Eagle Creek sold (maybe)

[Section Thirty One]

The deal did not fall through.

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!

[John]

Now thats a rumour! How the heck do you know for a fact that the deal didn't fall through?

[PEI Golfing]

Ok, so Chris Stevenson has now changed his story today from yesterday. Apparently the CL deal for EC has fallen through........ http://www.blog.canoe.ca/chris

Lets just look at the list of facts though :

(i) According to Dan, Andre Lacasse had cancelled his feature course listing for 2007 to save costs. EC has been a client since Feb 1997........

So, I guess Dan should be getting a phone call shortly to continue the listing of EC........if the deal is dead ??? I am sure Dan will let us know when that happens.

(ii) EC members are actually purchasing memberships at another "championship" nearby club .

If the deal was still in question, I am trying to figure out why these EC members could not have waited..........I am sure Andre would have not have stood by if there was no completed deal and watched a large number of his regular EC players sign up at another championship course..............

These are still the big questions............???

Lets see how many times Chris will change his story???
I wonder if the Ottawa Sun will run his Blog story from today in tomorrow's paper??
My guess is they will back off the story until there is an official announcement.....

[bbad]

I would guess that when somebody had "officially" called André (due to the speculation in the press etc) and asked him if the deal was on or not, he probably said 'no comment'. I would imagine that CL (if they have bought it) is doing their financial due dillegence.

I highly doubt that André would let the cat out of the bag if the ink from the bank has not been officially dried, because if the deal did not go through, then......

Just my 2 cents.

[Thunder]

Like stated in post #82 PEI GOLFING, the "unofficial members" of EC have not purchased any memberships elsewhere but have only shopped around. They are waiting to here the final decision just like everybody else. Yes negotiations have been made but that does not mean anything is a done deal. If given the opportunity they will be back at the best course in the city. I have heard we will know everything by next week. Lets just wait andsee rather than speculate and assume. By the way who are you PEI and how did you here about the EC boys...???

[PEI Golfing]

I am just an old retired guy from PEI. Found that word travels as fast in Ottawa as it does back home on the Island.

Look forward to the official announcement this coming week.

[jonf]

I would guess that when somebody had "officially" called André (due to the speculation in the press etc) and asked him if the deal was on or not, he probably said 'no comment'. I would imagine that CL (if they have bought it) is doing their financial due dillegence.

I highly doubt that André would let the cat out of the bag if the ink from the bank has not been officially dried, because if the deal did not go through, then......

Just my 2 cents.

Its certainly very POSSIBLE that that is the case. But at this point, with no verifiable information from any of the important sources, it is just as possible that there is no deal whatsoever. I am saving my tears for the day it is actually officially announced that EC has left us poor green fee payers behind.

[bbad]

Its certainly very POSSIBLE that that is the case. But at this point, with no verifiable information from any of the important sources, it is just as possible that there is no deal whatsoever. I am saving my tears for the day it is actually officially announced that EC has left us poor green fee payers behind.

Losing this course for public play will be a major setback for the area, of that I am in complete agreement. Even though I am a CL member I can appreciate the concerns for the non-CL members. But as they say, it is what it is

What amazes me is the amount of rumours that are floating around town about this It's a done deal, no it's not....Personally I'm almost at the point where I don't care anymore. WE can't control this so why get all worked up over it.

[covanant]

Losing this course for public play will be a major setback for the area, of that I am in complete agreement. Even though I am a CL member I can appreciate the concerns for the non-CL members. But as they say, it is what it is

What amazes me is the amount of rumours that are floating around town about this It's a done deal, no it's not....Personally I'm almost at the point where I don't care anymore. WE can't control this so why get all worked up over it.

Thats a good point,theres nothing anybody can do.
The great big cash machine will continue rolling.
One day we will be doing this again over E.L and Stonebridge

[PEI Golfing]

Or maybe Edgewood..... Clublink needs a new Silver level to replace Hautes de Plaines moving up to Gold...............

[Marcos]

Boy i am glad i started this.Look at all the people who are into this story.Makes for good reading every day.

[bbad]

Or maybe Edgewood..... Clublink needs a new Silver level to replace Hautes de Plaines moving up to Gold...............

I'd say Pineview...great location and the city is losing money there.....hmmmmmm

l

[GolfOttawa]

The Ottawa Hunt Club is renovating their clubhouse, who knows cl might be waiting for them finish before they by them out?

[dasnutz]

i am so sick of clublink. Next topic?

[PEI Golfing]

Clublink will never go away. Its like the Bad Bird Flu Virus.........keeps spreading.........and spreading.........Once it infects its next bird "Eagle" Creek it will move on to the next.............

[fundonny]

I've only golfed one Clublink course - Le Maitre - and they treated my group like garbage, I assume because we weren't CL members. That turned me off for good. But you can't rag on them for doing business. We have a ton of public courses here in Ottawa and what, four CL courses if they buy EC?

[PEI Golfing]

I also have had minimal experience on Clublink courses. I played Greyhawk & Kanata Lakes both in charity tournaments. When playing Greyhawk there had been a fair amount of rain for a few days and most of the bunkers were not draining with small lakes in them. As the front nine of Talon was completely closed due to water sitting, we played the back nine of Predator & back nine of Talon.
I believe it was #10 Talon that has the small lake on the right. Well the lake had extended itself across the middle of the fairway. Also, we were using what appeared to be old gas powered golf carts which definetely had seen better days.

So then last year I had the chance to play in another charity tournament, which was held at Kanata Lakes. I thought, great I will now be playing on a Platinum
Clublink course. Again I was very disappointed from the inability to hit a driver or any long clubs at the range, (if thats what you want to call it). Then the course seemed to have no imagination as it wound its way around the back yards of Kanata Lakes. The finishing hole #18 was so "weak".......
However, what really struck me was I never felt I was on a golf course. It felt like I was in someone's backyard or public park. We had to wait a number of times for High School students to stop crossing the fairways. Apparently, they use it as a short cut to get home from school.........There did not seem to be any Marshall's to get them off the course. And when you are trying to address a shot and a lady is "whipper snipping" her backyard weeds a few yards from you, that just doesn't cut it.

I understand people pay $22,500 to join Kanata Lakes. I can not believe it......!!!!
Thats why "should" Eagle Creek become Clublink how can you even classify it in the same category as Kanata Lakes. My guess is that the Kanata Lakes members will be fighting for tee times at Eagle Creek...........

[DewDuster]

I mentioned this on a previous thread on ClubLink and Eagle Creek, but I'll say it again.

Why isn't anyone responding to the rumours? Well for starters, ClubLink is a public company, buying Eagle Creek would be a material transaction and anyone directly involved would potentially risk serious repercussions if they were to respond prematurely. There would be a few peripheral people involved with a deal like this (attorneys, accountants, PR) that would have knowledge of a deal, so maybe that is where the "rock solid source" is coming from.

Why would either Clublink or Andre Lacasse would jeopardize the deal or undergo the scrutiny of the Ontario Securities Commission by saying something early or responding to rumours with anything other "no comment".

Again, not to say there isn't a deal as accurate rumours on pending acquisitions happen all the time in every industry, but to expect Lacasse to come out and say anything before any official announcement is ridiculous.

[bbad]

I mentioned this on a previous thread on ClubLink and Eagle Creek, but I'll say it again.

Why isn't anyone responding to the rumours? Well for starters, ClubLink is a public company, buying Eagle Creek would be a material transaction and anyone directly involved would potentially risk serious repercussions if they were to respond prematurely. There would be a few peripheral people involved with a deal like this (attorneys, accountants, PR) that would have knowledge of a deal, so maybe that is where the "rock solid source" is coming from.

Why would either Clublink or Andre Lacasse would jeopardize the deal or undergo the scrutiny of the Ontario Securities Commission by saying something early or responding to rumours with anything other "no comment".

Again, not to say there isn't a deal as accurate rumours on pending acquisitions happen all the time in every industry, but to expect Lacasse to come out and say anything before any official announcement is ridiculous.

Well said

[PEI Golfing]

Agree completely !!! Andre will not say anything "public" as it would jeopardize the deal.
I think what has everyone wondering is as previously posted........:

(i) According to Dan, Andre Lacasse had cancelled his feature course listing for 2007 to save costs. EC has been a client since Feb 1997........

(ii) EC regular players are actually "inquirying " about memberships at another "championship" nearby club . Better use the word "inquirying" for now........

I think if something was not about to happen Andre would put a BIG STOP to his regular EC players from "inquirying" down the road........

Why this "potential pending sale" has leaked out from the few peripheral people involved with the deal is anybody's guess.........??? Somebody has loose lips........

[MrMulligan]

I have been a member of Clublink for 3 years and I have had no problems with any Employee of ClubLink. In fact, I have gotten to know a few well over the years and have had pleasant experiences at their other clubs with Le Maitre being a standout dealing with the staff. Before joining ClubLink though, I had numerous run-ins with Marshalls, clubhouse staff and even one with a starter on the public courses in Ottawa. Some of my worst experiences have been at the Nation and Emerald Links.

I belive that non-ClubLink members are either intimidated by going into a ClubLink clubhouse or have completley unrealistic expectations of what kind of treatment their going to receive.

ClubLink does it right. They purchase courses that would otherwise be closed or are having financial problems, fix them up and provide an attractive membership to their patrons. Sure, it can be a bit costly but anyone who buys a membership at a golf course must be committed to playing 50+ rounds a summer. It doesn't matter what course it is, you will not get your moneys worth from a membership when you play once a week. If that's the case, you shouldn't consider a membership.

I understand that some may be disappointed that Eagle Creek - which is probably ranked 1 or 2 on everyones top 10 local courses - may be purchased and become private but how often do you play it? If it's only once or twice a year then it shouldn't be a problem to find a ClubLink member to golf there with. If it's more than 10, get a membership at Haute Plaines and play Eagle Creek all you want.

The majority of the upset people probably just like having the option of playing Eagle Creek and probably play it once every few years anyway.

As for Kanata Lakes, I agree with a previous poster on the board and find it hard to believe that this course is a Platinum course. The backyard feel is brutal and the amount of non golfers on the course can be frustrating. I live on the East end of town and much prefer the extra 20 minute drive to Tremblant (Which is the best course I have ever played - great hole changes throughout and elevation challenges).

On a final note, I hope Clublink never purchases a track like Emerald Links. If they're going to purchase a course in that category they would be better of buying Pineview for it's location. That will probably never happen though as the land is owned by the city and part of the greenbelt...

[albatrossman]

Less than three weeks into the new year and the CL rumours have started again. I can hardly wait for spring (or more global warming) so I can get my clubs out and escape the CL stories. However, I am glad that I got in my annual game at Eagle Creek just before they closed for the winter. Picking up Eagle Creek would be a big boost for CL in Ottawa. It would probably help the other top-end public courses if the major competition was removed.

[Hacker]

Less than three weeks into the new year and the CL rumours have started again. I can hardly wait for spring (or more global warming) so I can get my clubs out and escape the CL stories. However, I am glad that I got in my annual game at Eagle Creek just before they closed for the winter. Picking up Eagle Creek would be a big boost for CL in Ottawa. It would probably help the other top-end public courses if the major competition was removed.

Excellent point - If I'm Loch March or The Marshes I'm saying Come on CL, Close this deal!!!

[MusicMan]

Excellent point - If I'm Loch March or The Marshes I'm saying Come on CL, Close this deal!!!

diddo! one less highend courses in the city... expect marshes and the lock to raise prices if this goes down?

[PEI Golfing]

Yes, I did mention in a number of my posts over the past week that the Marshes will benefit greatly "when".... "if"....the deal goes down.

As for green fees, they will likely not be affected immediately. It will take at least the season to assess the number of players and demand. I know that during the off-peak times (after 12:00 noon on Weekends) quite often there was nobody else within 3-4 holes of you . I expect that this off peak period is what the Marshes would like to fill. As per my previous posts I "understand" a large number of EC players have been "inquirying" about the off-peak Golf memberships
http://www.brookstreet.ca/golf/memberships.html Also know of EC players inquirying about joining the Wed. evening 9-hole Mens League. This league has been full the past 2 years, so unless they run an additional evening the EC guys will have to look at empty spots to fill/spare on already existing teams.

[PEI Golfing]

Posted this evening on Chris Stevenson's Ottawa Sun Blog.............Stay tuned....

Eagle Creek’s fate TBD


ClubLink is apparently still very interested in acquiring the Eagle Creek Golf Course in Dunrobin and negotiations are supposedly continuing between ClubLink and Eagle Creek owner Andre Lacasse, according to industry sources.
The negotiations have been on-again, off-again, but apparently have heated up and more news could be forthcoming early next week.
ClubLink, which owns a network of about 40 courses in Ontario and Quebec, would like to add Eagle Creek to its stable of courses which include Kanata Golf and Country Club, Haute Plaines and GreyHawk in the national capital region.
Stay tuned.

[Section Thirty One]

[jvincent]

Proving yet again, that until the deal is done, it isn't done.

[Kilroy]

Gee and so many people "In the know" were saying it's a done deal.

It may happen, it may not. "early next week" is getting old too. If we were holding our breath, we'd be blue.

[leftylucas]

Maybe the article is based on readings by the author on this forum