The Jones Creek Clubhouse was sold to a Florida entrepreneur a few weeks ago following disagreements between the former local owner and neighborhood residents over what to do with the property.
Jones Creek Clubhouse LLC is the new owner of the nearly 35-year-old clubhouse at 777 Jones Creek and will spend the next year repairing and restoring the “historic facility,” according to an announcement on jonescreekclubhouse.com from the group’s managing partner, entrepreneur Robbi Raitt.
The new owner, who has spent 40 years in the hospitality industry, said in a statement that he looks forward to welcoming the community back to the clubhouse following renovations.
“We are excited about the future of Jones Creek and look forward to being a valued neighbor as we undertake the challenge of restoring and renewing the Clubhouse,” he said.
Jones Creek Clubhouse LLC paid $650,000 for the land, the building and the furnishings, including the furniture, kitchen equipment and decorations, according to spokesman Chris Schroder. The new deed is expected to be filed at the Columbia County Courthouse on Tuesday or Wednesday, he said.
“There is not really any more for the new owner to say than what is in the statement as they are just getting started in the process,” Schroder said.
Architects and engineers are currently evaluating the structure, which needs “a lot of work,” the announcement said.
The property was formerly owned by local homebuilder Mark Herbert’s company MBH Holding Inc., which bought it in October 2019. Jones Creek residents were upset when Herbert talked of turning the clubhouse into a restaurant.
Jones Creek Clubhouse LLC acknowledged the neighborhood’s fight to restore the property in the hopes that the shuttered golf course will reopen one day following the driving range’s reopening.
“Our new ownership group is mindful of the sad journey the golf course has taken the past five years since it closed in September 2018 and fell into disrepair,” the announcement said.
The group would like to see the abandoned course reopened but, so far, no one has come forward with the capital to make that happen, it said. If the course is reopened one day, the group will “welcome it with open arms,” according to the announcement.
“When we were approached to purchase the Clubhouse without the assurance of knowing what the future of the course might be, we embraced the chance to save this building,” the group said.
