaro
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Punta Brave Golf Course Article - Update
An interesting read...
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/feb/07/tigers-course...
There is a "reader comment" following the article claiming a buddy's ranch nearby was made to cap their water wells by the government.
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Woooosh
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I'll bet a few readers eyebrows raised at the price points: building lots start at $3Mil and condos at $3.5Mil- with no beach. You gotta really love
golf and isolation and have more money that brains. It's like being in Mexico without really being there- so what's the point? For those readers who
knew nothing of this project before this article- I'll bet they are still scratching their heads...
[Edited on 2-8-2010 by Woooosh]
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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Martyman
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Man I love golf!
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Woooosh
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Martyman
Man I love golf! |
I thought I would too until I played the Real del Mar course in Rosarito norte. All those canyons and narrow fairways. Think I lost a dozen balls in
9 holes. I never even finished my SD Golf Center lesson package... lol
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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bajabound2005
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they could make a couple of 18 hole courses out of the road from Maneadero to La Bufadora and Punta Brava right now. The pot holes could be made into
water traps and sand traps. It's UNBELIEVABLY bad.
Friends don't let friends drink white zinfandel.
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Udo
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I love fishin' and it's only a few hundred feet from the proposed golf course.
| Quote: | Originally posted by Martyman
Man I love golf! |
Udo
Youth is wasted on the young!
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajabound2005
they could make a couple of 18 hole courses out of the road from Maneadero to La Bufadora and Punta Brava right now. The pot holes could be made into
water traps and sand traps. It's UNBELIEVABLY bad. |
Only enough noise from the cruise ship tour buses will get sombody's attention. It can't be far off. It's bad.
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wilderone
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This project is far from "on track". If it were "on track" it would be almost finished - originally scheduled to open in 2010. They haven't even
started yet and there are still significant hurdles. INAH indicates a "salvage effort". Not sure what that means, but if they are going to do a
proper excavation to retrieve artifacts and/or catalogue and map the site, it will take some time. And they can't sell any units yet. There may be
people flying down for free to take a look, but are they collecting deposits? Do they have letters of intent? Can they state with specificity that
they have buyers? There won't be a development without buyers. Brian tucker is blowing smoke.
"INAH conducted a preliminary study last year, but needs to conduct a more extensive review before the project can move forward, according to the
institute’s Baja California office. The study would be paid by the developer, but conducted by INAH. Julia Bendimez, INAH’s director in Baja
California, said the institute is prepared to conduct its review of the archaeological sites on the property, an area known as La Lobera.
“The salvage effort will begin when the company needs it,” Bendimez said.
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k-rico
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"The project includes 120 units, with prices starting at $3 million"
so that's a minimum of $360 million
"The project’s estimated cost is $100 million."
nice profit margin - what a bunch of BS.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by wilderone
but are they collecting deposits? Do they have letters of intent? Can they state with specificity that they have buyers? |
If there's a yes to any of those questions, you and I would be the last to know. I doubt they're concerned with our approval or opinions.
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Dave
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Woooosh
I'll bet a few readers eyebrows raised at the price points: building lots start at $3Mil and condos at $3.5Mil- with no beach. You gotta really love
golf and isolation and have more money that brains. It's like being in Mexico without really being there- so what's the point?
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No one would spend 3mil for a home in Mexico this close to the border without being isolated from all the crap.
So...being in Mexico without really being there is the point.
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k-rico
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Dave
So...being in Mexico without really being there is the point. |
For sure, if this works it will be an exclusive crowd, certainly excluding me. I would like to hang out at the bar where Tiger's fan club congregates.
Not that I have a chance.
I wonder if the clientele will helicopter to "Fine dining and pool tables" Sharky's for some fun.
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Dave
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Not a chance
| Quote: | Originally posted by k-rico
I wonder if the clientele will helicopter to "Fine dining and pool tables" Sharky's for some fun. |
And my guess is any of the 'locals' who venture too close to the compound will be shot.
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DENNIS
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Dave
So...being in Mexico without really being there is the point. |
Another thing...if these uber-wealthy folks do want to be out and about in Mexico, it won't be Ensenada or Punta Banda.
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Sharksbaja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by k-rico
| Quote: | Originally posted by Dave
So...being in Mexico without really being there is the point. |
For sure, if this works it will be an exclusive crowd, certainly excluding me. I would like to hang out at the bar where Tiger's fan club congregates.
Not that I have a chance.
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I dunno, are you a blond?
DON\'T SQUINT! Give yer eyes a break!
Try holding down [control] key and toggle the [+ and -] keys
Viva Mulege!
Nomads\' Sunsets
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Dave
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Doesn't matter
| Quote: | Originally posted by Sharksbaja
I dunno, are you a blond? |
Everything will be imported.
'Putas' included.
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Bajahowodd
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"The area still needs a land-use change to allow for a tourist development. Linda Salazar, an official with Ensenada’s Urban Administration
Secretariat, said federal environmental officials are expected to act in the next two weeks."
If granted, could this be the first domino in the Punta Banda area? Lots of ejido land could be coaxed into development. Of course, not in such a
ridiculously high-brow manner. But, just wondering.
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wilderone
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"If there's a yes to any of those questions, you and I would be the last to know. I doubt they're concerned with our approval or opinions."
A basic selling technique is to pique interest and develop a momentum by announcing "50% sold" or bragging that that there are confirmed buyers once
the zoning or permits are in place, or simply stating a business status report as with condo purchases in the US - how many vacant, how many in
foreclosure, how many sold but not yet constructed, how many deposits. Even announcing that the developer can negotiate with an interested buyer with
a letter of intent, would indicate good faith dealing on both sides and more commitment to follow-through. but he best they can say is that sales
won't begin until "NEXT February" - year from now? Certainly not "on track" and a lot can happen within a year, as can be seen what happened last year
re the project.
Just saying that people are flying down to look at them doesn't mean a thing. If I were interested, I would want to know that other wealthy people
who have also seen them would concur with my own opinion; accordingly, a seller would be able to state that they have potential buyers as a result of
the viewing. As a seller, I'd state that buyers from Connecticut, Spain and Montana have expressed interest - or whatever. They state diddly. I saw
Brian Tucker on TV last week talking to the guy who does the Money Matters show on Sundays about buying property in Mexico. He didn't say a word
about the Punta Brava project. Why? Maybe it's just not viable yet - maybe too many hurdles to clear before he can even make them for sale. That
whole article is just hype: “This is to be one of the singular golf clubs in the world.”
What is a "singular" golf club? And that puts us at Square One. Very wealthy people are not going to cross the border in TJ and drive a couple hours
to play golf. If they boat in, they need a decent protected dock. If they fly in, they need to have supplemental transportation from the airstrip to
the course. They will necessarily need golf club amenities - capital, common improvements. They already will be paying Tiger about $6 million for
the course design. That's a lot of capex out of the chute.
Let's wait until February 2011 for the next report.
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