The rumor mill in Columbia County exploded recently when it was discovered that a grading permit had been sought to build what was assumed to be a 30,000 square foot hospitality house located right on the grounds of Champions Retreat Golf Course.
Adding speculation to the rumor mill is the fact that the land is owned by a corporation, Biofuel Reserve, LLC, and the planned development is referred to as the “Biofuel House at Riverwood Parkway.”
There was also conjecture that the mystery man behind the plans is a Russian oligarch.
Some residents began to worry that Augusta National might decide to hold the annual Women’s Amateur Championship somewhere else if a huge hospitality house is built on the grounds of the golf course.
However, authorities say that almost none of what is being passed along the grapevine is true.
The house is to be constructed on a nearly 10 acre parcel located at 5196 Riverwood Parkway; however, the grading permit is more like a landscaping permit and should not be used as an indication of how large the house will be when completed.
Columbia County Commission Chairman Doug Duncan looked into the matter and said that he and County Manager Scott Johnson found that the corporation is owned by South Africa native Kurt Malzer and that the building is being planned as a single family home, not a hospitality house.
“(Malzer) has not petitioned for a zoning change, the property is inside the gates and meets the conditions of the PUD, the planned urban development,” Duncan said.
If the plan called for the building to be a hospitality house, it would have to be zoned to allow for commercial development and the owner would need a business license.
“It is definitely going to be a pretty nice house, but it is not a commercial property; it’s a single family home in a neighborhood and that is perfectly legal,” Duncan said.
The plot of land is on the course where other homes exist, not on the two courses used by Augusta National.
When contacted, Malzer found it humorous that people thought he was a Russian billionaire.
“I am building this house so my business partners have a place to stay when they spend long amounts of time here. But I can assure you the house is not really that big and it will not be used as any kind of a party house,” Malzer said with his distinctive South African accent.
Scott Hudson is the Senior Investigative Reporter and Editorial Page Editor for The Augusta Press. Reach him at scott@theaugustapress.com
