The Wharf to Purchase Golf Course

AIG Baker plans to purchase Gulf Shores club by Feb. 21, open course in May for owners, guests

Published By Mobile Press Register
Sunday, February 11, 2007
By KATHY JUMPERReal Estate Editor

Developers of The Wharf on the Intracoastal Waterway will soon have another perk for owners -- a golf course.
AIG Baker plans to purchase the Gulf Shores Golf Club on Clubhouse Drive in downtown Gulf Shores by Feb. 21, according to Alex Baker, president of AIG, which is based in Birmingham.
The newly renovated course will be renamed The Golf Club at The Wharf and open for play in early May, he said. Owners and guests at The Wharf off Canal Road in Orange Beach can take a shuttle to the golf course -- about a five-minute trek.
"We have the most comprehensive package of amenities on the Gulf Coast at The Wharf," Baker said. "But it was clear to us that golf was an important amenity, not just for the owners, but as a rental amenity."
As owners of the golf course, AIG Baker can control tee times, which can be difficult to reserve in resort communities, according to Baker.
The Wharf is a mixed-use project on 220 acres that includes retail, residential, entertainment and marina facilities. The amenities for its condo owners and guests also include pools, a mile-long boardwalk, fishing, boating and an amphitheater.
The golf course will be available when The Wharf's first condominium units open this summer at the 190-unit Levin's Bend, according to Beason Wilkes, project manager for AIG Baker.
The golf club members, whose average age is 66, had recently spent $5 million to reconstruct the 42-year-old course and pay off debt. They had planned to build and sell 168 condominium units on 10 acres next to the course, according to members.
Last November, the majority of the 274 club members voted to sell the course to AIG Baker. Under the purchase contract, each member can continue as a club member for seven years, or can be bought out by Baker for $5,000.
The purchase price will not be revealed until the deal closes, but members indicated the price will cover the $5 million debt and then some.
An overwhelming majority approved the sale, and most of the members are expected to stay with the club, according to Rea Schuessler, head pro and club manager.
Baker said he would like to develop some residential units on the golf course in the future, but will soon start construction on a new clubhouse and new golf cart and maintenance facilities.
Buying the golf course "is a smart move on their part," said Paul Wesch of The Mitchell Company, one of the developers of Bama Bayou, a development similar to The Wharf and nearby on the Intracoastal Waterway. "Tee times were one of the driving factors behind the Beau Rivage owners building a $30 million golf course in Biloxi. They wanted control of the scheduling so when high rollers came in, they didn't have to fight for a tee time."
Bama Bayou, a $300 million-plus project under construction, will feature Gulf World, a marine park with dolphins; a water park with exotic animals and sea life; 1,100 hotel and condo units; and a convention center.
"The Wharf is attempting to be an all inclusive, catch-all for all folks," said Kevin Corcoran, owner of REMAX of Gulf Shores. "When you don't have the immediate appeal of the Gulf, you make up for it in size or square footage and amenities. The Wharf's retail and attractions are strong, and they have a beautiful marina."
"The golf course has been well received by everybody who's seen it," since the renovations, Schuessler said. "We're ready to get people out here and enjoy golfing again."
The father-son course design team of Jay and Carter Morrish of Dallas renovated the course.
First to hit the redesigned links will be players in the Ken Stabler Alabama Celebrity Classic tournament on April 13.